imo +12

Agree completely. I think it is a sign of respect for a player to offer a hand shake or fist bump. I'm not going to pull the ol' Smitty Little League ump move and get in line behind the players to shakes hands but I'm not going to run away from it either.

Agreed! I think that if you will not shake/bump the hand offered you appear to be aloof, disrespectful and unapproachable. If a hand is not offered by one team - fine - no problem but I am always going to shake/bump when it is offered. It is a sign of the kind of young men and women we would like them to become IMHO. I believe it shows a sign of their maturity as well.

Quite frankly, I only see it here when I work junior college games. The WIAA has a strict protocol for pregame introductions and teams are instructed not to seek out the other players or coaches or the officials for handshakes/fist bumps/etc. They are introduced and come onto the court right in front of their benches.

newer guy here.....why would this make a bigger difference for overtime?

/thanks!

I don't get it much with WI schools either. Mostly with my JUCO schedule and when I am in MI. When the WI schools play a MI school is when I usually get the MI captains shaking hands and the WI captains that won't

I don't need or want the fist bump/hand shake during player introductions...I'll interact with the players DURING THE GAME.

Some players...and I do mean SOME...take this oportunity to smash their fist against yours. I turn my fist, so that they hit the "meaty" part of my hand instead of the knuckles...but, it still pi$$es me off when they try the hard fist bump. (call me sensitive, but I wish we would ELIMINATE this pre-game formality...such as some of the college ranks have done)

"AMEN" Rookie Dude. We should not be part of the pre-game "show" that takes way too long. They run all over the gym shaking hands with coaches, players and some, the student section. The fans are not here to see us.

In the big picture, asking for a speaking captain makes no difference to me. If my R wants to know then so be it, however, I do not understand why the need to ask. Even so far as marking the speaking captain in the book; I don't understand.

Shaking hands I avoid, the fist bump is what I prefer to avoid contracting a cold or flu, although each time I handle the ball, I am part of the transfer of germs. So, I am back to square one. Well, the bump is more piece of mind then than actually pure germ warfare. :o

Who *cares* about the fans?

Sigh, another ref who wishes we could wear an invisibility cloak. We're not the center of attention, but we *are* part of the game. Why are so many people ashamed of that?

I like notifying the captains before the jump. It's a relic that's still in the NFHS manual.

Also, if I have a real issue (if the game gets chippy), I wouldn't hesitate to talk to a captain. In football, I have the numbers written on my game card. I don't have such a device in basketball.

I know it may not be needed to know who the captains are for 10 years, but the one day when I'd like to use the captains to help settle a player or a game, it's nice to have that information available. It's simply a tool in a big toolbox.

Chippy games can explode quickly if not handled. To be honest, I ask any teammate to chill someone out or calm them down. I really don't know if they are a captain or not, just a teammate. If I need captains during a dead ball for some reason, a simple cattle call for captains and they come a running. Maybe I need to increase my game recollection to know who my captains are during the game to quickly call them and settle a game or player. I just don't see the use in knowing who my speaking captains. It implies that the other captains are not speaking and that they can be the only ones to speak on the team's behalf.

I understand in football that officials need specific answers from a team spokesperson on the field during play. In basketball, there are few instances that I need input from a captain to the point that I don't need to know who is the speaking captain. All in all, a moot point. I was on a fishing trip to get insight on the need to ask for dem speaking captains.

I disagree strongly.

Dissuading sportsmanship is not the way to go. If the players want to take a few extra seconds and shake/bump our hands, enjoy the respect. I'll even notify the coach of a "best handshake award" (firm, eye contact).

When the teams stress respect for us, it can only make thing better. To even suggest that you don't want handshakes only makes us more distant and unapproachable.

I agree! In addition to our attire upon arriving at the school & taking the floor in a professional manner, the fist bump only helps set the the tone prior to the toss.