Odd timeout situation

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Cav0

Side question, let's say both officials make this mistake and put the ball in play with H still in the timeout huddle. Would H have any recourse to say that the ball shouldn't have been put in play using the book or timer's knowledge as evidence? And if the officials agreed could they fix the mistake in someway.

No. But this whole scenario seems unbelievable to me. I've never heard of an official arbitrarily changing a TO from full to 30. It makes no sense.

[Cav0]

I agree it sounds implausible. I asked several clarifying questions when the story was told to me. This is only how it was told to me so I can't guarantee it being 100% accurate (Well it is to the person who told me the story, but we know that there is always more than one side to the story).

The theory was that he got confused when communicating with the table about remaining timeouts and heard something about remaining 30 second timeouts and mistakenly applied that on this timeout.

[RobbyinTN]

On a 60 second TO, the first horn would not even have blown at the 30 second mark so not sure why the official thought it was a 30 second TO. This story sounds "fishy" to me - I think whoever has told you the story has left something out or misunderstood something themselves.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by RobbyinTN

On a 60 second TO, the first horn would not even have blown at the 30 second mark so not sure why the official thought it was a 30 second TO. This story sounds "fishy" to me - I think whoever has told you the story has left something out or misunderstood something themselves.

As was mentioned, if the officials were somewhat new, and they heard "30 second timeout" from the table (for a different reason), and then saw the clock ticking down, they likely thought that they were doing the right thing by getting the game going. It certainly sounds like a newbie mistake.

[RobbyinTN]

But would the administering official remember what he indicated?

Maybe it was a couple of newbies but for both of them to make the mistake just seems odd. As someone else said, if (1) you give the correct mechanic for the 60 second TO and (2) stand in the correct location for the 60 second TO, this helps you not make mistakes like this. Whenever a coach requests a TO, once I know if it is a 30 or 60, I inform the other team's coach of the length (verification #1), inform the table with the proper mechanic (verification #2), indicate to my partner(s) the type (30 or 60) and throw in location (verification #3), stand in the proper location (verification #4),and if there is no clock countdown, I also mentally do the countdown myself (verification #5). This pretty much eliminates any possibility of cutting it short (unless both teams are ready to play prior to the TO expiring.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Cav0

The theory was that he got confused when communicating with the table about remaining timeouts and heard something about remaining 30 second timeouts and mistakenly applied that on this timeout.

My theory is there's more to the story that's missing that what is here.

[Cav0]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

My theory is there's more to the story that's missing that what is here.

Agreed, and unfortunately I don't really have any way of getting hold of any more info about the situation. I'll see if it was taped, but knowing the school involved it is unlikely that a JV game was recorded. Believe me, I was/am as incredulous about this story as you all.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

No. But this whole scenario seems unbelievable to me. I've never heard of an official arbitrarily changing a TO from full to 30. It makes no sense.

Agreed. There is something missing from this story, and that's the perspective of the actual officials of the game. This is secondhand, rather thirdhand, information from fans. Doesn't smell right at all.

[Treeguy]

What about making eye contact with your partner(s) before putting the ball in play? I always look at my partner(s) and they give me a nod or point to me (and visa-versa) and then blow the eady whistle. If his partner was not ready, the ball should never have been put in play. Does smell a little fishy.