Had a partner tonight who has just transferred in to our area, with several years experience in his former locale. He did a good job, and looked terrific, but had one mechanic which amused me. If he was going to wipe a shot, he put both hands at his chest, elbows out, palms down and then simultaneously "waved" both arms straight out in front of him, as though signalling SAFE in baseball. He repeated this motion two or three times each time he called it (three calls, I think). How do others wipe the shot in areas outside of Portland? Is his style unique, or regional?

I think that is just him. Most everyone I know of does the motion above their head so the whole world can see it.

Jewel,
That mechanic, "Safe", can wipe off a shot in Michigan.
mick

Referee Laruso says: "Wax On...Wax Off."

Actually, the way you described your partner's signal, is just about the same way that it is pictured in the NF book. Waving the arms higher is just a better mechanic, IMO, especially for officials who are smaller in stature.

We have an official in my area who does about the same thing...He has a shoulder problem and it is easier for him.

AK ref SE

Well, according to the NF, NCAA, and NBA rulebooks, this is the proper mechanic, even though you never see it. (Maybe this will be another change like the 3-second signal?)

Women's college game I was at tonight - one of the refs (WNBA) definately used this on all of her travel/foul before the shot type calls.

I find that annoying. Wave it off only if it goes in!

Style.
 

The proper mechanic is to give a "baseball" like safe signal to signal no basket or no shot. But as a matter of style some officials do this all above their heads. I personally do it like the book tells us to. I was told to stop doing it the other way. But just like the PC foul, how many of us put our arm up, then put our arm behind our head in separate motions? I sure as hell do not. I am sure that many do not either. It comes down to a matter of style, unless you are told specifically not to do it that way.

Peace

As a new official, I've been told by veterans and our local observer that if I'm not going to count the shot, it's better to wave it off without ever looking at the basket. That way, everyone in the gym knows it's no good, and the coach of the team that "scored" won't have an excuse to gripe.

I have to agree. Although the end result is the same on paper, the team that you are cancelling the goal from will only have a more negative reaction if you wait. You already know the goal will not count, and everyone in the gym should know, so there is no question of if you are "guessing". Think of it this way, would you wait for a last second try, to win the game, to fall before you wave it off?

The goal does not have to go in.
 

You might be waiving off a shot to signify that your foul or your violation has nothing to do with a shot. Your signal helps make it clear that you have to shot. The ball is already dead by the time you blow your whistle, so waving off the basket might be to clarify that you have no shot and any basket that goes in is not going to count. Because if you do not do that, any action when the ball is dead because of foul or violation, you might get asked by the table or your partners, "did the basket count?" To me it is always good to use your signals just like your voice. You might have to in some cases to signal something at the table. But listen to your assignors.

Peace

I"ve been waving off the shot first, since once I signal, no one is looking, and may miss the no-shot call.

...this one time....at ref camp......
 

..they told us to signal off a shot that way...using a safe call like in baseball. But use it immediately when the shot is being attempted as to not have the problems stated above.

They won't ask if it doesn't go in.
Nor will they ask if you: [Quote]Wave it off only if it goes in![Quote]