Saw this on ESPN.com this morning. Check out http://espn.go.com/ncb/news/2003/0128/1500271.html where the Big 12 (and -- surprise, surprise -- Bobby Knight) is blaming a timer for a Texas Tech loss at Oklahoma.

Chuck

From the ESPN article: “The videotape review also indicated the slow start of the clock at the 4.5-seconds mark may have happened because the clock operator's view of ball contact was blocked by players on the court. Still, the clock was slow in starting, Weiberg said.”

In situations like this it is very important for the official, to have good line-of-sight with the clock operator. It is most important that the chop be very distinctive and forceful.

While you are right about the mechanics needed, I sure hope that you are not naive enough to think that the timer is watching the official in this situation. You know that 99.9% of the timers will be watching the ball. :)

-----------------------------------------------------------
After Tech's Will Chavis hit two free throws and on the subsequent in-bounds pass to Price, the second timing error occurred when the clock started late by approximately 0.5 seconds.
-----------------------------------------------------------

0.5 seconds ???? don't they assume the 1 second lag for the timer starting and stoping the clock...

NCAA has no lag time, and the FED has it only for STOPPING the clock (not for starting it).