Debunking the "over the back" myth

[Paul LeBoutillier]

I did a girls BB game today and then stuck around to watch the boys game. During the game an assistant coach kept standing up and yelling at the officials to call "over the back." Then he'd turn to his boys and yell "I guess these guys think they took 'over the back' out of the book!" After about the third time I decided I needed to do something.

So after the game I went up to this AC and informed him that the words "over the back" appear nowhere in the NFHS rule book. He was dubious, but thanked me anyway.

Oh well...one coach at a time.

[JRutledge]

I have been know to tell them "there is no such thing" during the game I am officiating. Usually takes away at comment and they shut up after that.

Peace

[refjef40]

Excellent job because I to am sick of hearing that.I would like to add one to that,my other favorite "come on ref he's reaching in".Also not in the rule book but every coach,fan and annoucer know it well.I heard a annoucer say the other day say see he is reaching in and the ref will call that everytime even if there is no contact.Makes you want to laugh or scream.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by JRutledge
I have been know to tell them "there is no such thing" during the game I am officiating. Usually takes away at comment and they shut up after that.

I'm with you, Rut, I say this every once in a while. Unfortunately, last week, as my partner was walking to report a foul, a kid said to me, "It's about time you called the over-the-back." I said, "Did you know that over-the-back is not a foul?" The gym went dead silent just in time for God and everyone to hear my partner report, "White, 32, over-the-back"

AAAUUUGGGHHHHH!!!!

[BigJoe]

I had this happen my first year doing varsity. One team was a noted football school playing a smaller team. The coach was screaming for "over the back" calls all night. Finally, during a free throw, the captain came up to me and asked me why I wasn't calling the "over the back". I said that there was no such call. He went right over to the coach just like a tattle tale and told him what I said. His team was so lost by this that they forgot to play. They lost by about 20. I still snicker when I think about it!

[williebfree]

Originally posted by rainmaker

I'm with you, Rut, I say this every once in a while. Unfortunately, last week, as my partner was walking to report a foul, a kid said to me, "It's about time you called the over-the-back." I said, "Did you know that over-the-back is not a foul?" The gym went dead silent just in time for God and everyone to hear my partner report, "White, 32, over-the-back"

AAAUUUGGGHHHHH!!!!

Had nearly the same situation...
My partner is a high-quality baseball umpire (many state tourney games) and now he is doing basketball. He has stated that he doesn't care to learn the rules of basketball to the degree that he knows baseball. I tactfully suggested that he should invest more energy in learning the rules rather than relying on his "presence" to officiate the game. Needless to say, he wasn't interested in my encouragement. As he shifted the conversation to' "Only 6 weeks til softball starts."

This is the same P that uses the "foul tip" signal nearly every trip down the court.

DOUBLE AAAUUUGGGHHHHH!!!!

[Blackhawk357]

Has anyone ever heard a coach yell "moving screen" when there is three feet between palyers?

Drives me nuts.

Blackhawk

[WindyCityRef]

I think some officials keep the 'over the back' myth alive as we have seen in some of the posts here.

I was watching a grammer school game the other day, and one of the officials called a foul under the basket and then went into a little act where he took his hands and held them both up and made some kind of, climbing a ladder like signal (never seen that signal in the book) and yelled, 'Over the Back!' Very animated. I couldn't believe it.

[mick]

A few weeks ago during pre-game warm-ups, Varsity Captain Red came to me and my partner and he asked, "Do you guys call over-the-back? Cuz we jump over some teams, never touch them, yet we get called for fouls."

[gsf23]

I agree that one of the reasons the myth is still alive is that some officials still call it. I coach high school boys varsity. We have had three different officials this year that have called fouls and then gone to the table and reported it as "over the back" and then given the classic over the back signal. (both arms up over their head and hands reaching over)

At the beginning of this year, my assistant, who is an old time basketball guy, was yelling at an official to call an "over the back". I turn to my assistant and tell him that there is no such call, that if anything it should be a push. Two minutes later, the official reports an "over the back foul" My assistant looks at me and says "Thought you said there was no such call?"

So then tell me, what is a coach supposed to do? One game the official is calling an over the back, the next game the officials tell him there is no such rule, the next game it is getting called again?

[RecRef]

[i]So then tell me, what is a coach supposed to do? One game the official is calling an over the back, the next game the officials tell him there is no such rule, the next game it is getting called again?
[/B]

If your referees are from an association give the interpreter a call and let him/her know. Ask if they would call it a push as it should be.

I would be especially concerned with an over-the-back “signal.” It is one thing to miss a call, or to have a different view of the rules but giving a non existent signal is inexcusable.
(Unless it was the block plus trip signal I gave on Tuesday )

[braboa]

Whenever I've call "over the back" there has to be some contact that causes an advantage/disadvantage. That's right isn't it? When I report it, it give a push signal. That's okay right?

[gsf23]

Yeah, but don't say "over the back" when you report it. If you give the push signal, then you should call a push

[Ron]

Better yet, after reporting the colour and player who committed the foul, give the "push" signal, but don't say anything while you do it.

[NYBAREF]

I've often used this reply when a coach wants an "Over the Back" call.

"Coach, over the back is fine. When he is on his back, I'll make a call"

Works everytime.