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I'm getting some feedback regarding closing on a routine foul from the lead.
I understand that there is times when it is absolutly nessesery to penetrate the baseline, but what the observers are saying is that is is not desirable to close on most fouls. That the lead is close enough already. And that it is confrontational to close and birddog every time. I see some guys who do a sort of circle close on every call. Please give me your opinion on closing. What are the pros/cons? I am mainly talking about the lead, but I am open to talking about the trail position. It seems obvious to me that the trail needs to close more aggressivly most times- true? I almost exclusivity do 2 whistle. Any big differences re closing with 3? |
This will be short and sweet.
Rarely do I close on a foul unless it isn't obvious to everyone else who the foul is on. |
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"Hey birddog, get away from my quail
Hey birddog, you're on the wrong trail Birddog, you'd better leave my lovey dove alone" ---The Everly Brothers Still good advice today. Birddogging went out with the collared shirt. |
Tell that to the guys doing the conference tourney games tonight. I still see a lot of bird dogging out there.
Granted the simultanious fist/bird dog is a thing of the past, I still see some form of point in most TV game calls. Perhaps the fact that these guys avg. age seems to be in the 50's at least means that they feel some obligation to ID the person they just tagged with a foul. Maybe the younger guys don't bird dog as much. I for one, don't understand the deep anti-BD feeling that you guys- as well as many of the officials in my association(s) seem to feel. I get the idea that they look down at it as a "high school" mechanic. Which is strange, since that is exactly what most of us are. |
Looking down on it has nothing to do with it. It's simply not needed when everyone in the gym usually knows who the foul is on.
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You in Raleigh now? |
For the record, the NCAA manual still says bird-dogging is optional. I've never done it, just because the fewer signals and hand gestures you can make, the better.
I personally don't think there's every a big need for a close, unless there's a massive train wreck with multiple players involved. Use your voice! |
Tee,
When I am the lead, instead of closing in, I normally back out, and then back up, almost forming a "L" shape on the floor. I do this beause I get everybody in line of vision without, losing my angle. For the "T" official in (2) man whistle, it is ABSOLUTELY neccessary for the "T" official to close when the shot goes up. The "T" has to help the L official with the backside rebounding, and anything else that may develop that the L official may not pick-up. In the (3) man whistle, both the "C" and "T" officials are required to close and help the "L" official with the rebounding on shot. The "T" official is not going to be as far down, as the "C" official is, but the "T" official is closing down as well in (3) man whistle. |
I still bird dog just for the fact it's still a NFHS mechanic. It's just a habit I've formed, too. People may know who the foul is on, but bird dogging is just something I automatically do. If somebody does a highly obvious travel, do you just blow the whistle and proceed to the other end of the court? No....you still make the mechanic for a travel.
To each his own I guess... http://www.southwesternofficials.org...basketmech.htm [Edited by TXMATTHEW05 on Mar 15th, 2003 at 09:22 PM] |
I've found that a strong verbal (players number) is the best way to go, no bird dogging. The less we point at people, the better off we are.
Another reason to avoid closing down on routine fouls, we then aren't making calls on the (semi) run. IMO, It makes my eyes bounce. (and with me, other things as well). |
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Chuck |
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