Getting it right
 

Lately, I have had coaches question out of bounds calls or if the ball was tipped. In my efforts to get it right I ask my partner. BUT I was told by a recent partner that I am being played! Stick with your call and if your partner sees it differently HE will come to you..Ignore the coaches :)

Comments?

Listen to your partner (at least on this issue).

If your partner is 110% sure he saw it differently then he darn well better come tell you what he saw.

If your partner is only 99% sure he darn well better act like he agrees with you 110%. And you will in turn act 110% confident that you are the man and that you are right (even if you're not convinced yourself).

It is 99% about presentation and there is no room for indecision on the court. That's a lot of percentages, but I think (hope) you get my point.

You're gonna have some long games if you ask you partner about an OOB call every time a coach doesn't like the call.

Pre-game the types of plays that you will ask for help and plays where help will be offerred unsolicitated. Ignore the coaches in this situation.

This should be pre-gamed every game you work. If your partner has something different they better come with information and information only. It is your call to make or decide. Most of the time you come to me with information and you have talked about this with me before the game, I am going with your call. But if I see something you did not, I might stick with my call. But if you pre-game this you should know the feelings of your partners and what is the best way to handle this.

Peace

My favorite was many years ago. I was working with a guy who "struggled". A ball bounced off the red girl's shoulder and out of bounds. My partner gave the ball to red. I strolled over and asked him if he didn't see the ball bounce off the shoulder. He said no so we got it fixed and corrected. I went back to my spot and the red coach says "I hope you feel really good about showing up your partner like that."

Two free throws later we were ready to continue.

And that would be every OOB call. :rolleyes:

While I agree with all of the previous posts, I (the lead official) did get dinged by an observer/small college supervisor for not asking my partner (the center official) for help on an out of bounds call weak side endline. Didn't think I had it wrong and the C did not come in with help, but in the post game discussion the observer commented that it doesn't matter. In this situation, the perception by the coaches is that we communicated and made sure it was the right call.

And that's the only such person in authority I've heard of with this approach.

I've heard about it before by officials much better than me. I think it has some merits in certain situations but we certainly don't want to use every time a coach or the players complain on a call.

From My Pregame, Every Pregame ...
 

For out-of-bounds help, let's get it right. If I have no idea and I look to you for help, just give a directional signal.
No need to come to me, just point. If you don't know, give me a jump ball signal. If I signal but I get it wrong then
blow the whistle and come to me. Tell me what you saw and let me decide if I’m going to change it.

Agree.

When I've got a line call away from me where their may be a chance I saw it wrong and the coach asks, I'll ask my partner if they saw anything different. If they yes, we fix it. If they say no, the coach is satisfied that I at least asked. I wouldn't do this on every request or every OOB but there are just a few calls every game that you have to make where you can't be 100% certain and you have a partner that might have had a better look but wasn't willing to offer info.

Ill tell you what if Im 100% sure im still coming in to help. don't see how anyone can be 110% but I digress.

I have had instances where i go and ask my partner if they are happy with their look or if they saw it bounce of X teams hand/foot/elbow/etc. and they say no and don't change it.

If it's bang bang and pretty vague I EXPECT my partner to ask for help. I know I would. but half the time i go with a live and die by the call philosophy the other half i offer unsolicited help. Depends on the situation and the partner.

Stick with your call and if your partner sees it differently HE will come to you. Ignore the coaches.

Seems to me an advanced technique, and the OP's partner was right to tell the newer official to ignore the coaches. That in and of itself is good advice for officials in their first couple of years.