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Old Fri Nov 25, 2011, 11:38pm
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Thanksgiving/ A taste of officiating apathy/ Assigners & "levels"

I'm thankful for this forum. It's nice to have a centralized place for people who are serious about getting better bounce ideas off each other and learn. To those of you who add comments and walk through scenarios you've seen over the years, thanks.

The apathy part comes from a recent series of games I officiated with a guy in our association. Usually, I'll tell my partner to be as open as possible about things I can improve upon. Humility is a goal of mine. I try to take notes at the end of each game. It's hard when you are super arrogant like I am But, as I'm seeing, some guys are horrid examples to follow. For example:

About half way through our first game together I realized my partner was taking short cuts and would have been called "lazy" by anyone familiar with the amount of work, or effort, that should go into a game. Simple things like not husseling back on a fast break when he was are clearly responsible or blaming me for not getting the call on a line when he should have been in place to make the call. Also, he started to alter who should be taking the ball out by looking at how much work it was going to be to get to a spot, and then telling me it was my ball to pass in. I guess that was the final straw. Later, my wife, who is clueless about basketball said, "he didn't seem like he wanted to run much, was everything ok?"

In light of all the things that can go wrong in a game - one that shouldn't be a problem is the amount of effort each one of us puts in. Working with numerous partners who've been professional and committed to working as a team, it was a real put off. My standards aren't that high. Just try.

This leads to a theory I have (which may be totally wrong, but your thoughts are appreciated). Each association at the high school/junior high level can be broken up into 3 basic, but vague, categories:
1. Guys who are on their way up, either newer guys climbing the ladder, or guys who are doing college ball already.
2. Guys who have plateaued. Attitudes get a little bitter, and they don't have a good connection with the assigner or many partners. A guy like this may be a fine Jr High official, but will never work Varsity consistently.
3. Guys who are just starting and the verdict is still out. Could go either way, and time will tell.
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Old Sat Nov 26, 2011, 08:57am
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Relaxed Fit Mechaincs ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by BballRookie View Post
My partner was taking short cuts and would have been called "lazy" by anyone familiar with the amount of work, or effort, that should go into a game. Simple things like not hustling back on a fast break when he was are clearly responsible or blaming me for not getting the call on a line when he should have been in place to make the call. Also, he started to alter who should be taking the ball out by looking at how much work it was going to be to get to a spot, and then telling me it was my ball to pass in.
When all of us in our local high school board work an assigned game, from high school varsity games, all the way down to middle school games, we are all expected to put in 100% effort, 100% hustle, and 100% mechanics, in our case IAABO mechanics.

That being said, I also work, with pretty much the same group of guys and gals, for another assigner who assigns Catholic middle school games. These games pay less than public school assignments, and are always officiated as double headers, triple headers, or even quadruple headers, that, for the most part, must be over in, pretty much, less than an hour (six, and seven minute periods). Our assigning commissioner, for these games, allows us to use more "relaxed" mechanics. We are not expected to switch on all fouls, but "when convenient". We will often put the ball in play at a spot that is "convenient" to both officials, and players, which may not always be at the closest spot to the foul, or violation, and will often include bouncing the ball across the lane to an inbounder on his, or her, frontcourt endline. We will "bump" the timeouts, like we used to in the "olden days". Other than that, we do hustle, and put in our best effort, as expected by our assigning commissioner.

I know that others on this Forum will used more "relaxed" mechanics when working AAU games, or games on the recreation level.

As usual, it's a "When in Rome ..." situation.
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Last edited by BillyMac; Sat Nov 26, 2011 at 01:28pm.
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Old Sat Nov 26, 2011, 09:27am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BballRookie View Post
Simple things like not husseling back on a fast break when he was are clearly responsible or blaming me for not getting the call on a line when he should have been in place to make the call. Also, he started to alter who should be taking the ball out by looking at how much work it was going to be to get to a spot, and then telling me it was my ball to pass in. I guess that was the final straw. Later, my wife, who is clueless about basketball said, "he didn't seem like he wanted to run much, was everything ok?"
It's simple. In 2-person, who's line it is, well, that's pretty simple stuff.

Also, if he's dumping the administering of an in-bounds pass to you, well, I don't get that. Normally, partners who don't want to move will steal your sideline throw-in instead of bump-and-run to make you run the length of the court.

I don't work much out of season, but if I work a series of rec ball games, we don't switch on every foul (we switch on shooting fouls) or long switch, ever. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
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Old Sat Nov 26, 2011, 01:41pm
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What's My Line ???

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Originally Posted by RichMSN View Post
In 2-person, who's line it is, well, that's pretty simple stuff.
Not with the "new and improved" IAABO mechanics.

Back in the "olden days" when IAABO used NFHS mechanics, the lead always had the closest sideline all the way back to the backcourt endline. Maybe not the best coverage, but still pretty simple, which is still the method used by many of our "grizzled" veterans, including some of our finest officials, the kind that work state championship final games.

Now we in IAABO "Neverland" use IAABO mechanics. The lead always has the closest sideline back to the foul line extended. Past that, it becomes a guessing game.

When the trail is not across the basketline, the lead has the frontcourt endline, and nearer sideline back to the division line. The trail has the nearer sideline, division line, and all three backcourt boundaries.

When the trail is across the basketline, the lead has the frontcourt endline, and nearer sideline to the free throw line extended. The trail has the nearer sideline, farther sideline above free throw line extended, division line, and all three backcourt boundaries.

During transition, press, and press break, situations, the lead, hanging back to help, will have out of bounds responsibilities on the entire nearer sideline.

Maybe this sounds simple to young officials who have used these mechanics their entire career, but when an "experienced" official, like me, gets together with a young "whipper snapper", this becomes a game of "chicken".
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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

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Old Sun Nov 27, 2011, 01:48am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyMac View Post
Not with the "new and improved" IAABO mechanics.

Back in the "olden days" when IAABO used NFHS mechanics, the lead always had the closest sideline all the way back to the backcourt endline. Maybe not the best coverage, but still pretty simple, which is still the method used by many of our "grizzled" veterans, including some of our finest officials, the kind that work state championship final games.

Now we in IAABO "Neverland" use IAABO mechanics. The lead always has the closest sideline back to the foul line extended. Past that, it becomes a guessing game.

When the trail is not across the basketline, the lead has the frontcourt endline, and nearer sideline back to the division line. The trail has the nearer sideline, division line, and all three backcourt boundaries.

When the trail is across the basketline, the lead has the frontcourt endline, and nearer sideline to the free throw line extended. The trail has the nearer sideline, farther sideline above free throw line extended, division line, and all three backcourt boundaries.

During transition, press, and press break, situations, the lead, hanging back to help, will have out of bounds responsibilities on the entire nearer sideline.

Maybe this sounds simple to young officials who have used these mechanics their entire career, but when an "experienced" official, like me, gets together with a young "whipper snapper", this becomes a game of "chicken".
I know Referee has advocated this mechanic. Let me simply say this: It's dumb. D-U-M-B. It's my line all the way back. If I need help from the T, I'll ask for it, but let me take it first.
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