May I ask a dumb question?

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

And not even in HS (during my games, anyway!)

As a returning referee (with a desire to move up), I have noted many changes in the "fashion" of basketball refereeing. V-neck shirts, Fox 40 whistles, Smitty lanyards. Today the lead administers free throws and we no longer "work to our left."

While some of these are truly fashion changes, most are improvements of some kind. I am puzzled whether the bird-dog/not-to-bird-dog question is a matter of fashion, or if there is some kind of evolutionary mechanics improvement at work. I have no desire to start a holy war, but could somebody please enlighten me on the nature of the debate?