What are your pet peeves about other officials?
 

I don't want this to turn into a ***** fest, but what are some of your pet peeves about other officials. For me by far my biggest is the lead baseline official who is lazy about what side of the lane they put the ball in play on. One of my varsity partners does this and it literally drives me mad.

In order to save himself the trouble of taking 3 steps across the lane, he will initiate a throw in from whatever side he happened to be on when the violation occurred without regard for where the ball was or where the ball crossed the end line. I feel like we have guidelines and mechanics for a reason, and to completely ignore them to save yourself three steps is just maddening.

The variation of this (the same partner has this in his repertoire also) is player you stand over there hand motion I'll stay here and bounce it to you hand motion followed by administering the throw in from the other side of the line. It's even worse when we are going and I bust *** to get down to the baseline, only to turn around and find I've got to run all the way back to center because you don't want to take 3 steps. One of these days I'm going to refuse and just stay there.

I'm not one of these uber anal guys who are uptight about everything, and I believe there is a time and place for almost everything. The time and place for this is for rec men's league, or during a 6 game stretch of youth ball in a tournament, NOT at a varsity DH when our local association has sent folks out to evaluate us!?!?!?!?!?!?!? :mad:

/rant

I dont care what side of the lane line they put the ball in play on. That's way down on my list. Not knowing the rules, being stubborn when I am trying to help and you think you have to be right, and partners that have 10 other places they would rather be than on the game they have are way more frustrating and tough to work with.

I cannot work with stupidity, but I can work with a competent official who might just be a bit lazy about certain administrative requirements like bouncing the ball to an inbounder or across the lane on endline throw ins. Not ideal, but it doesn't make my blood boil.

Mine is calling it the "Baseline" instead of the "Endline". :)

Fair enough but those things you mentioned are a little too serious to be considered pet peeves.

If my wife passes gas like she's a trucker while in bed that might be a pet peeve.

If she's shooting sweet Mexican black tar heroine in bed that's a whole different matter all together.

Awesome. Guess it's obvious I played for 14 years and have been officiating for 3. :D

Officials who ask stupid questions when the answers can be so easily found in the rule or case book.

Meh, this doesn't bother me much. In some spots the rule book reads worse than poorly translated Chinese furniture assembly instructions.

Some people learn better through discussion, at least they show interest in learning and getting better as an official, there are far worse crimes.

While working with guys I really have very little I get upset by. I can adjust to anyone that I work with if they do something quirky or not completely correct. All I really ask is that you communicate with me and let me know what is going on from your mechanics or what you called. Other than that I can adjust to just about anything and have in my career. Most of the time it is only one game, so I do not get that upset about those kinds of things.

Peace

Guys who misuse the words "literally" and "myself."

Oh, you meant on the court?

Young officials who demonstrate a lack of rules knowledge, but want to complain about other officials' lack of the same.

Umm..wow. That's one disturbing analogy. Issues?

Communication, Communication, Communication ...
 

Bingo.

Tough room.

The smiley means you're kidding, right?

Thank you for not making me say it :D

Only things that can peeve me about another official are not knowing the rules and not knowing the basic fundamental mechanics.

The rest is not for me to judge or worry about. The assignor/supervisor needs to deal with the other stuff.

Trail officials who call 3-second violations when the ball is in the Trail's primary.

Officials who call "reach-in" fouls and/or "over-the-back" fouls. (Usually, these are the same guy).

Please don't ever tell me the ball is alive!! If you do, give me a stethoscope so I can check it.

officials who call violations/fouls that simply didn't happen....

I would MUCH rather have a partner who just doesn't blow the whistle at all - because I can always come in and get the fouls/violations that need to be called....

Unless you were working under pro rules. ;)

"If she's shooting sweet Mexican black tar heroine in bed that's a whole different matter all together"


Can't name a Mexican heroine, Joan of Arc comes to mind on the French side

Wait til you meet Mr. Annoying Spelling Guy

There he is.

ps: what about Santa Ana? ;)

This is like debating whether you'd rather be shot or stabbed.


You can always come in and call everything that needs to be called?

By yourself? Don't think so.

if you can't officiate - and it will be pretty easy to tell after a couple of minutes - you bet I'll come and get the calls that need to be made.

there's a reason why assignors put a younger/less experienced official on a game with two veterans....

Player: high dribble
Partner: *tweeeeeet* Carry!
Me: http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/facepalm.gif

So you'll call all over the floor in an attempt to cover for the other guy.

Nice in theory, but you'll be worse there and also worse in your primary when you do this.

Personally, I find it challenging enough to simply stay in my primary and only reach when we have a true elephant on the court.

I hate to be the first to say this, I was hoping someone else had this experience, but here's mine-

I hate working with guys who look down at you as an official. You know the guys, the ones that either work college ( and you don't ) and the guys who are on the elected board and it's beneath them to work with someone who is not on the board.

There I said it.

Officials who jump all over someone because they think the other guy is wrong without making any attempt to help their fellow official understand or get better.

95% of the college/board guys I've worked with are not only good partners, but helpful as well. Offering good points of improvement and tips.

Occasionally, I get the big timer; but that's not isolated to guys who work college or big varsity games. I've had that attitude from perennial JV guys, too.

snaqwells, I should clarify, it's not all of them, but it is a higher % than guys who don't do college and guys who aren't on the board.

And I have never gotten attitude from any jv officials. Lucky me I guess. I have had jv officials that do College, have attitudes toward the board, for not giving them Varsity games at the HS level.

Everyone needs to remember there are only so many games at every level. We all think we are God's gift to basketball refereeing, but the truth is, we all are not.

I'll agree the odds are better, and it's annoying to be on the court with a guy who seems to think he's doing penance by working with you.

+1

I've never blocked working with anyone, but I've considered...

*The guy who overruled my backcourt violation after tip-off (A-2 caught the tip with both feet in the frontcount, then pivoted into backcourt) without discussing it with me.

*The guy who called a blocking foul on a defender with LGP and verticatily, then proceeded to explain to me, "he got him with his belly."

*The guy who wasn't working my game, but came into our locker room after my game and give me a hard time for calling a foul with one second left.

All three, same guy.

Nobody can overrule your backcourt violation, whether they discuss it with you or not.

I second that emotion ... or the guy who sees the player fumbles the ball and falls to the floor - traveling.

Why just considered?

Right. It was my second year, and I was too stunned to do anything about it. He just took the ball and administered the throw in.

Hmmmm, Santa Ana is a town in California?

If you mean Santa Anna, he attacked the Alamo if memory serves me

My first year, That Guy came up to me after I reported a foul to tell me it wasn't a foul..........one of the few times I have really shown emotion on the court.

Two for me...

1) Guys that refuse to engage in a meaningful pre-game

2) I will preface this one by saying I have experienced it more with lower level games. Twice this season while working freshman games, I have been in the midst of meeting with the captains 12 minutes prior to tip when my partner has come strolling into the gym. There is a reason I don't work many of these games, and it has nothing to do with the kids or the quality of the basketball!

Late
 

Last night my partner showed up two minutes before tip off, I had already fulfilled all of our administrative duties. He walks in with a pair of shoes under his arm...I get nervous but he assures me that he knows what he is doing because he has 30 experience in another state...he then tells me he doesn't have a jacket. Next he asks if I have a whistle for him. Unfortunately the game gets started and things went down hill. He is way to good of an official to get stuck with sub varsity games.

I'm inclined to give number 2 a bit of a pass. My first year I had about 30 sub varisty dates that started between 5 and 6. Due to my real job it was impossible for me to make anything earlier. It's a struggle to get new people into the game to begin with, and the time requirement is a big reason for that. For that reason I'll never judge someone who's unable to show up for a 5:30 freshman tip until 5:15 because they can't leave work until 5.

If you can't make it to the game in time, don't accept the assignment. The above is no excuse. It's selfish and screws your partner over.

Had one of these in a JuCo game once. He did it at halftime. What particularly peeved me about it was that:

1. He wasn't the crew chief
2. When the crew chief asked what we had this guy insisted on going last, after the crew chief
3. We had an observer sitting with us

There were 3 plays he was upset about but instead of discussing them he just started ranting. First play I would have readily admitted I was wrong about if he had asked me (a whistle out my primary and not a game-saver). 2nd was on a fast break where he was C and I was Lead and A1, coming from C's area to the basket, took a solid shot to the head while making the layup and I put a whistle on it; he was crazy for thinking I should have passed on it. Forget what the 3rd play was but it was something that happened in a dual coverage area.

Point being instead of talking and asking about the plays to ensure we all got on the same page he just went off like some prima donna worried his reputation was being ruined by us mere mortals. On top of that the crew chief was a mentor of mine and the guy who got me into officiating and we had 2 1/2 hour ride home together. So I was going to get plenty of in-depth feedback and constructive criticism on my performance. I didn't need this U1 character interjecting his selfish bullsh!t on me in the middle of the game.

Is this a varsity contest?

This falls under handling our off-court business & a simple email/phone call/text is appropriate.

1. Agreed.
2. I have to be honest. I am always at a middle school game at least 30 minutes prior to game time (45 minutes for high school games, 60 for varsity). That said, I'm not doing captains meetings at 12 minutes if my partner isn't there yet. The least important part of the game can wait a few minutes. I'd rather walk out with my partner with 7:00 on the clock than alone at 15:00.

Excellent point.

This doesn't excuse the d***bag partner who strolls into the gym a few minutes before tip, shabbily dressed already, holding his shoes as he sits next to the scorers table changing his shoes. That sure lets everyone in the gym know he's a pro.

Exactly. The biggest benefit of arbiter is my ability to see who my partners are and contact them. Not only do we confirm game site and tip off time, but we also note what time we'll be at the school. If I'm going to be late (even 5 minutes), I'll note that so they aren't panicking 20 minutes before game time.

Don't get me wrong I'm not advocating for just showing up 15 min before tip without warning. I'd let both my partner, the assigner and the AD know a few days in advance of the situation so it's not like I'd drop it out of the blue on anyone.

Lastly I understand what you are saying but the reality is in our particlar area there is a greater demand for officials than there is a supply. Our local association assigner has a difficult time getting all the games covered as it is. In fact we have several crews of retired vasity officials in thier 70's that end up doing local Jr High games for no other reason than we can't get anyone else to do them. We also have several people who routinely work 3jr high games at 3:30, then run to a different metro school to work a freshman game at 6. I don't imagine we are the only in which that is the case.

Given the reality of the situation I don't understand why provided there is responsible communications between all parties showing up 15 min prior to a JV tip is a terrible thing.

Where is your particular area?

Id rather not say specifically, lest I tick someone off, but I live in an midwestern state and my home association is based in a metro of about 75,000 people and is responsible for assigning games for 3 metro high schools as well as 20-30 smaller high schools in the surrounding rural areas.

IKR! Sounds like any half decent official could move there & advance in a SoCal type of way.

WTF? :confused:

I wen't from first year official with 30 sub varsity games in year one to a full time crew with 20+ varisty dates in year two. Granted I had experience officiating at a local Y when I was in HS as well as a combined two decades as a player and volunteer assistant coach.

I know, right

I know right?

Ahhh. Sorry, my age is apparently showing. :o

At least you got the internet thing figured out. Now if only you could master that VCR remote.

Why I oughta......

My teenage daughter keeps me up to speed with latest lingo :D

3 Stooges?

I've never had problem with college guys at the HS level. Have encountered a couple jacka$$es at the JuCo level though.

I work a very modest college schdule and I've actually encountered more attitude from older, veteran Varsity officials and career JV officials who have never worked college basketball. I have quite often heard snide/sarcastic remarks from them about officials who go to camps and/or pursue college aspirations. I never advertised or voluntarily discussed what I was doing but of course word gets around. In fact, unless someone is part of my small inner circle I'm very uncomfortable discussing anything to do with me being a college official.

Yep. :D

What does my crew have to do with this?

Eh, I'm inclined to let this one slip provided the officials talk about their arrival time before hand. None of this pays the bills and without working people showing up 15 minutes before game time there wouldn't be enough freshman officials.

Before you know it, he will be ready for the, wait for it..... SEC.

Pet Peeves
 

Signal and Mechanics Pet Peeves
-- Compiled from Registered Officials Nationwide

1. Upward circling finger when free throw fails to hit the rim
2. Block signal that looks like the chicken dance
3. “Over-the-back” signal to the table that looks like Superman flying or a Boris Karloff-like Frankenstein stance
4. Timeout signal using a T motion
5. One partner brushing of palms together to indicate a clean blocked shot
6. Reporting numbers to table with two hands
7. No stop clock signal with raised open hand when a violation occurs
8. Directional point angled upward toward the sky
9. Choppy, short visible counts
10. Lazy, far-too-slow visible counts
11. No visible counts
12. Double personal foul signal to report a full timeout
13. Thirty second timeout signal pointing thumbs to shoulders with pinkies out
14. Travel signal for a designated spot throw-in violation
15. Lazy little fist bump to start the clock
16. Running hand up and down the line to indicate out-of-bounds violation
17. Safe signal to communicate no foul
18. Constantly indicating with two fingers that the goal is for two points, not three
19. Pointing downward and shouting “on the floor”, even though the player had started his shooting motion when fouled
20. Inbounding and covering side of mouth like coughing when blowing whistle
21. Starting a pregame locker room conference, saying, “I hate JV basketball.”
22. Pregame meeting with captains beginning with, “OK, tonight we’re gonna play the black line all the way around”.
23. L who calls the violation when a free throw misses the rim
24. Partners in 3-man who are too lazy to rotate

Must be a real joy working with you...:eek:

When people make long lists. :D

...get more geritol. ??? :p

+1, 2, 3, 4, 5....

LOL!!!

Peace

Lol
 

I didn't make the list, you guys all did. Two years ago. Here. I just compiled your responses.
I'm LOLing!

Couple of years ago, I had a similar thing happen, he came late and dressed to ref, I did the book, the captains meeting and I told him I was going to be the R, he says "No, I was assigned to be the R" and he took over....

That's not just a reflection on him, but also on the assignor/assigning process.

Being the R is significant, but overrated. jmo

Fools Rush In ...
 

Last night. Girls varsity. Visitor undefeated, and ranked. Home has only lost a few games. Place is rocking.

Visitor on offense. Home on defense. Partner is lead, sounds his whistle, puts a fist up in the air, signals a holding foul, points to the closest spot on the endline, and heads to the reporting area. No shot attempted. We're not in the bonus for either team. The place is rocking, so I don't hear his call.

I switch and move to the endline, where a Visitor is waiting, out of bounds, for me to give her the ball for a throwin, and I'm ready to oblige, just as soon as my partner finishes his reporting, and turns around.

He turns around and realizes that I'm about to hand the ball to the wrong team, and stops my throwin administration.

Now I look like a fool. To the players, the coaches, the fans, and the two subvarsity officials sitting in the stands.

A bird dog signal, which I know is optional, would have helped. A team control foul "punch", which is not optional, and should have been signaled, would have definitely prevented this, either made by him at the site of the foul, or at the table. Not only did I not know who the foul was on, the girls who were near him didn't know either.

There are reasons why we have approved mechanics, and approved signals, and some are not optional, and these must be used to achieve good communication between the officials.

Yeah. You're right. I'm pissed. I've got a rare Friday night off. What's on television tonight? I need a distraction, and a cold Schaefer, to calm me down.

Law & Order reruns on TNT, of course. My DVR is already set.

No. Baselines are found on baseball diamonds. Endlines are found on basketball courts. :)

For me its partners who don't make eye contact from C while administrating free throws.

Hmm...
 

Show off officials - the guys who somehow have the idea the crowd came to see them. Common mechanic: open palm hitting against the head.

Guys that have no sense of teamwork - we can relay timeouts, so why take the extra steps? You called three fouls in a row; we have a double whistle, and you sprint toward the table. You're ballhawking while someone just got shoved 15 feet in your primary. You think calling 3-seconds is a waste of time. You roll the ball to your partner all night, I guess to make sure he's truly getting a workout aside from his four mile run. And the guy who's having the time of his life socializing with the coaches and players while forgetting to call the game.

On the good side: we can use two hands to signal player numbers, so we don't get aggravated about that.

Hmmmmm....Would you be referring to "TV Teddy"?
:D

Guys who make up their own rules and are never wrong even when they obviously are. Thankfully, only a couple GIGDGO games this season.

the most rewarding flavor
 

One does not have "a cold Schafer." One is "having more than one."

Noting a prior reference hereabouts to a post game porter, I report that Narragansett Porter has returned, good beverage, popular prices.

My vote for obsucre reference of the day! Wow!

"Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one" is one of New York's most famous jingles. Schaefer closed its doors in the 1970s, ending the great history of Brooklyn's breweries.

No, your partner looks like a fool. He is the one who was unable to use the proper mechanics to communicate who the foul was on.

Right off the top of my head, I'd say officials that aren't sharp with their signaling. Look, I don't care if an official uses 2 vs. 1 handed reporting, doesn't use the stop clock signal, or doesn't make all their signals look like the book, but damn it, look sharp while doing so. I tell younger (as far as experience goes) officials that game management and call selection improve with time...signaling is something one can control right away.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8nrRlXlbWCU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

My pet peeve would probably be have to be when a full timeout is requested and granted, the calling official reports the full timeout with the double foul signal. That irks at me for some reason...

Also, when an official uses the shot clock violation signal for "my time."

I'm sure there are more that I have, but those two come to mind currently.

Schaefer Pleasure Doesn't Fade Even When Your Thirst Is Done ...
 

Then why can I still purchase a six pack at my local adult beverage super store?

Does it taste the same as the 70's? Some of my fondest memories are of stealing my old man's rusty cans of Schaefer from the basement when I was 16...

F & M Schafer Brewing Co., Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania
 

Because Schaefer was sold to Stroh's which was bought out by Pabst which has it contract-brewed by Miller which entered a joint venture with Coors which had merged with Molson.

The best hoop analogy would be the ownership history of the Memphis Tams.

You missed one

http://www.baseballforum.com/attachm...n-edited-2.jpg

The Most Rewarding Flavor In This Man's World ...
 

I actually switched to Schaefer after my Dad passed away. He was a regular Schaefer drinker, and when I was little, he always used to let me take a sip. After he died, I spotted some Schaefer in my local package store, that's what we call them here in the Land Of Steady Habits (of course, being in the Land of Steady Habits, I didn't spot these six packs on a Sunday). I didn't think that it was sold anymore, not seeing any of those those great Schaefer commercials on television during sporting events for several years, but there those six packs were, sitting on the shelf. They say that your sense of smell connects directly to the memory part of your brain. They're right. Every time I open up, and drink, a cold one, I think fondly of my Dad, especially after mowing the lawn on a hot summer day, and sitting, and relaxing, on the front stoop.

You get around
 

From the Land of Sky Blue Waters...
 

For those from within the range of WGN, and old enough to appreciate it:
Nothing like the memory of sitting around on a hot day listening to Jack Brickhouse and Lloyd Pettit doing play-by-play of Ernie Banks, Don Kessinger, and Billy Williams, etc., with a cold Hamms beer quelling the temps of the good old Sumer-time. The Friendly Confines, indeed!
Ah, the day...:)

Did you check the expiration date on that can?

Oh, sorry, no one heard of expiration dates back in the day....... :rolleyes:

Couldn't ...
 

... too much rust.

I think Jack Brickhouse's main partner on those radio broadcasts was Vince Lloyd, not Lloyd Pettit. Pettit filled in sometimes but mostly worked the play-by-play on Blackhawk games. This was back in the day when some pro athletes had to have part-time jobs in the off season to make money (have times changed or what?). Billy Williams worked one winter selling cars at Bauer Buick in Harvey, Illinois. I worked in their mailroom at the same time.

If you watch WGN television now in the Chicago area, or on cable, you are probably familiar with their chief meteorologist, Tom Skilling. 40+ years ago, Tom (who was in HS then) and I both worked at the same radio station in the Chicago suburb of Aurora. Believe it or not, he had a flattop then.

I would have given my left nut to have any beer (to include Hamm's) on many a Sumerian summer day. 131 degrees and you're dry because the 30 mph winds make it seem like you're spending your time in a hair dryer.

And this is your biggest pet peeve among your partners? That they use a word that everyone understands but is not what is used in the rule book? I just find this so silly.

The word 'baseline' appears in 1-7-3. :)

I agree with your point, though.