test tomorrow

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by rainmaker


I just want to emphasize this quote from Jeff. HE STUDIES THE RULES!! We have gotten into the habit of thinking he doesn't care about the rules, but only presence. But I think he believes that both rules and presence are important. Incidentally, this agrees with Tony, and others who have taken up the arguement. In fact, it isn't an argument at all. We all know that both rules and presence are important.

Here is the main equation. Of course rules are important. Rules are very important to your preparation and ability when you actually get on the court. But when you get on that court, no one is going to know what the rules actually are, but the officials and maybe an evaluator that is watching the game. In basketball, we do not have many games where there is a real debate in what the rules say. When a coach complains about a travel, is he/she doing that on the basis of the rules or what they think is in the rulebook? How many times has a coach told you as an official that you missed a rule and they did not have a clue what and why you made your call (using rulebook knowledge here)? This is why we have to have good mechanics, believability in signals, good posture and good physical condition are extremely important to being a good official. For those that are always looking for the obscure and unusual to call, you are not going to be believed very often. One of the reasons phrase, "call the obvious" keeps coming up all the time in my journeys. And another reason you do not see multiple fouls, false double fouls and resume play-procedures called all the time. Even in my state they made a big deal about the new coaching box, well I can count on my hand the times a T was called against a coach for it.

In the camp I attended this weekend, some of the best players in the country were in attendance. This was an Adidas backed tournament that had teams from all over the country. I did the championship game of the 17 and up level, and the play was constantly above the rim all tournament long. Some of thhe best talent in the country was there, many already going to top D1 school and some possible NBA prospects for next year. Many of the players could shoot the lights out, dribble to the basket with ease and dunk the ball and a moments notice. And to add, coaches (one was an NBA player) that would be in your grill over many calls. To put the icing on the cake, one of the best officials in Chicago critiquing us and telling us what to do and not do. Not once can I think of a time any of us were told "that is the rule, that has to be call." But I did here, "is that call believable and can you sell that." So the entire weekend I was concentrating on making consistent calls rather than telling coach, "that is not a travel because rule blah-blah-blah say............." That was not the case at all. And when I would try to explain something in rulebook language, I would have a coach say, "I played the game all my life, I know what the rules of the game are. And I know them better than you." I guess quoting or try to explain the rule worked out well there?

Peace