BV several weeks ago. Let's just say that "side out" is not "timeout" :(

Been there, done that! "Side out" should be an immediate technical on the head coach!

I had two five out calls in one game with a third about to be called after I checked to make sure he wasn't signaling for a TO...damnedest thing ever.
Then had them the next week, everyone joked about five out and I made sure they made a visual signal along with time out.

And still, the coaches don't change the name of their plays. Somehow, this is *our* problem or fault.

In addition to the "side out" one (which I haven't screwed up yet, although I've come close several times).... I once had a coach who was yelling "30.... 30.... 30...." as his team was bring the ball up the court. The ball got stolen, and the other team made an uncontested layup. The coach then got made at me because I hadn't granted him the timeout. Go figure.

Here's a case of excessive tunnel vision that sticks in my craw.

JV boys, regular season finale, I'm the trail. Second quarter, H-32 is driving, but runs into a couple of defenders who have LGP. I have nothing. He loses the ball, which rolls out of bounds, and he follows it. A frustrated H-32 pounds the wall padding, and my partner has the T.

The kid pounds the padding so hard, that a 4'x3' paper sign ("We Love Our Seniors") falls to the floor. I am so fixated on and slightly amused by the stupid sign, that I forget to freeze what's in front of me, and I miss H-32 pulling his jersey out of his shorts in frustration. Coach V wants another T, which I should have called, had I not assigned myself to clean up duty.

H-32 is pulled from the game by his coach, never to return (school rule). After the game, the home A.D. thanked us for not whacking the kid a second time.

"He got very lucky," I replied. "He created one hell of a diversion!"

Why?

Other than the two games I tanked, my one solitary big screw up this year was granting a TO to the wrong team in a tight game. Fortunately it did not affect the game.

Had an OOB call that I know went the wrong way. I even signaled the tip before I gave the ball to the defense. Coach questioned it as I ignored him.

First chance I got, I fessed up and told him I just flat out got it wrong. He smiled and said, "I was just confused."

My Confession(s):

I whacked a player the other night for saying, "C'mon man" after I called a foul on him. Of course it wasn't necessarily for the comment...as much as the gesture (palms up looking at me as he spoke) that got him.

The coach wanted to know "what he said". I told him, but stated that it "wasn't as much WHAT he said as HOW he said it".

He wouldn't let it go. He said, "I have to know WHAT HE SAID so I can tell teach him not to SAY THAT."

I had already told him. Now I started to get "HOSTILE"...(my wife's words, as she was in the stands watching)

I suppose I did get somewhat "flustered"...(alternate's words, at the table)
because I kind of yelled back at the coach.

I haven't been questioned about these types of T's for awhile...so I guess I did kind of lose my cool.

I will commit to getting back to my old self...and just calmly explain unsporting actions.
(Something the coach can teach as well);)

At least we administered my blarge quickly and correctly..
 

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Were you the C or the L?

UGH! Glad that one is over....
 

I had a MS Girls playoff game that I called one bad foul early in the first, could not shake and never got in sync with the game. Both coaches were not happy. The crowd was complaining and going crazy.

In the 4th quarter, a pass/shot went from the lane line near me across the court. I had a shot that was blocked, but my partner called it for B ball OOB on the sideline. I go to him tell him I had a blocked shot. He says your call. I then make the call pointing the other way. (Which I know that he should be the one to change the call, but it is a 2nd year official I am working with.)
After the game, another official from our association told me that I screwed the pooch. The player who got the ball on the sideline had stepped out trying to save it (which I didn't see a player touch it on the sideline). My P never told me this, he just said, "its your call".

The game was a one possession win for the visitors and I felt after that game that I cost the home team the game, but in the end they had 6 shots to try to tie the game in 20 seconds and couldn't make any of them. I finally shook that feeling later that night knowing that I didn't cost them the game. The better team did win in the end that night.

I was glad I had a game the next night to get this one off my back.

Center official that jumped in on a signal wayyyy to quick!

My Turn ...
 

I had a bad non-call early in an early season boys varsity game. I'm trail, standing right in front of home coach. Visiting player gets an offensive rebound near the block on my side of the lane. My partner is now on the weak side, I know that he has to look through players to make a call, so I take a step toward the basket to get a better look at any possible fouls. No illegal contact, but, with my peripheral vision, I get a half-a-look at some "odd" footwork by the visitor player, I wasn't sure that he traveled, so I didn't make the call, and the visitor player made the putback "bunny". The home coach had the same look as me, and yelled, "Travel". Didn't swear. Didn't incite the crowd. No technical foul. I immediately knew that I had missed the travel. I was too close to get a good look at the player's feet. I've regretted that non-call all season long. I know that it doesn't seem like a big deal, but it just sticks in my mind, and as McMac stated, "(I) could not shake (it) and never got in sync with the game".