Block/Charge RA Play: Off Rebound

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

There are extremes both ways...the "rulebook officials" and the ones who don't bother to get into the books because they "don't need to know that stuff." I think the best officials are the ones who can blend the two...had a former NBA official at a camp tell me "Don't be a rulebook official. They don't last very long. But you better know the rules you are basing your judgement calls on or you won't last long either."

I have said that term here and got ripped for saying "Don't be a rulebook official."

All that has ever meant to me is when guys are so stuck on specific language that they do not understand what the intent of the rule is for or why it was created. Or they forget there are other elements of rules that are stated. And when an official reads a rule and calls the slightest violation of that rule that no one but them sees, that is being a rulebook official to me. Our job should be to call obvious violations and fouls that take place, not just some minor contact and claim a foul was made, but forget that the rules on incidental contact also are listed in that same rulebook.

Peace