Needle, pump, gauge?

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

How many basketball are we going to test? Better yet, where are we going to choose the basketball from? The rack? Get a new ball out of the AD's office?

It is just easier to accept the ball that they give you and take a small sample of air out of the ball. I just do not like it when a basketball bounces over your head off a single bounce.

Peace

You don't choose the game ball...it is sitting there at the table. If its not right, a simple "Coach, we are gonna need a different ball" takes care of it.

Not that, big of a deal either way, just don't feel a need to carry extra crap around with me that I don't need and will probably just lose anyway.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

You don't choose the game ball...it is sitting there at the table. If its not right, a simple "Coach, we are gonna need a different ball" takes care of it.

Not that, big of a deal either way, just don't feel a need to carry extra crap around with me that I don't need and will probably just lose anyway.

Well by rule you approve the game ball. Also if I do not like the ball, I can ask for another one. Very, very rare, that has happened. Sometimes the ball is not at the table and they ask to pull it out of a bunch of balls on a rack or bag. That happens a lot especially at the lower levels. And I do not go to the coach, I tell the table if I need another ball.

And honestly I do not care really if you or others feel you need a needle or not. It is your game and just like I could give a damn what kind of whistle you use also. The reason I use the needle is very personal to prevent the ball bouncing around at a fast rate and give a little. If that is not what you like, it is not my game to tell you what to do. Just like I do not even teach people or require folks to bring them when they are working and I am observing. But I have found those that do this tend to like to take air out of an over-inflated ball.

Again, not a big deal at all.

Peace

[Adam]

And here we are at the inevitable result:
You're wrong, but I don't really care that you're wrong. You should do it my way, though.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Adam

And here we are at the inevitable result:
You're wrong, but I don't really care that you're wrong. You should do it my way, though.

Some things just shouldn't surprise us anymore, you know...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Adam

And here we are at the inevitable result:
You're wrong, but I don't really care that you're wrong. You should do it my way, though.

Not sure I agree with that take. I think people do different things. Officiating is like a lot of things in life, people do different things and that is OK.

Peace

[HawkeyeCubP]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Not that, big of a deal either way, just don't feel a need to carry extra crap around with me that I don't need and will probably just lose anyway.

I'm required by one of my manuals to carry it. And I don't ignore that manual too often.

[twocentsworth]

Never carried a needle.

The only people I've ever see carry a needle are over 60yrs old!

If the ball is flat or too hard, I simply get a new ball....it's not that difficult to accomplish. (btw 75% of the time it is too flat).

NEVER thought to carry a pump.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

Never carried a needle.

The only people I've ever see carry a needle are over 60yrs old!

Well I am far from that age and I know many younger than me that do the same.

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

If the ball is flat or too hard, I simply get a new ball....it's not that difficult to accomplish. (btw 75% of the time it is too flat).

Not true in my experience, they are usually over-inflated. Kind of why many carry a needle in the first place.

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

NEVER thought to carry a pump.

I have not either. Like I said almost never need one.

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Well I am far from that age and I know many younger than me that do the same.



Not true in my experience, they are usually over-inflated. Kind of why many carry a needle in the first place.



I have not either. Like I said almost never need one.

Peace

I've never carried one, but at times have wished I had one. I'm getting one before my next game. Most of the local big dogs around here do. And I have seen exactly one ball that needed more air.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

You don't choose the game ball...it is sitting there at the table. If its not right, a simple "Coach, we are gonna need a different ball" takes care of it.

Not that, big of a deal either way, just don't feel a need to carry extra crap around with me that I don't need and will probably just lose anyway.

I've never lost a needle. Goes in the jacket pocket. Since I fold/store my jacket inside out and never wash it, it stays right in the pocket.

I'm anal about the amount of air in the ball, I guess. Ideally, I want it to be at the low end of the range and I make sure it's there for every game I'm the R.

If you don't do it, no big deal.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Rich

I've never lost a needle. Goes in the jacket pocket. Since I fold/store my jacket inside out and never wash it, it stays right in the pocket.

Funny you should mention this. Up until this season, I've used the same IAABO jacket for the past twenty-five plus years. And I had the same needle in my pocket for twenty-five plus years. Never lost it. It was tarnished after all this time. This year, our local board switched to a "local board" jacket. The pockets aren't anywhere as deep as the pockets on my old IAABO jacket. I've only been officiating for about three weeks and I've already lost three needles, the original tarnished one, and two additional ones. I actually had to go down to our local discount store and buy a pack of needles a few days ago. There's no way that I'm going to lose another one, so I've used a piece of duct tape to tape the needle to the inside of my jacket. Stupid jacket.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Rich

I've never lost a needle. Goes in the jacket pocket. Since I fold/store my jacket inside out and never wash it, it stays right in the pocket.

I'm anal about the amount of air in the ball, I guess. Ideally, I want it to be at the low end of the range and I make sure it's there for every game I'm the R.

If you don't do it, no big deal.

I think I said it wasn't a big deal, too...I honestly have never had a problem getting a different ball when needed.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I honestly have never had a problem getting a different ball when needed.

We've got a few schools in our area that have "game balls". These are balls that are not used in practice, are not used during warmups, and never come into contact with the other "unwashed" basketballs. The "game ball" is stored in the athletic director's office, under lock, and key, until the game is about to begin, and then it comes out of storage and is given to the officials. If it's over inflated, then it's real easy to stick it with a needle. If it's under inflated, which it seldom, if ever, is, then we just pick an "unwashed" ball from the rack.

[DRJ1960]

Does anyone give Coaches enough credit to believe that they deliberatly inflate/deflate the game ball to gain a small advantage for their team?

[Adam]

No, I don't.