Needle, pump, gauge?
 

Rather than hijack the "What's In the Bag" thread....

I had not been in the habit of carrying a needle and pump for basketball. (We do so for soccer.) I just do the "drop test," and use whatever pump is at the gym. On Friday, after my JV game, I gave the game ball to a varsity official (and fellow soccer ref), who thought the ball was overinflated. When I mentioned I didn't carry the pump/needle for basketball, he shot me a "how crazy ARE you?" grin.

I honestly didn't notice "needle" on the pre-game checklist in our manual. That's on me. Still, a needle is pretty worthless without a pump, and the electronic pumps and needles are attached at the game sites. Does anyone else always bring a needle, hand pump, and gauge?

Never have and probably never will.

Meet You Half-Way
 

This all sounds so...so...so "medical."
Don't carry pump, but do carry needle. That way, it's 50/50 that I'll look prepared for improper ball inflatage.
Never had to require a ball be pumped up, but my needle-less partner used mine just this past Thursday to take some out. First time in about five years.

With Apologies To Lauren Bacall ...
 

You just put your lips together and blow into the needle.

I only carry a needle. Usually the ball are so over-inflated that you have to take some air out of the ball. And I certainly do not want long rebounds and high dribbles. I just take a little air out of most basketballs and cannot think of a reason to inflate them. If they need inflating, we can get another ball.

Peace

I use the needle most at scholastic games, but, my pump comes in handy at Rec, Mens, and Church League games when there is not a "rack full" of balls to choose from.

Don't work those last list of games you mentioned. And if I did, I would play with what we got. ;)

Peace

I worked 58 HS varsity games and above last season and had exactly two basketballs (in the 30 or so games I was the referee) that weren't over-inflated.

I carry a needle in my jacket pocket and spares in my bag.

I see no need for a pump. If the ball is under-inflated, we get a new ball.

Certainly understand JRut - but, it has served me well over the yrs.

Not if you need to let air OUT of the ball.

I don't find flat balls, I find them over inflated. A quick release of air during the introductions and we're all set.

A hot ball makes for a rough game.

I go straight for the game ball after the captain's meeting. Usually it's because the book isn't quite ready for me and I need something else to do. :)

With Apologies To Jerry Seinfeld ...
 

Did you ever notice how bad the air coming out of a basketball stinks?

Didn't Think It Was Me
 

Oh, it's the ball . . . :o

odd...
 

I must be the only one who is handed balls that barely bounce.....:confused:

You're not. I have to inflate basketballs more often than not.

Really? I've had exactly one underinflated ball in the 11 years I've officiated in my current location.

And the pin fits ever so snuggly in my spare fox 40, making it very easy to locate.

Agree....they're just not common. I carry a needle and use it a few times a year.

Why not just get a new ball if the game ball is over-inflated also?

I have never carried a needle to any "school" game...they have lots of basketballs to choose from.

Must be that Canadian air.

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

This is what I do.

Hmmm.... you're not alone here, either. Could be me.

Drop test that I've been doing: Drop the ball from eye level. On its way down, flex your arm. It the ball bounces high enough to touch your arm, it's inflated enough.

If the game ball is overinflated, quite a few of the rest probably are, too.

Actually, I like it this way because I don't have to get anyone else involved -- I have a basketball, I remove some air, we're ready to go.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Don't Needle Me ...
 

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.

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

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

All Bow Down To The "Game Ball" ...
 

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.

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

No, I don't.

I worked with a crew chief who said he did this when he was coaching.

I think I prefer Billy's method.

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

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.

I'm not real big on being the home team equipment manager. They need to provide a ball that meets the rules. I don't mark or sweep the courts, set up the clock, sell the hot dogs or take tickets either.

It would take you much longer to get another ball or have someone provide one than it takes to let air out of the ball. Probably does not take more than 5 seconds. ;)

Peace

A pissing contest over whether to adjust the air in the ball or get another ball?

"I'm not real big on being the home team equipment manager."

Good grief.

I just know nothing in this thread has convinced me to do anything differently than I'm doing now. ;)

+ a bunch :D

Really?

What do you think looks more awkward from the perspective of game management and takes longer, to boot?

(1) Asking for a series of basketballs and finding that one that meets the specifications OR

(2) Taking about 10-15 seconds and removing a few pounds of air from a basketball that's sitting on the scorer's table?

I work NCAA football and we are given balls before the game starts, usually in the locker room. One of our duties is to ensure the balls have the proper amount of air. We do that by measuring the balls and adding or removing air from them. Wouldn't think of doing otherwise.

I don't think this is a huge deal, but having an attitude about removing a bit of air from a basketball strikes me as being a bit silly.

I was waiting for somebody to mention worst case scenario, but nobody did.

Ball is overinflated. "No problem, I have a needle right here."

And then you let out too much.

I'm sure it's happened.

:o

Seriously, never happen to me. You do not sit there and just let air out constantly. You let a little out, then stop. Then you test the ball. Let a little out again if needed and usually you are ready to go.

Peace

Ok.

And others of us think that having an attitude about simply asking for another ball is silly.

So what?

Again, it is not about just asking for another ball, it is about what it takes to get another ball. To get another ball I might have to go through 2 or 3 people just to find another ball. It takes seconds to let air out. Again this might be an area issue as we often figure out in these discussions, but it would take several minutes to get another ball as they do not always use the basketballs in the rack. The game ball is a specific ball used.

Peace

That's exactly it. Then they have to find a game quality ball. That might be one of the balls being used during warmups or maybe it's a ball in another location. Or they may wish to argue that the ball's perfectly fine, what's wrong with it? And then I have to wait for the ball so I can test it. And when *it*'s over-inflated, then what?

In the meantime, my method involves about 15 seconds of removing air, at most.

+1

Only happened a few times. Not a big problem.

I have never - at any of the levels I have worked - had any problem getting a different ball within 30 seconds of telling them we needed a different ball.

Again, do it your way. I have no problem with that. Just stop with the attitude that those who don't do it that way are in some way doing it wrong.

This is why this is probably an area thing. It would be difficult to get another ball for the reasons Rich stated earlier in many places I have and do currently work. Maybe you live in a place where everyone is accommodating and easy to follow instructions from an official. I can tell you arguments about obvious situations are common here. I take air out of the ball and literally no one even realizes I have done just that including many of my partners.

Peace

I started carrying a needle this year. Used it twice already.
Before I'd go find one with less air. A needle is a time-saver.

No.

Yes.

Always a needle. I've used it every time I've been R this season: a ball on the light side makes for fewer and easier rebounds, which helps the game, boys or girls.

Only Basketball Officials ???
 

Fifty-eight posts on needles? Can you believe it? Man, are we a sorry bunch, or what?

At least we are passionate about being a sorry bunch. :)

I can't say I've put this much thought into it. I've only had a few games where the ball was obviously out of spec. At 5'10", hold the ball a few inches above my head and drop it. If it bounces up lower than my chest, we're good as far as I'm concerned.

I have all three in my bag. I carry a needle in my jacket and the pump and gauge are in my bag in the locker room. Not much good there unless they give us the game ball in the locker room, which does happen on occasion. I would have to dust off the pump and gauge though, as I can't remember the last time I used them in Basketball.

Interesting
 

Here the common thought is we like to use a harder ball for girls - especially at the lower levels - to make the rebounds bounce farther to where there are fewer girls to help eliminate some of the many jump balls.

influence
 

Why does our preference or desire for a certain ball type matter? Simply because I like a "flatter" or "bouncy" ball is irrelevant.

It's not irrelevant -- the ball must bounce within a certain range, after all -- and since it's our job to ensure the ball is in that range, we can make it at the high end or the low end of the range if we so choose.

Really? We only have one jump ball per game _ unless we go to overtime. :rolleyes:

Seems like you'd want softer ball so they wouldn't bounce off the rim so are with the hope that they'd go in the basket rather than bouncing out.