Time out

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooternes

Common sense dictates that recognition of a timeout is almost always going to come 1-2 seconds after it is called (unless it is called by the player with the ball. Any other time a timeout is requested verbally outside of your view, you need to make sure 1) there is player control and 2) that the correct team is calling the timeout, and 3) that it is a player on the floor or HC. This takes time. we can't just blow it dead whenever we hear timeout as it could have come from the wrong team, a fan or someone else not authorized or permitted by rule.

If you don't delay, coaches and fans will pick up on that and use it to gain an unfair advantage. The defense could use it to stop the clock if they are out of position or getting beat 3 on 1 in transition. It makes sense to delay. If anything, you should also note the time that the TO was recognized and add that time back on, but no one does that in practice unless it is an end of game sitch. Just my opinion.

The coach isn't entitled to the clock stopping the instant he asks for a timeout. I have put time back on, but I'd never consider adding time from before my whistle blows - it's only when the timer is slow in stopping the clock.