Your worst call ever?

[stir22]

Inspired by the thread "what did you learn this season", (great thread, btw), what was your worst/silliest call ever?

Mine was 5 years ago, my first year...called three seconds in the key...

on the defense. Why yes, I was a little confused and overwhelmed!

[JRutledge]

Rather early in my career I called a couple of Ts on a coach for book violations. I was working with some veterans and somehow we all agreed that those went towards the coach or made him lose his coaching box. Then that team had a seated coach all season and the game went to OT and that team won the game eventually. We even assessed shots for each incident. I still feel bad about that one and it has been over 10 years ago.

Peace

[Bad Zebra]

During my first year of varsity ball (probably 10-11 years ago), I called a back court violation on a team...problem was, I used a volleyball line instead of the mid-court line for the violation. One of my partners quickly rushed over after my whistle and told me it was the wrong line...red faced...I report: "Inadvertent whistle..play on!"

He still reminds me to this day whenever we work together.

[Diesel]

I joined this Forum in February, but haven't posted anything until now. This thread seemed like an appropriate thread to comment in.

I once called "5 Seconds - closely guarded" on a dribbler in the backcourt before he crossed the half court line. Probably should have been counting to ten instead. Whoops.

[Mrcrash3]

12 years ago 8th grade boys private school league.
Navy blue against Dark Forest green, no home white rule, no pinnies, small dark gym. Blue 22 drives the lane, contact, whistle "block." Its on Blue 42 his team-mate. Uh-oh. IW play on. It was very hard to seperate the colors that day

[ronny mulkey]

Many years ago after a made basket, I became the new trail. A1 inbounds the ball and was being pressed by B1 right in front of Team B's bench. I called block on B1 and their bench went crazy on what I thought was a routine block call. The problem was that Team A had just made the basket therefore, Team B should have had the subsequent throwin.

Team A coach, A1 and my partner all agreed with the call????? It was embarrassing.

[HokiePaul]

First year of HS scholastic games; first boys JV game:

Someone in the stands yells "White" on an out of bounds call right in front of me that was tap/tap by both teams. I go with "White", and my uncertainty must have been obvious as I got a mock "cheer" from that section of the stands as well as a "we'll help you out on the next one too" comment for the whole gym to hear.

And while this was happening, as I replayed the sequence in my mind, I was more and more certain that the ball was in fact tapped out of Blue's hands by White and should have been Blue ball. If the crowd had not said anything, I almost certainly would have had it the other way.

That was my worst call, not because it was the worst call ever (it was a close play) but because I had let the crowd affect my calls -- pretty much the only time I can think where that has happened. I learned pretty quick that I needed to "sell" my questionable calls the most ... and to fight the instinct to mirror what you hear yelled from the stands.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

During my first year of varsity ball (probably 10-11 years ago), I called a back court violation on a team...problem was, I used a volleyball line instead of the mid-court line for the violation. One of my partners quickly rushed over after my whistle and told me it was the wrong line...red faced...I report: "Inadvertent whistle..play on!"

He still reminds me to this day whenever we work together.

I had something similar. My first year, I called a dribbler out of bounds for stepping on a volleyball line near the end line.

[jTheUmp]

It wasn't me, but I nominate the blarvel.

I think we've probably all called a violation on the wrong line once or twice in our careers, especially on the some of the 'multi-purpose' gyms with a main court, 2 side courts, a volleyball court (or two, or three), et al.

I have a hard time coming up with a specific "worst" call, but I do one specific instance my first year. I was the lead, post player on the block got absolutely mugged on a try attempt (could've probably considered a flagrant). I froze. Eventually, my brain said "THAT'S A FOUL! WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE CALL IT?"

About 3 seconds later I remembered that I was supposed to be the one calling it.

[#olderthanilook]

Did this little number a few years ago in one of my first varsity games.

A1 shoots and misses. Long rebound gathered by A2 on the run towards the time line (in the direction of the division line). I'm the lead and break towards the other end as if team B collected the rebound.

Coach of team A says, "Hey, where are you going!".

[ballgame99]

Year 1. Called an inbound violation when the inbounder stepped on the thick endline (12 inch endline). She started behind it and when she stepped forward she stepped on it, but was still 8+ inches from the actual OOB line. Thank goodness it was a MS game and no one said a word. It was a definite face-palm moment though.

[Mark Padgett]

This was quite a few years ago. I had just finished some men's wreck games at a local "public" gym. Portland's WNBA team at the time was on the other end of the gym having a practice. Their coach came over to me and my partner and asked us if we could stay to work a scrimmage between their team and a bunch of gym rats (men) they recruited. We 'd each get $50 in cash and they would play for 30 minutes. We said sure.

So.....what was my bad call? This was a pro team and in the first 60 seconds I called a travel.

[grunewar]

I did this one too in one of my earliest MS games.

Originally Posted by Diesel

I once called "5 Seconds - closely guarded" on a dribbler in the backcourt before he crossed the half court line.

But, of course my ALL TIME FAVORITE was in my first game ever (B10U Rec) as I twice granted a TO when requested by the Coach by "Ting him up." I mean, who knew that wasn't the right signal.......oh yeah, my P knew, laughed at me, and let me have it half time!

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I had something similar. My first year, I called a dribbler out of bounds for stepping on a volleyball line near the end line.

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

I think we've probably all called a violation on the wrong line once or twice in our careers, especially on the some of the 'multi-purpose' gyms with a main court, 2 side courts, a volleyball court (or two, or three), et al.

Stupid volleyball lines.

[OrStBballRef]

Probably my 3-4th year in basketball I was doing a freshman 5 quarter game (game ends after 4, but they play a 5th Q with the reserves).

Game is tight the whole way between two rivals. PG for the home team late in 4Q gets bumped slightly and falls to the ground, but keeps his dribble going. It wasn't a foul, but for some reason once he hit the ground I blew the travel. Player, coach and fans were up in arms about it and what's weird was that I knew the rule, but for some reason still called in a travel.

For whatever reason, despite knowing the rule, I didn't want to reverse myself and call an inadvertant whistle so the call stuck. Next time down the court we are shooting FTs and I'm the trail. PG comes up to me and asks how was that a travel and I say "It wasn't I kicked the call." So he then yells to his coach across the court "Coach, he says he kicked the call!"

I guess I deserved that outburst across the court...consider it pennance. On the plus side I've never screwed up the travel rule like that again!