Things Officials Should Probably Not Be Saying In A Game ...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

We're what you call experts and we should be using the correct terminology. And many of these, with the possible exception of the earrings, are not factually based on the rules.

Yes we are experts, but we are not talking to experts.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

With the exception of the earrings statement, I never said what officials should be saying, I just said that we shouldn't be saying these. Sometimes silence may be the best statement.

So you are silent when you see them in the lay-up line and then when the first time they come out with earrings or tape over their ears you say nothing until everyone notices? Now you have sent a player off the court that cannot play until the issue is taken care of and then you involved the coach for the first time. This again is about communication. If you say nothing they might make a scene. And this is not usually a 2 second conversation either. I also did not say that this is all you say.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

My two possible answers, "Designated spot", or, "You have the whole line", either accompanied by the appropriate signal. Both statements are 100% correct by rule. "You can't move" is never 100% correct by rule.

Most players have no idea what you mean when you say "Designated spot" or what that means they can or cannot do. So saying that and expecting them to know is silly to me. Sorry, but that is beyond silly. Now I say to a player that can move around the end line, "You can run the endline" as that is how they know move along the end line and usually how they ask a question about their ability to do so. Saying "Anywhere along the line" is silly to me when we are trying to communicate to them.

Peace