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

[BillyMac]

The recent thread on rules regarding the jump ball to start the game has given me an idea for an article for our local board's newsletter. The working title is, "Things Officials Should Probably Not Be Saying In A Game".

I want concentrate on things that officials often, or sometimes, say during a game that do not have any basis in the rules.

Examples may include:

"On the floor" (for fouls against players who are not in the act of shooting).
"Don't move" (before a designated spot throwin).
"Hold your spots" (before the jump ball).
"You can't stand behind him" (before a the jump ball, to a player who is directly behind an opponent, who are both ten feet off the circle).
"Everybody get behind the division line" (during a free throw for a technical, or intentional, foul).
"Let it hit the rim" (before a free throw).
"Over the back" (on a rebounding foul, it's probably a pushing foul).
"Reaching in" (on a foul against a ball handler, it's probably a holding foul, an illegal use of hands foul, or a hand check foul).
"Coach, you have one timeout left" (when, by rule, we should only be notifying head coaches when their team has been granted its final allowable timeout).
"Sit down" (to a coach who has not been charged with a technical foul).
"You have to take out your earrings" (instead of, "You can't play with earrings").

I really don't want to get into a debate regarding whether, or not, we should be saying things like this in a game for the purpose of preventative officiating, I just want those officials who are saying things like this to know that there is no basis in the rules for these statements, with a short explanation of why these statements are incorrect.

Anything to add to the list?

[APG]

On the floor!

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by APG

On the floor!

Good one. Thanks. It's added.

[Mark Padgett]

I had a game in which two HS players, A1 & B1 went diving after a loose ball. A1 was sliding on his stomach before catching up to the ball and B1 kind of fell on him and was sliding with him on his back. They went only about two feet like this. They came to a stop with B1 laying right on top of A1 as the ball went OOB. I looked down at the two of them and said, quite loudly, "Get a room". They both laughed, as did quite a few other players, but I'm not sure I would recommend this. After all, there isn't anything wrong with that.

[Travelling Man]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I had a game in which two HS players, A1 & B1 went diving after a loose ball. A1 was sliding on his stomach before catching up to the ball and B1 kind of fell on him and was sliding with him on his back. They went only about two feet like this. They came to a stop with B1 laying right on top of A1 as the ball went OOB. I looked down at the two of them and said, quite loudly, "Get a room". They both laughed, as did quite a few other players, but I'm not sure I would recommend this. After all, there isn't anything wrong with that.

*In this current society of gay/lesbo permissiveness---I guess saying "get a room" to two men [or women] whom inadvertently wound up laying on top of each in pursuit of a "loose ball other could be percieved as either an attempt at "comedy" or a statement of "levity". But what the heck..lol anyway.

[Travelling Man]

*If I could add to your List:

1. After the timeout has expired and the horn has sounded to resume play, some refs shout to the benches "let's play ball" or "break up the huddle".
Is it really part of our job to "usher" the teams back on court by shouting such or blowing our whistle several times to make them resume play?
Lately, I have begun to just stand by the ball at the point of inbounding and slowly and dramatically starting a 5-second count. Usually a player sees this and runs out to inbound it.
So, that's what I add to your List: "Refs should not be ushering the play to resume when there are horns and assistant coaches to fulfill this function--it's not our job", correct?

[rsl]

Originally Posted by Travelling Man

*If I could add to your List:
So, that's what I add to your List: "Refs should not be ushering the play to resume when there are horns and assistant coaches to fulfill this function--it's not our job", correct?

From the manual:

D. Resuming Play:
1. At the warning signal (first horn) for all time-outs, and the intermissions
between the first and second and third and fourth quarters, the
officials will step toward the nearest team huddle and notify the coaches/
bench by raising an index finger and saying "first horn."

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by rsl

From the manual:

D. Resuming Play:
1. At the warning signal (first horn) for all time-outs, and the intermissions
between the first and second and third and fourth quarters, the
officials will step toward the nearest team huddle and notify the coaches/
bench by raising an index finger and saying "first horn."

I do it, but I find this to be, for the most part, useless.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by just another ref

I do it, but I find this to be, for the most part, useless.

Most of the time I find it useful. There's usually an assistant coach who pays attention and will start telling the HC to get them out.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by just another ref

I do it, but I find this to be, for the most part, useless.

I have found it to be extremely helpful. The coaches are much quicker about getting their players out of the huddle. We're in the huddle after the first horn, and I have to resort to RPP about once every two seasons at most in high school games. Younger levels are different

[Adam]

The only thing I'm going to add to this list is: Anything during free throws except the number of shots left to take.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Travelling Man

*If I could add to your List:

1. After the timeout has expired and the horn has sounded to resume play, some refs shout to the benches "let's play ball" or "break up the huddle".
Is it really part of our job to "usher" the teams back on court by shouting such or blowing our whistle several times to make them resume play?


Lately, I have begun to just stand by the ball at the point of inbounding and slowly and dramatically starting a 5-second count. Usually a player sees this and runs out to inbound it.
So, that's what I add to your List: "Refs should not be ushering the play to resume when there are horns and assistant coaches to fulfill this function--it's not our job", correct?

We have a right to tell them what to do as we can use the RPP if they are not ready. So I do not find this even an issue if said word for word as you stated. Understand the reasoning for this list is that these things are usually incorrect or not supported by rule. Part of our job (at least in my experience) is to get them out of the huddle and if they don't, we use the procedures in place. It is called preventative officiating IMO.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Travelling Man

*If I could add to your List:

1. After the timeout has expired and the horn has sounded to resume play, some refs shout to the benches "let's play ball" or "break up the huddle".
Is it really part of our job to "usher" the teams back on court by shouting such or blowing our whistle several times to make them resume play?
Lately, I have begun to just stand by the ball at the point of inbounding and slowly and dramatically starting a 5-second count. Usually a player sees this and runs out to inbound it.
So, that's what I add to your List: "Refs should not be ushering the play to resume when there are horns and assistant coaches to fulfill this function--it's not our job", correct?

Some of us do what we're expected to do in our areas. All I know is that jumping straight to strict implementation of the RPP could be considered a career-limiting move in many areas.

[Sharpshooternes]

Originally Posted by Rich

Some of us do what we're expected to do in our areas. All I know is that jumping straight to strict implementation of the RPP could be considered a career-limiting move in many areas.

I'll give an example from my repertoire of mess ups. Sophmore mens game, time out. First horn we both go to respective teams and Say first horn, Second horn same thing, then we go to our spots, both teams are slow to come out. Defense makes it to the floor maybe 10 seconds after the second horn. Inbounding team is still slow. I place the ball on the floor and begin the 5 count and this of course gets their attention and we get underway. Second half same thing, this time it is my partner administering but the offense is ready to go and the defense is still in the huddle. After more than sufficient time he gives a solid blast on his whistle and gives the ball to the inbounding team. Of course they get an easy bucket and the other coach is obviously livid.

Did we follow the ROP procedure? Yep we sure did. Did we inform the teams? Yep. Did what we did help make the game smoother. Hell no. From this experience, I have learned after discussing it with the peeps on this forum that preventitive officiating in this case is very improtant even if it isn't necessarily backed by rule. Now, if they don't break that huddle on the second horn I am right there hollering at them that the ball is coming in and will get in the middle of the huddle if I have to.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooternes

First horn we both go to respective teams and Say first horn, Second horn same thing, then we go to our spots, both teams are slow to come out. Defense makes it to the floor maybe 10 seconds after the second horn. Inbounding team is still slow. I place the ball on the floor and begin the 5 count ...

Sharpshooternes: It seems that you forgot one important step, sounding your whistle.