The Worst Error You've ever made reffing a game?

[Travelling Man]

Since we are all "invisible"--and presumably un-traceable--please share with the forum what you feel was the worst blunder, missed call, error, or mishap you've made while working a game.

I'll go first, I inadvertently called a throw-in violation based on a 3-second call instead of a 5-second call and this caused a loss of possession by the eventual winning team.

I missed a call on a "jump ball" situtaion when the defender blocked the shot while shooter still had ball--you know the simultaneous "shot attempt - blocked shot"--I mistakenly called travelling. uggghhh so mad at myself--grrr!

But, I must say I've learned from all of these blunders.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Travelling Man

Since we are all "invisible"--and presumably un-traceable--please share with the forum what you feel was the worst blunder, missed call, error, or mishap you've made while working a game.

I'll go first, I inadvertently called a throw-in violation based on a 3-second call instead of a 5-second call and this caused a loss of possession by the eventual winning team.

I missed a call on a "jump ball" situtaion when the defender blocked the shot while shooter still had ball--you know the simultaneous "shot attempt - blocked shot"--I mistakenly called travelling. uggghhh so mad at myself--grrr!

But, I must say I've learned from all of these blunders.

If these are your worst calls, then you haven't been doing this very long.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Adam

If these are your worst calls, then you haven't been doing this very long.

My immediate thoughts while I was reading. Those are rather minor. Especially considering some of the errors we've all witnessed made by highly esteemed Final Four officials.

Originally Posted by Travelling Man

...uggghhh so mad at myself--grrr!

But, I must say I've learned from all of these blunders.

For some reason the word "disingenuous" is floating through my head.

[Bad Zebra]

Seems like I've answered this question a time or two before.

One of my favorites early on in my career: Called a three second violation...on a defensive player.

More than one occasion (also pretty early on), blew whistle, indicate two shots to my partner, proceed to reporting area, completely forgot who I called the foul on. DOH!

[Travelling Man]

[QUOTE=BadNewsRef;902528]My immediate thoughts while I was reading. Those are rather minor. Especially considering some of the errors we've all witnessed made by highly esteemed Final Four officials.

*It's all relative, the stakes are high [no pun intended] for all levels of refs. Just because one is "final four" level ref doesn't imbue infallability.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

My immediate thoughts while I was reading. Those are rather minor. Especially considering some of the errors we've all witnessed made by highly esteemed Final Four officials.

Agreed. Those wouldn't even register on my season list, let alone my career list.

[Travelling Man]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

Seems like I've answered this question a time or two before.

One of my favorites early on in my career: Called a three second violation...on a defensive player.

More than one occasion (also pretty early on), blew whistle, indicate two shots to my partner, proceed to reporting area, completely forgot who I called the foul on. DOH!

*Thanks for sharing BadZebr. I recall my mind wandered a few times--especially during a blow out game--that I forgot who to award a throw in possession to after a time out break. In fact, that 's one thing I really need to improve on: staying really alert on blow out types of games late in the period.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

Called a three second violation...on a defensive player.

NBA rule?

[Welpe]

My worst was not calling a flagrant foul on a play where a defender deliberately clotheslined the ball handler on a full sprint towards his basket. My partner talked me into going intentional and I let him. Looking back on it, there's no way it wasn't flagrant.

My runner up was giving the inbounding team the ball on their end line instead of on the opponent's where it should have been. I was working by myself and we had just come out of a timeout and I got turned around. Whoops.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

NBA rule?

Hardly...was a MS Boys game if memory serves (and even that is suspect). Packed gym though...I could feel the collective "WTF?" from the crowd.

[Toren]

But I remember distinctly two calls:

First: player goes in for a layup, lays the ball of the glass, defender tries to block it and hits the backboard. The backboard rattles as a result and here comes my whistle...tweet, goaltending. At the time I blew, I knew it wasn't a violation, but I didn't have much experience with above the rim plays, so I blew. Nobody said a word. Luckily enough it was a blow out game.

Secondly: Player A shoots the ball, Team B goes up to secure the rebound, before they grab the ball, Player B gets fouled. Team B is in the bonus. I call the foul, don't award the shot. What makes this worse, is I explained to the coach, "there is no team control on a shot, so that's why you don't get to shoot free throws"...wow, precisely inaccurate is how I would describe that

[scrounge]

Called what was in hindsight a completely phantom traveling call on a somewhat-clumsy girl (Girls JV) that fumbled a throw-in. Generally no biggie...except her team was up by 1 point. With 3 seconds left. After a time out, the opposing team throws it from the division line spot to a girl who got free under the basket and laid it in for the winning basket right before the buzzer. An irate mom came out the stands and swung her purse at me, but I saw her coming and ducked away. Oy.

So not really the worst error (there've been PLENTY of WTF ones) but certainly the worst related to the immediate aftermath and consequences.

[Freddy]

My very worst was . . .
Boys' frosh game, two-man with a Slinky partner. Five seconds for home inbounding team, down by two, to go length of court to launch a shot to tie or win. Clock not easily visible to me in extremely noisy gym, with fans, players, and coaches all screaming, as ball is dribbled past a picket fence of defenders, each a potential fouler I had to keep an eye on. Dribbler coming inches from touching sideline in front of benches, which I had to keep an eye on. He launches an off-balance three-point attempt with defender's hand up and nearly blocking the ball, which I had to keep my eye on. While my eyes were engaged on everything necessary, my ears were not--I could not hear the horn. Shot went in. Was it in time? I could not tell. Slinky partner, with nothing whatsoever to do this whole time was no help since he had checked out and assumed I had all aspects of this play as my exclusive responsibility. I went with my gut and banged it "Good!" and ran to the locker room.
Scorer, a trustworthy veteran, came in and asked what I thought. I told him. He said, "Wish you woulda asked me. The buzzer went off before the shot was released." He was from the home team, but woulda informed me that the visitors had won if I had checked with him at the table.
Lesson for me: better diligence on last-second shot responsibilities. And, since the book does consider any information the scorer might have as valid input to consider, consult with them before making a final decision if necessary.
There, I feel better.
Still trying to "burn the tape" on that one.

[SWMOzebra]

BV game in late February a couple of years ago, working two-person with an experienced partner. SRO in the gym, officials' locker room is behind home bench. Home team played a terrible first half and was down 14 when Q3 started. The second half was fast and furious, few fouls called as the boys were playing fairly clean. My P and I were mostly trying to stay out of the way.

16 seconds left in the game, home team scores to tie the ball game. I am old L becoming new T opposite the table, there is no backcourt pressure. I'm trailing the player about 4 steps and probably about 3 steps to his right, he is dribbling with his left hand. I can see the defense set up in a 3-2, I can see the V bench if the coach decides to call a TO, I felt like I was in the perfect position.

Just as he crosses the half court line, I see the back of his right arm move oddly (remember, I'm trailing). Of course, my first thought is "he just double-dribbled" but since I didn't actually see it, I don't blow my whistle. However, I'm about the only one in this small gym who DOESN'T see the double-dribble. Home coach is screaming, fans are screaming ... visitor coach is shouting at his player to hold the ball at about the 8 second mark. Home team stops playing defense out of frustration with my no-call and thinking game will go to OT. Ball handler makes a quick bounce pass into the post and the receiver spins, putting the ball in the hole. Then the horn sounds.

[Mark Padgett]

The first year I ever reffed (after my training by Dr. Naismith) I was working a 6th grade girls rec game. The other ref was in his first year also and was a teenager, so he kind of let me be the ref "in charge". A1 went to the line for two shots. She violated on the first and I ruled she also lost the second shot because of the violation. The coach, who happened to be not only her father, but also an ex-NBA player, didn't really argue but "teased" me a little about the call a few times during the rest of the game. He always had a big smile and a friendly chuckle when he did it and his comments were somewhat friendly and funny, so I just returned his smile and didn't create an issue with him.

Oh yeah, I remember one time I made a mistake of not hitting a coach over the head with a frying pan when he mouthed off and wouldn't sit down. I've never made that mistake again.