Questioning Partner's Call

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Afrosheen

...

Unfortunately, you don't know how AAU works. Teams pay money to play in these tournaments, so yes having a bad crew does leave a feeling of being screwed. But this was one call and I don't believe that this particular call screwed them all that much. And giving more attention to the call was sufficient for the coach despite the fact that it went against him in the end.
...

I beg to differ on this. My 9-to-5 job is 5 minutes from the Boo Williams Sportsplex, meaning I work and watch plenty of AAU ball. I am personal friends with the local AAU assignors, so I get to hear all the behind the scenes conversations concerning the coaches and officials, including when officials are at fault and when the coaches are at fault. And the national coorindator for AAU officials sits in that building every weekend during AAU season.

In a situation like yours, none of the powers that be would want another official questioning his partner based the reaction of an AAU coach. We go to our partners for one reason, to provide definite information. If I know a rule is being kicked, I will pull my partner away from the bench area and discuss it with him. But in the end, it will still be up to my partner to adjudicate as he sees fit.

In a college camp this past summer (during a high level AAU tournament) I had a play where I had the crew administer the throw-in at the wrong spot after my own inadvertent whistle. The most experienced official, by far, on the crew, tried to get me to change my mind but I was hard-headed. He didn't make a scene or extend the conversation, he just let me have my way. But, after the game he jumped in my a$$ and so did an off-duty observor who was watching the game.

Now, if your partner is too sensitive to handle post-game criticisms or critiques from you, in your capacity as an assignor, then maybe he is not somebody who should be getting games from you. But during the game, you are just an official, just like him.