Video request Duke/Arizona (Clip Added)

[Rich]

Originally Posted by just another ref

1:50 of the second half. Somebody want to tell me he had not "completed the gather" before he lifted the pivot (right foot) and returned it to the floor. 360 spin that starts with one or both feet on the floor, and ends with both feet on the floor 5 feet away. I don't have to see the play. It's impossible to do this without traveling.

All he had to do was release the pass before the right foot returned to the floor and it would've been perfectly legal. And that's the rub -- you have to know the right's the pivot and have to see it come back to the floor.

I call it when I see it. But I have to know which foot is the pivot foot (as always) and have to see it come back to the floor. I've heard other officials say, "that spin move is a travel 100% of the time, so I just call it" and that's the justification. That's worse than missing the travel, IMO.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Rich

I have to know which foot is the pivot foot (as always) and have to see it come back to the floor. I've heard other officials say, "that spin move is a travel 100% of the time, so I just call it" and that's the justification. That's worse than missing the travel.

When asked about the most difficult calls in basketball, many officials will point to the block/charge. Others will talk about game management, and interactions with coaches. The answer is easy for me, traveling. Sometimes it's difficult to spot, and keep track of, the pivot foot, especially when the official is on the run. There are no easy words of wisdom, or reminders, to help one make the correct travel, or no travel, call, other than to just keep track of the pivot foot. It's difficult to do properly, but that's why we get paid the big bucks, to use our good judgment to do, properly, what we are trained to do.

Note: Big bucks here in The Constitution State is $91.32. Eat your heart out guys.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Rich

All he had to do was release the pass before the right foot returned to the floor and it would've been perfectly legal.

True, but he didn't. It was not even close.

I call it when I see it. But I have to know which foot is the pivot foot (as always) and have to see it come back to the floor. I've heard other officials say, "that spin move is a travel 100% of the time, so I just call it" and that's the justification. That's worse than missing the travel, IMO.

Calling one that's not there is worse than missing one. I think practically everyone agrees on that. But is calling one incorrectly as bad as missing ten? I don't think so, and I think the ratio of ten to one may be conservative.
Somebody find/post an incorrectly called travel in an NCAA game.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Calling one that's not there is worse than missing one. I think practically everyone agrees on that.

Count me in with everyone. How's that for taking a hard stand?

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by Rich

All he had to do was release the pass before the right foot returned to the floor and it would've been perfectly legal. And that's the rub -- you have to know the right's the pivot and have to see it come back to the floor.

I call it when I see it. But I have to know which foot is the pivot foot (as always) and have to see it come back to the floor. I've heard other officials say, "that spin move is a travel 100% of the time, so I just call it" and that's the justification. That's worse than missing the travel, IMO.

If you can't describe the reason for the call, then you shouldn't make it in the first place.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

If you can't describe the reason for the call, then you shouldn't make it in the first place.

How about, "That spin move is a travel 100% of the time, so I just call it."?

Good reason for the call? That'll sure satisfy a questioning player, coach, athletic director, or assignment commissioner. Right?

Note: We're not using a blue font for sarcasm on this Forum, are we?

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

How about, "That spin move is a travel 100% of the time, so I just call it."?

Good reason for the call? That'll sure satisfy a questioning player, coach, athletic director, or assignment commissioner. Right?

Note: We're not using a blue font for sarcasm on this Forum, are we?

LOL. I sure as hell hope I have a better explanation than that.

[just another ref]

How often do we explain a traveling call?

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by just another ref

How often do we explain a traveling call?

Not often at all. But I'm not going to make a call and hope the coach doesn't ask for an explanation. Because if it is the rare instance where he/she wants to know what I saw, and I respond with "I just call it", then I could be in for a world of hurt (so to speak).

BTW, I get asked by observers about calls like that all the time. So even if the coach doesn't ask, others might.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

Not often at all. But I'm not going to make a call and hope the coach doesn't ask for an explanation. Because if it is the rare instance where he/she wants to know what I saw, and I respond with "I just call it", then I could be in for a world of hurt (so to speak).

BTW, I get asked by observers about calls like that all the time. So even if the coach doesn't ask, others might.

The point is that a traveling call is relatively black and white. He illegally moved his pivot foot in excess of the prescribed limits. In the OP if I see this player pick up his dribble at the free throw line while executing a pivot and wind up under the basket with both feet on the floor, I don't have to know exactly where and when each foot landed to know he traveled. Any discussion of this play with a coach would pretty much be a "No, he didn't!" "Yes, he did." kind of thing, and I'm not likely to get into that.