I might have had difficulty just showing my annoyance. =-O :eek:

As a second year official, I am working 15 varsity contests this year. I feel and have been told that I am "ready". I did the scorebook for 40+ games for 5 years before officiating. Also, I watch this forum with all you great and wise officials :D. Plus I do camps and am part of a mentoring program.

All that being said, the biggest thing I pre-game about is PRIMARY. I didn't take me long, to realize older and more veteran officials watching the entire court. I now pre-game appropriately so that does not happen. Now if there is a train wreck that is missed, feel free.

If my partner for the night reached from 60' away......I wouldn't say anything at that time. However, I would politely at the first timeout.

Let me known your opinion about mentioning (not going into) court coverages with the coaches before the game. What do you think? I think some don't really know about them and may complain less during the game.

My opinion is court coverage is not something I would EVER discuss with coaches. They already comment on it, sorta.

When they don't get the call they want, they look at the far official: "C'mon, you gotta give him some help on that."


When they think they got away with one, then a whistle sounds from a different official: "Oh, my God! That's not your call! How can you call that from there?"

Personally, I don't mind my partner(s) making calls in my primary. But in this case, and others like it, there's no reason they should be looking there. Right call or not, I'd still be thinking "WTF".

Last year I had a partner attempt to use this line of reasoning to call a hand check just after the dribbler crossed the mid court line. He was lead. I was trail. This guy never got it. He had officiated someplace else for the past 5 years. He's not working with us this year. We don't miss him.

Be careful with that approach. As the new guy, you're probably not going to change many of them and they can probably cause you more trouble then it would be worth.

Get the elephants, not the ants.

Peace

Another Metaphor ...
 

Get the felonies, not the misdemeanors.

(Don't quote me, this belongs to someone else on the Forum.)

For the record I have heard both.

Peace

We have posters who regularly spout this line of reasoning in discussions on this discussion board; but when it's their pond being poached....

I am often my own evil twin.

Quote from Bill Lemonnier (Big 10 Football Referee, retiring after this season):
Fish in my pond if you have to, just make sure you catch a big fish.

I like this. I will endeavor to give you and Bill the appropriate credit when I plagiarize the crud out if it.

The problem with all these sayings is that one person's whale / elephant / felony is another person's minnow / ant / misdemeanor.

I was watching two JV officials work last week. Within 2 minutes, I saw the same official make two calls from at least 60 feet away.

At that point, I went into the locker room to get dressed. Couldn't watch any more...