During our summer meeting, one break out discussion was raising your game to a higher level. We had a spirited discussion on what it means to be the "R". Some ideas were that you knew everything happening around the court. Others were that you helped your partners raise their level.

With all of the collective knowledge on this forum, I would like to hear what some of you have to say about this.

With most of my partners, being the R generally means being the person that runs the pre-game, leads the captains' meeting, enters information in the book, checks the book, and tosses/administers the ball.

As an umpire, I do what the ref pre-games.
mick

This is a very difficult answer to put into words.

The best example that I can think of is one that Chuck shared from his camp experience this summer.

If, for some reason, the crew is not "clicking", the "R" is the one who steps up and gets things going in the right direction.

After the toss, it really means nothing unless there is a disagreement between officials in which case the "R" has the final say. Other than that you are all one and the same.

Depends
 

Obviously if it is a smooth running game with veteran officials that work together often then the R's duties are no more than what Mick has suggested... act the part of the leader and toss the jump ball.

In a highly contested game or a game with a veteran R and a somewhat Rookie U, the role of the R is significantly different. He must do more than act the part of the leader... he must lead. He does this by having an in depth pregame with you, discussing idiosyncracies of the teams/coaches, what to expect, how the officiating team of you and him should respond, proper mechanics, where your attention should be focused, particular plays/acts that you should watch for, giving praise during your game to boost your confidence, etc.

This is how the R accomodates your abilities and hopefully raises you to a higher performance level. The R's goal should not only be to provide a well officiated game to the teams but also to help you have the best game you've ever had... to stick up for, help, reinforce, and guide you to that higher level.

Each game and each partner is different and you may not always get this from the R. Perhaps you will have to provide this kind of encouragement to your partners.

Aside from the specified duties, to me "being the R" means that you can be relied upon to get the job done right. You can be trusted to keep things running smoothly, control the game when you have to, deal with the stress and unusual things that happen, and ensure your crew work well together. It means that when something needs to be done, you step up and do it. It means that when you step on the floor the coaches and players know what to expect from you.

My $0.02

Andy,
If you are an umpire and I am R, come to be or go to the other umpire and get it straightened out.
R,U,U,R I don't care who makes it right.
If something needs to be discussed, R, U, U, R, discuss it.
I like to keep things easy.

If the R wants something changed, and an umpire refuses, what difference does it make?

mick
<HR>
I saw the R put his pants on the same way we did.

Until the "R" makes more money than the "U1" and U2", the designation means nothing after the ball is tossed.
Even if I am scheduled as the "R", I will often pass this title on to a younger official that I am working with to give him or her some experience running the pre-game and tossing the ball.

Technically these other guys are correct. I have ascribed the role of veteran to the assignment of R. Any particular game may not be that way. The rookie may be assigned as R and the veteran as U.

In my earlier post, replace all my "R"s with "veteran" and you'll get the pitcture of what I was saying... which isn't an answer to your question... but rather one that I made up!

All it means................
 

is I get the opportunity to set the tone before I throw the ball up. Other than that, it is meaningless.

Peace

Your discussions from camp are actually pertaining to the idea of a 'lead' official, someone who can be counted on to bring a crew together in the pregame, lead them through the tough conference game, and handle any situation that may arise. These officials are often assigned to be the 'R' in conferences where the assignor does think that the referee has more responsibility than just tossing the ball up to start the game. In such conferences where I work, if something gets mucked up, it's the R who gets the call and shoulders much of the responsibility.

It is an honor in may ways to be assigned the R, but it only says what your assignor thinks about you as an official. After that, it means nothing. Because if I am the R and my partner messes up or something screwy happens, I am not always in a position to clean it up. Especially when judgment is at stake. Unlike football, the Referee cannot clean up everything his/her partners do. We cannot get together after every call and think about what we are going to do. So unless we have a major rules problem (which almost never happens in basketball games), what can I do as an R to smooth it over?

Just an opinion.

Peace

That may be true in your area, Jeff. I am just saying that I do have a couple of assignors that will expect you, as the R, to step up and say 'yeah WE screwed it up' even if it was your partner who did it, the opinion is you were not a good enough leader to help this weaker official rise to the needed level. Right or wrong, this is the way they find out who they can trust on the floor in the big games.

Oh, and btw, in response to Downtowntonybrown's earlier comment, in at least one conference that I work in the R does get paid more than the U1 or U2.

[Edited by devdog69 on Aug 19th, 2003 at 05:40 PM]

When we work college games, the R is in charge of running through the pre-game.

It is finally nice for you to point out that people do different things in different areas. Because in my area, if you are a weaker official, you will not work the game. You are all there (at least the HS level) there for a reason. If they feel someone has to carry another official, then they will not be there. Especially when there is a so-called "bigger game."

For the record, there are many college assignors that do not even assign who is what during those games.

Peace