Ahhh...the joys of (almost) summer ball
 

Worked some girls' AAU last night w/a partner I've never met. Rather than describe where we were when he blew his whistle on a (non-existent) travel, I'll provide a visual aid:

http://i59.tinypic.com/501usi.jpg

It was one of more than a few during the night. When I heard the whistle I thought someone was hurt. Then I saw him signaling a travel. Rather than get upset I opted for the "get in, get out" strategy.

Thanks For Your Support ...
 

Well, at least we know that you weren't straight-lined. I do think that you could have been a little farther back away from the endline, which would have given you a wider look (top to bottom) at the play. We're taught never to stand on the endline, but, rather, to stand a few feet back. Maybe this was your partner's somewhat less than subtle way of telling you that you were too close to the play and to back up a little? (I hope that this latest attempt at sarcasm turns out better than the last attempt.)

(JetMetFan: What did you use to create your cool visual aid? Also, do you like working with tinypic.com? I've been using Flickr to pin a URL (web address) to my own photos, and images.)

Wow......
 

Since he just had to make this obvious, staggering, game-changing call from all the way back there, what were you looking at? ;) (sarc)

Yeah, yeah. Everyone's a critic :) And yes, I was further back :p My actual position would've put half of my little striped circle halfway out of the picture :D The play happened off of a rebound - that was in a halfcourt situation, by the way. The girl with the ball had just gotten a rebound and was turning to go up court. One of my partner's knees was hurting which explained why he never made it remotely close to the division line...but still.

As for the program, it's from sportsdood.com.

Based On My Own Personal Experiences ...
 

My guess? Hot single Moms.

Very Cool, Thanks ...
 

No - if there had been any, I would have been there. :rolleyes:

Tiny pic has worked fine for me. That's how I got this image on the forum. I'm going to send a note to the sportsdood person to ask him to put in an option for three officials as well as a HS/College basketball court. He responded to my request on another program so it's worth a shot.

As for the hot, single moms: Not me! :D And I can't even give the other guy credit for that. He had these momentary concentration blips that were just random. A few times as I prepared to administer throw-ins I looked at him to make sure he was ready and he was staring at the ceiling. Like, for about five seconds. There were no escaped birds in the gym so I'm not sure what was up.

Seriously, if I knew there was ever a chance I'd work with him again I would've suggested he attend a few camps to improve his training. The guy had all the requisite state HS patches on his shirt but in addition to at least five calls he made right in front of me that were wrong he had a big issue with continuous motion.

Check It Out ...
 

There already is an option for a high school, or a college court. Right after you select basketball as a sport, just click on the icon in the upper right hand corner, the one that looks like a restore (restore up, or down) icon, after the half court icon.

No option for three officials. The programmer must be from Connecticut.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3775/1...8029f778_m.jpg

Everybody's Got Start Somewhere ...
 

Good attitude. Good partner. A lot of officials would have just thrown him under the bus and forgotten about him.

Ah, so there is. Thanks. I hadn't clicked through all the icons. Given the default is the NBA court I'm surprised the developer didn't include a 3-official option.

update... There *is* a 3-official option. Hold ctrl and scroll or click on the box for # of officials.

Well this is summer ball and I am lucky to get a partner that would even be the the half court based on where players are located in this pic. I would have personally moved on and not worried about the call. They can yell at him all day for all I would care. ;)

Peace

Must have been a crew saver if your partner came in all that way to help you...

Buy him a beer after the game. ;)

Has anyone ever overruled their partner in a case like this? Or do you always just go with it?

By rule, you can't overrule a call, no matter how wrong it may be.

You can give a partner information and allow him to change his own call, but I've never seen it on a travel.

The thought crossed my mind for about a half-second but as JAR said I can't overrule him and we both end up looking dumb if I run 60 feet to ask him what the heck he was doing. I did make a gentle mention during a time out that we should stay in our areas when possible but it didn't take.

As Jeff said this *is* summer ball but I have a feeling he carries these habits into the regular season and no one has said, "Umm, you might want to trust your partners a bit more." On the travel in question the entire gym - maybe about 60 people - stopped. I mean the *entire* gym. Everyone was shocked because they had no idea why the whistle blew and they were even more stunned when he made the call. Nobody supporting Team A even yelled and it was a close game. I just got the ball from the "offender" and said, "Let's go, ladies, White ball!"

We only where are "patched shirts" during state sponsored HS games - never during Rec Ball or AAU. Others?

Do you only use the correct homophones during the HS season as well? ;)

You Can't Say That On Television ...
 

A homophone? We can't call people names like that on the Forum, can we? Where's a moderator when you need him?

Not that there's anything wrong with that. :rolleyes:

http://stupidcupidblog.files.wordpre...feld.gif?w=870

As you were saying...

I worked games in two states (NY & NJ) this weekend. In NY I didn't, just a plain black and white. In NJ I did because that's what my partner was wearing.

From what I recall of the days when I used to work summer ball more often the NJ officials tend to wear their patched shirts more often. Maybe it's because they have a state patch during the season so they might not want to spend the extra $ to get one or two plain shirts. Just me guessing, of course.

So it depends on "where" you are whether you "wear" the patch or not. ;) We never see em here.

Once last season I worked a private school tourney and showed up without a patchless shirt - had to cut it off before the game. First time I thought velcro was a good idea.

PS - and thanks to the spelling police. I went to public schools. Sometimes my writing is not so goodly! :eek:

No Rules Just Right?
 

Maybe coffee out through my nose is a healthy thing.

Where and what my partner does, though it does seem as though I've been patched up for my NJ summer games more often than not. I carry enough variations in my bag so I can match my partner.

Certifiable ...
 

Here, in my little corner of Connecticut, we are allowed to wear our IAABO patched shirts anywhere, anytime, as long as our partner is an IAABO member.

Since Connecticut is "pretty much" a 100% IAABO state, anybody without an IAABO patch is some type of "gypsy", freelancing, official, and most of us, including me, will not work with such an "uncertified" official.

In thirty-three years, I have never worked with an official that was not an IAABO member, in any type of game, recreation league, mens league, AAU, travel teams, etc. Never. Ever. I've never even had a choice. Every time, and I literally mean every time, I've walked into a gym, there's a patched IAABO official, or an unpatched rookie "cadet" IAABO official, there for me to work with.

It is only required to wear (state) patches during state sactioned games. People will wear them during summer leagues and even AAU/Travel type games. I often do not wear any patch during AAU/Traveling type games. Personal choice and no one really cares. It has been assumed in a couple of situations I have no license. I just laugh and think it is funny when that is assumed.

Peace

I know, I know :D I have been tempted before to yell out "INADVERTENT WHISTLE" and give the ball back to the right team. Obviously not something that helps crew unity/chemistry or credibility.

I had one partner that was calling heavily in my area who I told to stop. That didn't go over well. Now I just say something like "hey just wanted to tell you some of the things I'm working on so you can help me out. I'm really focusing on calling in my area..." That seems to subtly remind them to:

http://i.imgur.com/yZnFNv0.jpg

As far as patches go I use my patched shirts for every game that I do, unless a college camp. I haven't heard any direction from my state organization regarding the subject. Guys working rec and AAU games have all manner of patches from many different years. I think the oldest patched shirt I've seen was from 2006.

If you made the right calls, this would not be the assumption :p

Maybe if I cared it would matter. ;)

Peace

Here, in another IAABO state, IAABO patches are required for HS games (all levels). Below that, not so much, and I tend to simply match up with what my partner is wearing. Some guys put their IAABO shirts away for the summer, some don't. There is one local middle school group that does not require IAABO certification. I personally don't care, but my experience tells me it's better to match for the game.

If one guy has a patch and the other doesn't, it opens up one of you as a target in that game.

I'm not sure about the "target" part of things but I know what I was taught: Match what your partner is wearing. The only situation where I'm lax on that is at camps since you never know what the other folks will have with them.

The way they put it to us: "If it's an outdoor summer game and your partner only has long pants, you put on long pants...then cuss out your partner at halftime for making you sweat so much!" :)

What if you summer partner is old school and only has a shirt with a collar? :eek:
Or a pocket? :D

I don't have a patch on a single shirt that I own.

You all should be jealous - it's the best system out there.

How About A Nice Hawaiian Belt ???
 

How about ... wait for it ... a belt?

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5501/1...b3a37d6c_m.jpg

patches aren't a problem for me, what would be a problem is trying to contract games out two years in advance.

I got offered games for 2017, 2018, and 2019 this year. I declined them all.

That is just silly, not that you declined them, but that they are even looking to schedule officials that far out. 3-4 months should be more than enough for just about anything.

Totally agree. I think this is a carryover from football, where I hear crews are being scheduled out even further than that.

Games should be scheduled after the previous season ends, not 2+ years out.

Officials for every sport here, and perhaps across the state, is scheduled only in the weeks and months prior to the game. I think the earliest might be 2-3 months before the game. There just is no reason to go beyond that. Booking earlier just means that there will be more changes to deal with.

Some NJ assignors do a year in advance, which is among the reasons I don't really work HS ball in NJ. I figure if I can get a college schedule in September for games starting in November there's no reason a HS needs to schedule me 12 months in advance.

Hey, even I have my limits :D

Wake Up On The Wrong Side Of The Grass ...
 

At my level of "experience" (how's that for a euphemism), I could be dead by 2019. Am I right Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.?

"Andre Dawson has a bruised knee and is listed as day-to-day (pause). Aren't we all?" — Vin Scully (1991)

The "target" comment comes from experience. It's not every game, but I've noticed that one partner or the other can get all the "abuse" when only one has the IAABO patch on.

Either you're perceived as the rookie who needs to "go to school", or you're the veteran who needs to take care of his partner.

I learned it was just easier to match.