Over Turning Officials calls

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by ref18
The way its usually done in my association, is that if someone sees something differently, he'll come up to the referee, and tell him, then the ref'll call over the calling officail, give the new info, and ask the official if he still stands behind his call. If the official still stands behind the call, it stands, if he doesn't the ref'll wave it off.

REPLY: Personally, I disagree with this technique. I think you stand a better chance of alienating the calling official by going to the R without him. It would certainly make a better case for bruised egos and hurt feelings. It could even undermine the effectiveness of the crew going forward. Both my HS and our college association recommend that the 'questioning' official go directly to the calling official--before he has the opportunity to report his foul to the R--and ask him specifically what he saw. The R will wait, away from that conversation, until the two officials work it out. Then the calling official will go to the R and either report his foul, or tell the R to wave it off. If the two officials cannot reach consensus, then they both go to the R and present their case. Only in this latter situation will the R exercise "executive privilege."