Dedicated clock shaver

[jchamp]

Last night I was in the press box operating the scoreboard with a veteran member of my crew who decided he just wanted to operate the clock.
So he did.
He was very quick to start the clock on the snap. Not so much to stop it. At one point, a coach in the box with us asked us why the clock was running ten seconds into a time-out. This game wasn't a blowout, either, until three minutes left in the fourth when 17 points were scored in a short period.
My question is, when people are on your crew and doing this, and your professional image is at stake, how do you handle it when people start to really take note on how slow the clock stops?

[TXMike]

The crew on the field can take care of that by publicly embarrassing the guy. They just need to go to sideline and order clock changes. Do it enough and the crowd gets to see what a dumbarse the clock guy is

[MNBlue]

Did you ask him what we was doing? Was it intentional or ignorant?

[jchamp]

Originally Posted by MNBlue

Did you ask him what we was doing? Was it intentional or ignorant?

Quite intentional. At one point, he's sitting with his finger on the "stop" button, waiting as seconds count down and then presses it. Looks at me and states plainly that he likes to let a few seconds run off. He wouldn't do it with under a minute left, thanks to that tenths of a second getting people's attention, but he would do it before then during each quarter.

[MNBlue]

Originally Posted by jchamp

Quite intentional. At one point, he's sitting with his finger on the "stop" button, waiting as seconds count down and then presses it. Looks at me and states plainly that he likes to let a few seconds run off. He wouldn't do it with under a minute left, thanks to that tenths of a second getting people's attention, but he would do it before then during each quarter.

Sounds like he needs to go or get his a$$ ripped a new one.

[Rich]

We (the R and U especially) watch the clock closely and won't hesitate to put time back up or take it off when we know something's amiss. Two or three times should embarrass the guy into doing it right -- if not, the R should simply replace him.

I miss working in a place where an official would keep the clock somewhere on the sidelines. I really thought that was the best system.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by jchamp

My question is, when people are on your crew and doing this, and your professional image is at stake, how do you handle it when people start to really take note on how slow the clock stops?

I would ask you the same question. he's on your crew. What didn't you address it?

[Theisey]

Didn't the field officials do anything about this? Mechaincs dictate who is watching the clock at the end of every play. I know my guy has come to me several times in games to let me know the clock is slow to stop.

I'm sure we all have had to put time back on and addressed the issue at half time if it was not "fixed" by then. Was that done or not?

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by jchamp

Last night I was in the press box operating the scoreboard with a veteran member of my crew who decided he just wanted to operate the clock.
So he did.
He was very quick to start the clock on the snap. Not so much to stop it. At one point, a coach in the box with us asked us why the clock was running ten seconds into a time-out. This game wasn't a blowout, either, until three minutes left in the fourth when 17 points were scored in a short period.
My question is, when people are on your crew and doing this, and your professional image is at stake, how do you handle it when people start to really take note on how slow the clock stops?

The timer is a member of the officiating staff. Deal with the issue by correcting the clock. After at most two fixes, he should consider it a memo to himself.