When do you finally step in?

[Dakota]

First, as we all know, game management is an essential part of calling the game. Game management suffers when you or your partner look bad. Game management suffers if you allow your "get it right" impulse to cause you to barge in uninvited to overrule your partner.

In the situation of the coach asking in advance for a ruling on courtesy runners, that is not the same thing, IMO, as making a call during live action. You can usually find a diplomatic way to get the correct information to the coach and giving your partner a face-saving out. Preferably, give your partner the info and let him correct his own statement.

Anyhow, don't so easily reject the practice (requirement for ASA) that you cannot overrule your partner; he must ask for your input and then make his own decision. Otherwise, game management suffers.

Work out in your pregame the hand/face/body signals you will be using to indicate that your partner should be asking for your help - that you saw something that he didn't or that you ruling would have been different. Then rely on him to take advantage of them.