But THAT'S His Shooting Style!

Had a close Basketball game in progress in the late 4th Quarter. A player for the team that was behind by 5 points fired off a Jump Shot from 3 Point range that missed. Just after his feet touched back down on the floor a Defensive Player bumped him hard & the "shooter" fell down.

Image by John Feinberg via Flickr.com

I called the Foul. it was the 7th Foul against the Defense so I awarded the "shooter" a "1 & 1" Free Throw Bonus.

The "shooter's" Coach went livid- "That Foul was on a 3 Point Shot!! He should get 3 Free Throws!!"

"Not so Coach. When the shooter returned to the floor the shot ended and the bump was a Common Foul on a player. The Player was no longer a shooter," I explained. 

Not satisfied, the coach vented, "But that's his shooting style!"

Shooting style? After he touches the floor?

Sometimes I hear a coach or player make such a ribald & spurious claim I have to chuckle to myself and wonder what that person would think if he saw & hear what a ridiculous thing they just said!

I replied, "Coach, whatever "shooting style" he has ended when his feet hit the floor!"

It's really a simple rule and I'm sure the coach knew it. At least I hope he did. Sometimes it's hard to tell if a coach really just does not know a Rule or if he/she is just playing dumb hoping to talk the referee into making a call that favors his / her team......Either way it is unfortunate when a coach tried to argue a call with a Referee when the Coach's claim is so easily seen to be bogus.

Certainly us Referees do blow calls from time to time. Just look at all the new reports last year about blown calls by NFL Referees- guys that are being paid $100,000 - $200,000 per season make mistakes. How can coaches and fans expect a Referee getting paid $55 per game to make perfect calls every time?

And when a Coach improperly argues a good call it just incites players & fans that likely do not even know it was a good call against a Referee that did his / her job correctly.

I will not be sending out any letters complimenting Good Sportsmanship to either school from this game.

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An Unexpected and Much Appreciated Compliment

Usually by the time we are done dressing after Refereeing a game, most of the fans have cleared out.

This week tho, David Dixon & myself had the chance to Referee a Sectional First Round Playoff game at 5:15PM which was followed by another Play Off Game at 7:00PM.

So instead of dressing and leaving, we cleaned up, then dressed in our street clothes and went to watch the 2nd game.

Image by Susanne Jerome via Flickr.com 

As we were sitting in the stands at Half Time of that following game, a fellow I'd never seen before walks up, shakes our hands and says, "You guys worked a great game tonite!" A bit surprised at the unexpected compliment I smiled and asked, "Which team were you rooting for?" He replied, "Neither of them. I just came to watch some Tournament Basketball."

"Well THANKS!" We both said, and I added, "It seemed from the crowd's reaction that the fans for neither team thought we did a good job, so we really appreciate your compliment." (It HAD been a raucous crowd at a "neutral" site. The school Athletic Director & his On Site Security had been quite busy trying to calm down fans from both teams. Multiple lead changes, a 2 point margin at half time and the game winning basket was scored with 2.8 seconds on the clock for a 1 point win in a VERY intensely played game! Indeed it was a GREAT game to work!)

The fellow stopped, turned back and said, "I've seen a lot of High School Basketball Referees work over the years. Forget about the fans. You guys ARE good!"

He never said who he was or what his experience with Refereeing was. He just turned back around and walked back to his seat, which turned out to be clear on the far side of the gym and in the upper level from where we were siting. So his coming to compliment us was not just a matter of passing by us on the way to the Concession Stand at Half Time. It was a deliberate effort to speak to us and required some effort on his part.

Fan comments, pro and con, after a game are common. But the way this fellow spoke- in particular saying, "I've seen a lot of Referees WORK," was a very interesting comment.

Fans will say "you 'Reffed' or 'Refereed' a good game," but fans do not say "worked."

"Worked a game," is a phrase common to Referees, tho. Perhaps that fellow was a former referee himself?

So we have no idea who this fellow was or what prompted him to make the trek clear across the gym to compliment a couple of relatively nondescript Referees he'd never seen, but we certainly do appreciate his doing it. Definitely takes the sting out of a coach recently saying we were the worst referees he'd ever seen!!! (I think that coach might have been a bit biased, tho......)

A couple more Play Off games to "work" before the season ends for us and we are looking forward to more intensely contested games and lots of fun "working" them!

2/10/15

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Maybe It Is A Silly Rule

The Referees do not write the Rules......BUT we are expected to apply them correctly, even if some Rules do seem silly to Coaches, Fans & Players.

They may even seem silly to the Refs but that is not their problem.

No Referee likes to start the game out by having to tell players they are wearing illegal uniforms items or apparel.

So please do not make a big fuss when the Referee simply asks players & Coaches to follow the Rules.

Some examples-
There are very specific Rules about Leg & Arm Sleeves & Head Bands in High School Basketball. Only certain colors are allowed:

• White, Black, Beige OR the dominate color of the Team Uniform

• If more than 1 player wears leggings, sleeves, etc they ALL have to be the same color.

• Headbands cannot have extensions, no matter how stylish they may be!!

• An undershirt must match the dominant color of the Jersey.

• NO jewelry- Nose rings, ear rings, bracelets (even plastic), necklaces, ect.

Maybe they can wear that stuff in the NBA, but NOT in High School......

Every year for the first 3 weeks of the regular High School Basketball Season my partner and I are have to inform Coaches and Players they are wearing illegal stuff. At almost every game.

How can that be!?

Have other Referees been ignoring these uniform violations? I hope not!

Are these players & Coaches thinking, "Hey, maybe these Refs will be "cool" and not enforce the Rules or not notice the illegal stuff?"

I don't know.

But please do not roll your eyes or holler out inane babble about how the Refs should "watch the game and not worry about how the players are dressed." How the players are dressed IS part of the Referee watching the game.

We are just doing our job. Hopefully Players, Coaches and parents can catch on and do their jobs getting their players properly attired for their games so the Refs do not have to be "The Bad Guys" and can actually focus on the game itself!!

Image by Daniel X. O'Neil via Flickr.com

1

Ref's Can't See Anything

A player lost a Contact Lens in a Pre-Season Scrimmage. Naturally everything came to a halt as players & coaches searched for the missing lens......except me and my Referee Partner.

A fan sitting close by us asked, "How come you Ref's aren't helping look for the Contact Lens?"

I turned around & quipped, "No one ever asks us to help look for Contact Lenses. You all know us Ref's can't see anything!"

The fan got a good laugh out of that!

Image by Ken Teegardin via www.AssistedSeniorLiving.net

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Refereeing Basketball vs Volleyball

Firstly, in 25 years of Refereeing High School Basketball I've been hit in the head ONCE by an errant pass during Warm Ups.

In Volleyball I get hit almost every game!!!

Basketball Warm Ups are right in front of the Referees and tho there may be several balls in use, usually only a couple are in the air at any given moment and almost always aimed at the basket.

But in Volleyball Warm Ups serves, practice spikes, practice bumps & sets fly every where from on the court and unofficial warm up areas behind the score's table.

No one is safe from being hit, even the Score Keepers & Timer sitting as the Score's Table before the games.

And when a kid gives you a silly grin and says "Sorry!" You get the feeling that he / she somehow just won a bet with a team mate that he / she couldn't hit the Referee......

Secondly, only in Volleyball does a Ref climb a ladder and become a target for miss hit balls. Any game that I do not get knocked off the wobbly ladder I consider a success regardless of how many calls I might have missed.

Sometimes when hanging onto the ladder and ducking from missiles I feel like a trick pony rider hanging off the side of the pony trying to aim at a target from under the horse's belly. It's hard to see anything from that position and I'm prone to miss something, Just getting on top is an achievement......

Other than that, I calls 'em as I sees 'em!!

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Halloween Nite At The HS Volleyball Match

200 students showed up last night for "Senior Nite" and the last Volleyball Home Game of the season on Halloween nite.

At least half were in costume......

Image by Katie Morrow via Flickr.com

The funniest to me, was a kid in black shoes, black pants, dark sunglasses & a "blind person's cane"...... and a black & white Referee shirt.

He was "escorted" into the gym by a kid dressed as a slice of Pumpkin Pie holding the Blind Ref's elbow, typical of escorting a blind person. Very clever histrionics, indeed!

One of the really fun things about Refereeing High School Sports is the Student Section antics, Basketball and Volleyball puts the kids almost right on the court!

They can really be entertaining and crazy!!

Occasionally they can get a bit out of line (like at this basketball game) and someone needs to be invited to leave ("Tossed" in more vernacular terms).

Can you guess which student I would have "tossed" first if that Student Section had gotten out of control............? Yeah & the Pumpkin Pie would not have been far behind!

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Fire Alarms & Volleyball Do Not Mix

Smack in the middle of the third set of tonight's Girls Varsity Volleyball game the smoke alarms started going off and lights flashing!!

Image by matteson.norman via Flickr

The gym was cleared until it was learned that students in the auditorium prepping and practicing for a Halloween thing of some sort had let off too much smoke "Special Effect” which set off the alarms throughout the school.

As everyone started rushing to filter back in through the only unlocked double door a parent asked if we wanted to get in the line. My referee partner said, "No, you folks go ahead and reclaim your good seat before someone else snags them. We have reserved seating and the match won't restart until we’re back on the court!”

Leaving the gym after the match a fan of the winning team commented, "That was the best called game we've had so far this season!”

We were probably appreciative, but know it is easier for a fan to say that when their team won 3 straight sets easily………

That the calls that were deemed good was primarily because I had the opportunity to work with one of Arizona's premier Volleyballl Referees. Not only in AZ, he also works NCAA Division 1 and USA Volleyballl National Tournaments. He'd just smile and corrected any bad calls I made and kept the match rolling on.

His parting comment to me in the parking lot was, "Vic, for someone who doesn't know the rules or what he is supposed to be doing, you did OK!”

I'll accept that……

0

YOU DECIDE THE CALL, COACH!!!

Some might recall a post a few weeks ago title If You Had Kept Your Mouth Shut, when I ejected a Coach before the 1st Quarter had ended in a Girl's 8th Grade Basketball game.  

Well, that coach was back tonite coaching an 8th Grade Boys team, as the Visiting Team at the same school he'd been at when I ejected him....

No he dd NOT get ejected tonite. It seems he learned his lesson 4 weeks ago......

Tonight we had a play where my partner and I BOTH had simultaneous whistle calls (also called "Double Whistles"), but for DIFFERENT calls.

Most fans, even coaches, do not realize the Refs are NOT looking at the same thing all the time. With 2 Referees, One Ref looks at action around the ball-dribbler, defender(s), ect. That we call "On Ball."

The other Ref is watching everything else- "Off Ball".

My whistle was a Foul for an Illegal Screen on the Visiting Team.

My partner was calling "3 Seconds" on the Visiting Team.

My partner did not notice my whistle OR my fist in the air signaling a Foul, hollered "3 Seconds" and pointed to a spot for the In-bounds Play.

I figure the Home Team was gonna get the ball on either call and decided not to make an issue of my Foul Call. Play On!!

BUT, as I trotted by the Visiting Team Bench, the Coach hollers out, "How can that be 3 Seconds? His heels were out of the Key!"

I turned to him and said, "Coach, you'll have to ask my partner that since he made the call. I was not watching Off Ball. I was looking On Ball and was calling a Foul on your #30 for an Illegal Screen. If you feel strongly my partner made a bad call, I will void his 3 Seconds Call and Replace it with the Foul Call. You decide! Which call do you want......?"

He stammered a bit and I said, "So you're saying 3 Seconds Call was a Good Call after all, then Coach?" He nodded a meek "Yes" and sat down,

I couldn't help but smile as I continued down the court.......

Image by Russ Ferriday via Flickr.com

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Assistant Coaches Say the Darndest Things…

Some of you "older" folks will remember Art Linkletter’s show segment "Kids Say The Darndest Things"…

Sometimes when I Referee Basketball I get to see my own private version of that show called "Assistant Coaches Say The Darndest Things" on a pretty regular basis!!

In Arizona we have a very simple rule for Coaches and Assistant Coaches STANDING

and Coaching in front of the bench while a game is in progress. ONLY the Head Coach can stand and coach. The Assistants have to remain seated, except to cheer a specific play, greet a player coming out of the game or during Time Out, and between Quarters/ Half Time.

When my Partner and I go to briefly meet the Coaches before the game starts I point to the lines that mark the Coaches Box Area in front of the Team bench and ask the Head Coach if their Assistants are familiar with the Coaches Box Rule. They always say "Yes".

Tonight, we were barely 2 minutes into the game and I see an Assistant Coach for the Home Team standing up shouting instructions to the players since the ball had gone Out Of Bounds and I was near the bench area, I could quickly step to the Head Coach and say, "Coach, may I offer a quick reminder that Assistant Coaches must remain seated during game time?”

Image by Kevin Coles via Flickr

He nodded yes but I got a perplexed look from the Assistant Coach.

A few minutes later I see the same Assistant standing, again!! Fortunately I was in front of their bench area again with the clock stopped and stepped back to remind the Coach about the Assistant not standing to Coach rule.

He again acknowledge he knew that and then the Assistant Coach says to me, "But our Head Coach was sitting down, so the rule is that I can stand up, right?”

It is my practice in this situation to always address ONLY the Head Coach. I'm not being arrogant or showing disrespect for the Assistant, but since the only Coach that is supposed to be communicating with the Referees is the Head Coach, that’s who I talk with.

However, in this situation, I was so amused with the Assistant attempted rebuttal (he is not the first Assistant to try it out this "rule") that I looked first at the Head Coach and smiled, then I looked at and spoke directly to the Assistant Coach saying, “No, I'm sorry Coach, that is not the rule. Only the Head Coach can stand. As far as I am concerned, Assistant Coaches do not exist, and since they do not exist they cannot stand and Coach the players. Now if you want to test that theory you can, but the consequence is a Technical Foul and I suspect if your team loses this game because of a "T" on you for standing, you're existing as an Assistant Coach in the figurative sense might become quite literal……"

The Assistant looked at me, then at his Head Coach who sort of nodded his head towards the bench as if to say to his Assistant, "Go ahead and just sit down, son." And he stayed seated the rest of the game

………

The Home Team won by 4 points. An untimely "T" could have turned the game the other way, so I hope it was a lesson well learned by the Assistant!

0

The DEAF and DUMB Referee Last Nite....

There was a deaf and dumb referee last night.

My partner last night literally was deaf and dumb. He had only about 15% hearing and 15% speech capabilities. And he was on the court refereeing a girls varsity basketball game!!

"Blind Ref" by Nathan Rupert via Flickr

And he did a mighty fine job of it, too! The referee mechanics have to be adjusted a bit since he cannot call out team colors for foul calls or out of bounds plays, etc. And the coaches could not yak at him as he ran up and down the sidelines. (Actually that's a real blessing for him!!)

I explained his situation to the Coaches, Score Keeper and Clock operator before the game started so they were all set to accommodate some unorthodox communications from him for foul reporting and we had no problems there.

Though the most common complaint from fans usually is us Refs are blind rather than our hearing and speech capabilities.

Anytime a coach has a question about a call my partner made, the coach had to holler at me, expresses concern to me and then I had to try to communicate the coaches concern to my partner and he had to try and describe what he saw. It took a little while to accomplish that and pretty soon the coaches just quit asking!! Return next line.  Delete that?

The most interesting thing about it was that I do not think the fans even realized he was deaf and dumb!! And that is a real accomplishment!!

0

She Was Almost Over the Line, Ref!

I was working a Holiday Girl's High School Tournament.

Visiting team is bringing the ball from the Back Court after In-bounding following the Home Team making a basket.

A team is allowed 10 seconds to get the ball over the Mid Court Line. It's a really easy call to make... Count to 10 seconds and if the ball is still on the Back Court side of the line, toot the whistle and give the Violation Mechanic.

Image by Todd Blosser via Flickr

As usual, I made me Visible 10 Second Count. I got to 10 Seconds, allowed another 1/2 seconds or so- just to be sure my count was not too fast- then I sounded my whistle and gave the Ten Second Violation signal.

A Visiting Team parent hollers out in disgust, "Oh, come on Ref!! She was almost over the line!"

It's a moments like this I wonder if that same parent would have the same opinion if I did NOT call a 10 Second Violation on the opposing tram in a similar situation?

Surely that fan would holler out, "Oh, come on Ref!! She was almost over the line!" Don't ya think?

No, I don't think so either......and THAT sort of bias is why fans & coaches do not Referee the games.

0

So How Come You Are Letting That Coach Stand Up……?

Sometimes I just do not know if some coaches really do not know a rule or if they are just pretending not to know a rule to see how much they can get away with.

In High School Basketball, the Head Coach is allowed to stand and COACH – NOT yell at the referees – in a designated/ marked area in front of the Team's bench. Only the Head Coach can stand and coach in this "Coaches Box.”

But when a Head Coach receives a Technical Foul, or an Assistant Coach or other player/team assistant sitting on the bench gets a Technical Foul, the Head Coach loses the opportunity to stand and coach. He/she now abide by the "Seat Belt Rule" which essentially means the coach cannot stand up anymore to coach the team! The Coach is figuratively wearing a seat belt.

A few weeks ago I called a "T" on a Coach. Not long after that Coach was standing up in the Coaches Box coaching again, so I stepped over to remind the Coach he had to remain sitting. He sat down.

Again after a few moments, I see the same Coach standing up to holler instructions to his team.

I was well justified by this time to "Whack" the coach with another "T" and eject him. But then I have to fill out paperwork and send it in to the AIA to explain why I Ejected the Coach. I'd rather not do that if possible, so I tried the "nice guy” approach.

I again stepped over to the Coach. "Coach, I have now politely reminded you twice not to stand up while coaching because you have received a "T". The coach pointed to the other coach at the opposite end of the court and says to me, "so how come you're letting that Coach stand up then!? "

Image by Fort Meade via Flickr

It was all I could do not to start laughing……

I glanced at the other Coach, then back at the one with the "T" and said, "well, I suppose the reason I'm letting that coach stand up is because he does NOT have a Technical Foul. You do, so you get to sit. Stand up again and you will be ejected. Do you understand the rule now?”

Fortunately, one of his own team fans hollered out, "Come on coach! You have a Technical Foul and have to sit down!! We want to see the kids play."

The coach said he did now understand the role and remained sitting for the rest of the game.

0

It's All a Matter of Perspective

There are SO many things I wish I could explain to the fans while Refereeing a Game. Explain why a certain Foul was called or contact was NOT called as a Foul. Clarify a Rule, etc. the help them better understand the game, what and why the Ref's did what they did, but there are so few opportunities to do that during a game. And unfortunately, on too many occasions when I have tried to do that, my attempt to be helpful is met with some caustic remark by a disgruntled and unknowledgeable fan so that I ask myself why did I even try?

Too often, when questioning a Basketball Referee Call I made a Coach will say, "I've never heard that Rule before!"

And so I wonder......how may fans or Coaches, for that matter, have actually read the Rule Book before they go watch or coach a game?

I recently worked a Youth Game- 7th & 8th Graders. Some of the them are hopeful of playing Varsity High School Basketball, and perhaps beyond. But first they have to play high school.

So it is understandable that Youth Leagues adopt National Federation of High School Rules, right?

It is my opinion that the sooner an aspiring hoopster learns the Rules the better it will be for the youth & future coaches. Better to be called for a Rule Violation that loses the game in a Saturday Youth league than find out about it the really hard way and cost the team a State Championship, right?

So when I work a Youth game I apply High School Rules.


Here is a VERY simple Rule when a ball is In-bounded......

The defender CANNOT reach across the Out of Bounds Line. PERIOD.

Reach across and touch nothing? 1st Time is a Delay of game Warning. 2nd Time & it's a technical Foul.

Reach across & slap the Ball the 1st Time & THAT is a Technical Foul. NO Warning required.

Reach across & slap the player and THAT is an Intentional Foul. NO Warning required.

BEFORE I hand the ball to the Throw-In Player I look at the Defender, point at the Out of Bounds Line and say, "Do NOT reach across the Out of Bounds Line, OK?" They always nod & say, "Ok."

So I had a kid reach across the line on an inbound play. I called a Delay of Game Warning and reported it to the Scorekeeper.

Not long afterward the same kid, again after I told him not to reach across the line, reached across the line and slapped the ball, so I called a technical Foul.

The Coach asked for an explanation. As I trotted over to offer the simple explanation I could hear fans from the team holler about a "Bad Call", "Lousy Ref" and other typical claptrap. Yes, the Refs hear what is said, We just chose to ignore such comments unless they are excessive. Then we eject the person.

I explained the call and the Coach says, "Are you sure about that? I've been coaching 20 years and I never heard that Rule!"

I was not surprised......

"Yes, Coach, It's in the Rule Book."

"Are you SURE about that, Ref?"

"Yes."

"Is that some NEW Rule?"

"No. Been in the book for a long time."

So...... I do not mind if a Coach or Fan disagrees with me on a Foul Call. After all, it is a subjective call by the Ref. I expect the person / team & Coach that the Foul call was made against to object. Your perspective and mine is quite different. I might not have made the best call, but I made what I thought was the proper call from my vantage point and what I saw. You see what you want to see from a biased perspective. Them's the breaks!

"Perspective" by Brett Jordan via Flickr

But IF you want to holler that the Ref does not know the Rules......please make sure YOU really know the Rule! There might just be a lot of them pesky Rules you never heard about before if you never studied the Rule Book or had to pass a Test to Referee......

0

Then You're Gonna Need to Call the Cops!!

In a recent High School Basketball game a fan had become quite belligerent. It was a woman who was pushing a baby stroller along the sideline at the end of the court.

Neither my Referee partner or I had said anything to her when a school Security Guard stepped over to ask her to calm down.

She refused and got even louder.

The Security Guard said if she did not calm down he would make her leave the gymnasium.

To that comment she shouted, "If you try to do that, then you're gonna need to call the Cops!"

The Security Guard turned, pointed to the far end of the gym and said, "There's one right there and HE's the one who sent me over to tell you to calm down or leave."

We did not hear anything from that fan the rest of the game......

I never cease to be amazed at what outrageous things some fans think is acceptable behavior at High School Athletic Events!

Image "Police" by Matty Ring via Flickr

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No, the Coach did NOT go to the Pre-Season Rules Meeting......

The Arizona Interscholastic Association, at the Basketball Referee's Tip Off Meeting, mentioned there would be a Rules Meeting for the Coaches to review NEW Rules and discuss how, what and why Referees make certain calls. It was suggested it would be of great value to Coaches better understand the Rules and Refereeing.

At a Pre-Season Scrimmage I printed copies of this year's new Rules to give to the Coaches for when I reviewed new rules with the Players & Coaches prior to starting the game.

One Coach, who is notorious for berating Referee Calls, was skeptical about my explanation of a new Free Throw Lane Rule.

I asked if he had attended the Rules Meeting for Coaches.

He gave me a puzzled, "What Rules Meeting?" look and said "No."

I did NOT say it. I wanted to... But NOT going to the Rules Meeting probably has a lot to do with his constant complaining about Referee Calls.

He does not know the Rules as well as he thinks he does and he has no idea about Referee philosophy.

"Basketball Court" by Mohamad Zeina Via Flickr

0

No One Likes the Referee Calls. Get Use to It!

It's all a matter of perspective......good or bad Referee calls, I'm talking about......

If the foul or Violation is called on your opponent you think it's a good call! And your opponent thought it was a bad call! Perspective.

Oftentimes I'll hear a Coach in a High School Game, after I make a call on the opponent, shout, "Good Call!!" To which I reply, "Aren't they ALL 'Good Calls,' Coach?" Most Coaches will nod yes, or even chuckle & say, "Yes they are." One Coach said, "Yes, but some calls are more good than others!" Another said, "I wish you'd make more "Good Calls" on them and fewer on us!"

Sometimes that “bad call” your complaining about is the Ref adhering to the rules. Odds are, unless you’ve studied the Rule Book as much as the Refs do, there are probably some pesky rules you don’t know. Like I've said in my post If Your Gonna Yell at the Ref… it's best to know the rules.

Folks, it's EASY to play or spectate and make the game calls. It's HARD to actually be the Referee. I joked with Coach Jon Mott, who use to be the Globe High School Boy's Varsity Basketball Coach after he volunteered to refereed a church basketball game with me a few years ago. I asked him, "Did you even blow the whistle?" He said, "Yes, 3 times, but you also blew the whistle on the same calls." Then he said, "I wanted to blow the whistle a couple of other time but by the time I tried to blow the whistle the play was gone and it was too late!" Trust me, I have Refereed games for Globe High School and Coach Mott does not have trouble yelling, "That's a FOUL" from the bench when he's coaching a game. But even after all of his years of experience "refereeing from the bench" it's still tough to be the Referee on the floor and make the call.

Sometimes a Referee can get caught up watching a well-played game, so well played he gets distracted by the quality of the game itself and he sees something happen and thinks to himself, "Someone should have called that! Oh no, I'm THAT SOMEONE!!" The call is missed and it's too late to make it. It’s the same thing that happened to Coach Mott when he put on the black and white stripes. Don’t forget, Referees are fans of the game too, and we are human!

Have you ever watched a B-ball game and hear the announcer's say that was a perfectly called game? Nope. Not gonna happen. Too much happens too fast for 2 or even 3 Referees to see it all. Sometimes a big fellow, and there are usually a few of those in every game, steps between the play action and the Referee and the Referee's vision is completely blocked out just the instant a likely foul occurs and he misses the call. Too bad. Even the best Referees in the world- NBA, NFL, MLB, and NCAA often blow a call. Critical calls, too! Just keep playing.

"Stephen Curry" by Keith Allison via Flickr

NO ONE LIKES THE REFEREE CALLS. GET USE TO IT! Sometimes the Referee isn't real happy with the call he just made, either, just like you're not happy when you fire up an "Air Ball." Mistakes happen.

Billy Kennedy is a former Arizona High School & Junior College Ref currently in the NBA. He got his "Big Break" into the NBA during a NBA Referee Strike a few years ago. In a game with the Detroit Pistons, Doug Collins (I think he was the Detroit Pistons Head Coach) Billy made a call that Collins did not like. "I've been in this league for 20 years as a player and a coach and I've NEVER seen a Ref call like that before!!" Yelled the Coach. Billy's reply? "Coach, I've been in the league 2 weeks. Get used to it!!"

At the end of each game, every Referee makes some good calls and some bad calls. Hopefully a lot more good than bad, but they made what they thought was the proper call from their vantage point and what they saw. You may not have seen what they saw, or have the rules knowledge to know whether or not it was a “good call” but the calls have made. “Get used to it!!”

0

If You Had Kept Your Mouth Shut......

I was Refereeing an 8th Grade Girl's Basketball Tournament.

At Game Time the other Referee had not shown up, but the Game, like the "The Show," must go on, right?

Coaches, Fans, ect, think TWO Refs miss a lot of calls, so what is the chance ONE Ref can see everything?

We were barley 3 minutes into the FIRST Quarter and the Visiting Coach had been hollering at me for every little thing he thought I was not calling. Naturally ONLY things that would have benefited HIS team......

One of his girls stole the ball and off they raced to the opposite end of the floor. I was well behind the play trying to catch up when his player, who could barley dribble the ball while running and NOT being defended, lost control of the ball and stumbled into 2 defensive players. While stumbling, she tried to push up a feeble shot and the ball went out of bounds.

I blew my whistle and awarded the ball to the other team for having gone out of bounds.

At that moment, the Coach comes stomping onto the court, nearly to the Half Court Line, hollering about how I should have called a Foul. It was quite and most definitely unsportsmanship behavior, so I "whacked" him with a "T".

Not satisfied, and apparently accustomed to Referees cowering to his bellows, he took another step towards me and yelled even louder, "That was a HORRIBLE Call. You are an awful Ref!!"

I replied, "You might be right on both accounts, but you are now a coach that has been ejected from the game!" And pointed to the Exit.

Evidently the Home Team had been witness to this Coach's intimidating antics in a previous game - which the other Referees had allowed to go on without any "T's" on the Coach -  and cheered loudly when they knew he had been ejected.

A few minutes later the other Referee showed up - there had been a traffic accident along the way that had delayed his arrival.

He asked if he had missed anything interesting.

Photo by Paul and Cathy (Becker1999) via Flickr

When I responded, "Only my ejecting the Visiting Head Coach 3 1/2 minutes into the game." He commented, "That explains the fellow who confronted me on the way in."

As I looked quizzically at him he continued, "As I walked up to the door to the gym some guy came up and complained he had been ejected from the game. He was rather agitated and seemed like a real jerk, so I said, 'Well, if you had just kept your mouth shut you would still be inside, wouldn't you?' and walked thru the door."

Coaches & fans rarely get ejected for something they do NOT say.

(If you want to find out if this Coach was better behaved then NEXT time I officiated a game for his school you can read about that here. You Decide the Call, Coach!!! )

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