Rndballref
20 Years Experience
Chicago, IL
Male, 60
For twenty years I officiated high school, AAU and park district basketball games, retiring recently. For a few officiating is the focus of their occupation, while for most working as an umpire or basketball referee is an avocation. I started ref'ing to earn beer money during college, but it became a great way to stay connected to the best sports game in the universe. As a spinoff, I wrote a sports-thriller novel loosely based on my referee experiences titled, Advantage Disadvantage
Assuming that you have an excellent understanding of the rules and good judgement as to when to apply them, then if a coach has a disagreement and you feel it needs to be addressed:1) approach the coach. "Coach you disagree with that call. Tell me, what did you see?"2) after the coach tells you, you say "Coach, I saw that the play happened a different way. Here is what I saw … . but if the play happened the way you saw it, then I missed it."3) don't be afraid to admit that you booted a call occasionally. "Coach, in replaying the action in mind, you might be right and I may have called the wrong thing." But don't become a perpetual apologist. 4) if the coach perpetually is riding you and is never satisfied with your explanations, then you need to tell him/her that you have heard enough. their complaints are getting in the way of you doing your job. Some officials tell you to hold an open hand up after you have warned him - they call this officiating to the tape because if you end up throwing a coach out of a game, the assigner can look at the tape and corroborate your review which included a verbal and hand warning.5) have thick skin. the tough guys who are too sensitive about valid criticism never advance very far in officiating. In 20 years of high school officiating I have thrown out of games only 4 or 5 coaches.
As for parents, my best advice is to ignore them. If they shout inappropriate things (threats or derogatory remarks) have home management eject them. No good will come from trying to educate a biased fan who has little grasp of the rulebook. However, I have answered questions after a game from parents who approach respectfully.
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Yes.
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Lions ball on a throw in.
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NO, unless it is incidental or of no consequence. Normally body contact by a moving defender on a drive to the basket is called a foul.
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Ice Sculptor
What was the raciest sculpture you ever made?
Parcel Delivery Mailman
Are you a lot stronger and more fit because of your job?
Magician
How do you feel about magicians on TV who reveal how tricks are done?
In NFHS rules a player can recover a try even if fails to hit the basket ring or the floor as long as it is a legitimate try. NCAA and pro rules are different.
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I searched through the NBA rulebook and could not find a foul called "showboating". There is a broad definition of unsportsmanlike conduct, but nothing specifically called show boating.
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That is true, but if a referee called everything technically the game would be unplayable and unwatchable. For example, the rule used to be that on a throw in, if the player didn't take the shortest path onto the court after throwing in the ball in, it was a technical foul. I never called it that way, and never worked with anyone who did. Finally, NFHS changed this action to a violation and now it gets called. Likewise, any carrying the ball, by rule, is an illegal dribble. But if a player is bringing the ball up from the backcourt unguarded and is turning the ball over, I am not going to call that until he is guarded. (Officiating principle = Advantage Disadvantage).
I get that you are annoyed that a team can get back in a game by fouling a team who cannot shoot free throws, but while I think intentional fouls need to be clarified, I believe most people do not take your literal interpretation of the game and don't mind "going for the ball" common fouls as a legitimate strategy. Again, I say a shot clock would remove much of the reason to purposely foul.
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