Blog Posts

Report Card

5/24/2015

Mickey Crowley, who has had a distinguished career as an official and assignor for over 40 years, was gracious enough to provide his list called, "Steps In Moving To The Next Level". These items can be used to measure yourself, identify your weaknesses, and make improvements in your game and approach to it, because nobody is great at all of them.

1. Work with great officials.
2. Listen and learn from everyone.
3. Think all the time.
4. Get a great look at plays. (Sequence/Catalog/Repeat)
5. Be in great condition.
6. Be excellent mechanically.
7. Know the rules.
8. Understand the perception is everything in order to gain credibility.
9. Exude confidence.
10. Sell plays equally.
11. See the same game at both ends with partners.
12. Work hard; sweat as much as possible.
13. Be consistent game to game.
14. Use your common sense.
15. Treat everyone with total and uncompromising respect.
16. Choose your words carefully; eliminate excess talk.
17. Be a great partner.
18. Be global with your vision; local with your calls.
19. Be firm, fair, and polite with everyone.
20. Make the big call right.
21. Never be surprised.
22. Be persistent, set reachable goals, and pick them off one at a time.
23. Work games in segments.
24. Work today’s game.
25. Admit it when you are wrong.
26. Know what to say and what you say in situations.
27. Keep a game-by-game journal of what you have learned.
28. Manage the game and all aspects of it.
29. Forget the politics, jealousies, and negatives.
30. Don’t worry about who has what particular game.
31. Remember that every single game is huge to someone.
32. Work twice as hard the night after the biggest game of your life.
33. Pay attention to the business at hand. “Don’t talk to the minister just before the sermon.”
34. Perfect Preparation Prevents Pee-Poor Performance
35. Smile
36. Give yourself time to develop.
37. Teach officiating to someone; it makes you better.
38. Make an excellent table presentation every single time.
39. Never walk when you can run.
40. Rebound from a bad call; make the next one right.
41. Never challenge the supervisor in public.
42. Don’t rely on anyone else to get things done for you.
43. Have a quality support system.
44. Take the best qualities of other officials and make them yours.
45. Watch yourself on isolated video tape.
46. Chart every whistle 3-5 games per year.
47. Get a constant pre-game routine.
48. Use the law of readiness to guide you to the next level.
49. Accept teaching and criticism openly and objectively.
50. Look/See/Wait/Blow
51. Be a good no-call official.
52. Ask for help when you don’t know; never make one up.
53. Never lose control.
54. Break up fights when they start.
55. Know what you can say and to whom you can say it.
56. Objectively evaluate your weaknesses.
57. Be humble.
58. Be a human being.
59. Get an unbreakable bond with someone.
60. Call you own technical fouls.
61. Be beyond reproach in all that you do.
62. Make each fellow official better.
63. Be “athletic”; look ready to work; “Prowl”.
64. Be aware of body language, how you stand, and facial expressions.
65. Recognize the game has been played for a long time and will continue long after you are gone. Respect your part in the game.

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Court Positioning

5/20/2015

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One thing I have really noticed the past couple of years is the lapses in being in position. Your court positioning is absolutely critical to being able to get angles on plays and maximize your chances of getting calls right. If you watch games on TV, there really is very little differentiation between those officials in terms of where they position themselves as the L, C, or T during a game. However, the lower the level you watch, the more variation you will see. There has to be something to that, and we all need to try and be more aware of our court positioning.

The biggest variation I see amongst us common folk is the misconception of where the 28-foot mark really is. This is important, because as a T, you are supposed to set up at this depth. How many times do you see the T being within a couple steps of half-court when the ball is below the top of the key? Two things to remember. First, you should never let the ball get behind you as the T in the half-court--it's OK to be at half court when the ball is out front, but as the ball moves north-south towards the basket, and eventually goes below the top of the key, you need to slide down with it. Second, the 28-foot mark is no more than 1-2 steps higher than the top of the key. Think about it, top of the key to the basket is 20, and there is probably 5 feet between the basket and endline. Dial that in!

C's also have a tendency to work very high. I see a lot of C's working in the T position, at the 28- foot mark. You need to start at the foul line, and perhaps work a step or two in either direction, when you need to get an angle. You should never be any higher than the top of the key, and never lower than a step below the foul line.

As the C, when the ball swings to your side, you may have to come up higher to get the angle on your match-up. And that's OK! Why? Because if you have a match-up in your primary as C, over 90% of the time the L should be rotating over. If you go higher, or "top-side" to take the ball match-up, you will wind up at the depth to be the new T anyway. However, remember that if the L does not rotate, and the ball match-up goes away, return to the foul line base position, otherwise you have created 2 T's, which is a no-no.

L is an interesting place. Guys on TV seem to work almost exclusively in Window 1 (edge of key) and Window 2 (halfway between edge of key and 3-point line). You also should be a step or two off the line. The T is there to support you on travels in the post, so you can be closer to the floor. The rule of thumb is, you should be able to see the front of the rim as the L.

Last positioning issue--taking your on-ball match-up. When the ball is in your primary, that is your focus. You have the ball and the defender. The other 2 guys can take the other 8 players. Aggressively take that match-up. Move closer to the match-up, move to keep the angle you need to see the play, and square your body to it so your partners know you have it. Lots of people take the match-up, but don't move a lot physically. Send the message to the partners and everyone else in the gym that when the match-up in your primary starts that you own it, and your focus and attention is nowhere else. It will help you do better, help your crew focus more on the off-ball players like they should be anyway, and the perception of what is going on with the crew.

So how does this help?

1. It will give you better angles on plays, especially if you move and stay physically active on match-ups in your primary.
2. It will reduce the number of long-distance calls you make, which helps with perceptions. Even when you're close, you don't want to be doing that very often.
3. It will force you to stay engaged on rebounds, not "cheat" back on shots. This is a very common "ding" when evaluators observe and rate/comment.

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Before and After the Game

5/6/2015

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Officials can wind up in trouble in any number of places during a game. Many problems happen during the course of play, but others can be prevented by applying common sense and principles of preventive officiating. The following preventive techniques might anticipate possible infractions and head them off before you have to take official action.

The first is something to be taken care of before you leave home: your uniform. Look like a referee when you arrive at the game site and you are more likely to be treated like one during the game. This means a clean and neat (not faded) uniform, a current association patch, and shoes shined. Carry a shoe brush in your bag to touch up the shine before the game or at halftime. First impressions are important; make sure yours is a good one.

The second area is your arrival at the game site. Do you screech into the parking lot, run into the gym and start the game? Or, do you arrive 20-30 minutes ahead if time, inspect the equipment, playing surface and players, brief your partner(s) and generally allow yourself to take your time and do things right? If you are hurried and hassled before the game, you cannot be in the proper frame of mind to do a good job officiating.

Another area is your visit to the coaches to introduce yourself. Keep it short and sweet without a lot of joking and camaraderie, regardless of how well you know the coach.

Remember, the other team is watching for evidence of prejudice - they are more than ready to convict you on the slightest pretext. If you approach everyone at the game site from a professional point of view, you can avoid a lot of grief.

With the captains together the meeting, some referees deliver a lecture on rules or what they will and will not allow. You are wasting your breath. Players are concentrating on getting psyched up for the game and may even resent the intrusion. At worst, you can paint yourself into a corner by prescribing certain penalties for particular offenses. In a given situation, you may not want to apply that penalty. If you pronounce your intentions ahead of time, someone will undoubtedly remind you of your earlier statement and ask why you changed your mind. Prevent the problem by giving the lecture to yourself while you are getting ready for the game and leave the players alone.

Try to do your equipment inspection while walking through the players during their warmup. Officials can keep a low profile rather than inject themselves into the game. If you had problems with a particular player in the past, ignore it. You’ll only open yourself to charges of bias if you refer to the problem in pregame meetings.

Once the game is over, leave. Don't hang around and lecture a player or talk to a coach. If you want to watch the game following yours, don’t go into the stands in uniform. Change your clothes and don't criticize the officials. Remember the golden rule as well as the code of ethics.

Those are a few topics for thought. The ideas are not infallible, but applied on a regular basis they should take some of the hassle out of your games. Remember the game is for the players, not for you. Officials have tremendous power that, used inappropriately, can destroy the game. lf you can remain in the background and prevent problems rather than react to happenings on the field, you will have not only done your job but done that job splendidly.

You will make mistakes. You must learn from your mistakes so you can prevent that particular problem in future games.

Comments

Calling the Post

5/1/2015

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When a game begins to unravel and get out of control one can usually find the cause in the undue roughness at the low post. A situation where only the strong survive should not prevail. Officials must get better control of this area and the first sign of deterioration jump in and clean it up. Do not let style of play dictate your officiating in the post area.

Pre-game discussion regarding the low post:

Do the teams play an inside oriented game?

What is the temperament for the low post players?

Will the defense play behind the low post player or attempt to front him?

Be aware of defensive support on the lob pass.

Be aware of the push-off by the offensive player in an effort to catch the lob pass.

The offensive player may not use the swim move to lower the arm of the defensive player.

Rooting the offensive player out of position with a knee in the backside should not be allowed.

Remember, the players should be allowed to play physically and with emotion. No coach wants the emotion and intensity taken out of the game by a whistle-blowing referee. To do so is an admission that you cannot cope with this level of competition. Do not start the game with the preconceived idea that you must get tough early. Allow the game to develop and see what transpires. So do not panic at the first sign of rough play. Often times a game will return to normal with good positive communication and a good solid foul.

PRINCIPLE OF VERTICALITY (POV)

When are we going to start getting it right? Principle of verticality has been a point of emphasis for more years than I can remember. The defensive player is definitely not getting full protection or benefit of the rule regarding legal position.

Basic Factors:

The defensive player is in legal defensive position when the player has two feet on the floor and is facing his opponent.

A defensive player is entitled to jump vertically from a legally established position on the floor and, in so doing, is entitled to occupy space within the vertical plane. The defensive player should not be penalized or placed at a disadvantage for leaving the floor while maintaining a legally established position. At best, it’s a “No Call” but certainly, in the overwhelming number of situations, not a foul by the defensive player.

The defensive player may raise his hands vertically while standing on the floor or jump vertically with arms extended vertically and be in a legal position.

The jump shooter or offensive player may not “Clear Out” or break the plane of the defensive and cause contact that is a foul. The foul in this case is on the offensive and not on the defense.

The defensive players may not “Belly Up” or use the lower part of the body by moving into the airborne player and thereby causing contact.

Regardless of how ugly the play may look, do not penalize the defensive player when the offensive player jumps into his arms. It is reasonable to expect the ball to come loose and the shooter to fall to the floor.

Some guidelines to officials in making the correct verticality call follow:

A defensive player’s arms may not be placed above the offensive player to prevent the player from assuming a normal standing position. If contact occurs at this point, the defensive player is responsible. The defense may not occupy the offensive player’s vertical space and cause contact.

If the defensive player’s arms are held vertically and are maintained in this position, no offensive player may cause contact even if the defensive player jumps vertically to a higher position.

When the shooter drives into the lane and the defensive player has a legal position before the shooter is airborne, the responsibility for contact is on the shooter if the defensive player rises vertically with arms extended upward to block the shot.

The responsibility for contact is on the dribbler when the dribbler drives the baseline and jumps obliquely (toward the free-throw line) in order to get a position that allows a shot at the basket, and makes contact with a defensive player who is maintaining a legal position with raised arms. The defensive player has right to any position legally established. The offense is given an unfair and unwarranted advantage when contact in the vertical plane above this legal position is charged to the defense, when by rule it is the responsibility of the offense. At best, it is a “No Call” but certainly not a call against the defense.

DEFINITIONS

Verticality

The basic components of the principals of verticality are:

a.       Legal guarding position must be established and obtained initially and movement thereafter must be legal.

b.      From such position, the defender may rise or jump vertically and occupy the space within his or her vertical plane.

c.       The hands and arms of the defender may be raised with his or her vertical plane while the defender is on the floor or in the air.

d.      The defender should not be penalized for leaving the floor vertically or having his or her hands and arms extended within the vertical plane.

e.      The offensive player, whether on the floor or airborne, may not “clear out” or cause contact that is not incidental.

f.        The defender may not “belly up” or use the lower part of the body or arms to cause contact outside his or her vertical plane.

g.       The player with the ball shall be given no more protection or consideration than the defender in the judging of which, if either player has violated.

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Before and After the Game

Calling the Post

Scott Johnson

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