Great Post By The Play Caller

[jv001]

I would agree. However, you're changing the topic of this sub-thread. The original premise of this sub-thread isn't ignorance of some game situation, but the idea that refs try to not let other teams get too embarrassed from high score differentials. And if you read me post you will notice that at no time did I pose the situation as "I don't really know what happened ...". You're point has nothing to do with either the topic of this sub-thread or my post.

The refs are paid to referee the game and make each call the correct way. Not to have in the back of their mind who is behind on the score board. If they don't want to be embarrassed, recruit better and practice harder. Go Duke!

[hughgs]

I read your original post and this follow-up comment to mean that you think it's a good idea for officials to help teams out with a call or two that they did not earn so they can keep a score close.

You should read my post more carefully. When you do you will notice that I gave a specific score example. And that score could in no way be construed to imply that it was a close game.

So, once again, while I agree with your general point that officials should not be making calls to keep a game close, that point is not in keeping with either the example cited at the start of this sub-thread or with my example.

[hughgs]

The refs are paid to referee the game and make each call the correct way. Not to have in the back of their mind who is behind on the score board. If they don't want to be embarrassed, recruit better and practice harder. Go Duke!

You're obviously talking about NCAA refs. I can't comment on those referees, but most of the referees in the competitive volleyball leagues that I referred to above are not payed and players aren't recruited as much as friends are asked to play on teams.

As a side note, the idea that referees are there to make the correct call was brought up in a conversation with my father sometime before Xmas. My father is/was an international grade judo referee who was tagged to referee in the Moscow Olympics so his credentials are impeccable.

Anyway we were talking after dinner and somehow the subject got on referee clinics, of which he has delivered quite a number. He asked me what I thought was the job of the referee and I replied with your answer, make correct calls, etc. Standard stuff.

Anyway, he said (in his inimitable fashion) "Wrong". Silence. More silence. "OK, dad, what is the referee's job". The refs job, according to my dad, is to use the correct process to make the call. In judo almost all calls are subjective; points, penalties, etc. So there is no way to actually know if someone if making the correct call. But, there's a process set up to help make those subjective calls.

I think that Playmaker alludes to this in a lot of his analysis of basketball games when he talks about positioning and such. Obviously the analogy is imperfect since there are more objective calls in basketball, but the ones that everyone argues about are always subjective and we should keep in mind that there is no "correct call" as much as there is a "correct process" to make the call.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

I didn't get to finish play caller's post. (too busy putting Christmas together.) Now I can't find it. Will somebody point me in the right direction on the board?
Bless your heart. Love, Ima

[calltheobvious]

http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/articles/?p=26360

Here you go.