Interpreter's Corner

If you have a situation you need clarified, please email it to Ernie or Timmy

Note from Tim McAleer on the 2005 refresher test:

Question #73 on the refresher dealt with a player missing the bus for a game and the coach putting his name in the book even though he was not there.  The answer was that you could not put his name in the book and the rule used was Rule 3 Section 2 ART 1 and Rule 4 Sec 34 Art 4.  Basically the rule states that starters and team members must be in the book 10 min before the start of the game. Team members are defined as bench personnel in uniform and are ready to play.  Any one that has taken the class for the last 10 years should remember me saying  that this guy that writes the test is a moron.  However one of the interpreters wrote him about this question and here was his answer.
 
By rule it is not legal and the question has to be answered by rule.  However we as officials have always told the coach to put names in the book so if a player gets to a game late we would not have to assess a technical foul.  The rules committee can make any rule they want but we as officials have to administer them using common sense.  Common sense prevails in this situation.  Put the name in the book as we have always done.  No one will have a problem with it.  Keep in mind that it can be backed up with the technical infraction rule which states that the official should forestall or overlook technical infractions which are obviously unintentional and have no affect on the game.

 

New note 1/10/06 from Timmy:

One of our officials asked about the rule regarding flopping to try to draw the offensive foul. He said that an assistant coach at one of the CHSAA schools told him that he knew for a fact that when a player flops trying to draw an offensive foul that it is a technical foul. 
Answer:1) Tell the coach he got one right on the test if they ask that question, which they never do.
2) By Rule 10,Sec 3,Art 7F you could call a technical for faking a foul.
3) In thousands of games that I have officiated or watched in my career I never saw it called.
How to handle this situation:
1)Tell the flooper that if he continues to fake the offensive foul you will call a "T"- make no call.
2) Best solution is to call a block on the flopper if there is any contact at all as he is not playing legal defense.