One Ref Block, One Ref Charge

Getting ready for the 2010-2011 campaign, I am getting a real charge out of the brilliant people who debate long and hard on how to administrate what they term a "blarge". I will never, ever be part of a blarge. Ever. Anyone who is part of a blarge, in my opinion, has too big of an ego.

On a block/charge, the event occurs in somebody's primary. That is the person who should take that call, period.

High school and college have different "rules" for who takes drives to the basket. Decide who takes block/charges on drives to the basket in the pre-game. Follow the pre-game. It's that simple.

How do "blarges" happen? One way is that the pre-game doesn't cover it or the pre-game is forgotten. Another way is that someone tried to take and sell a call that is out of their primary. Either way, it is bad.

Either way, even if you both signal, you can get together and decide who is going to take it. If it is not your primary, admit your mistake and move on. All you do if you insist on calling both fouls is to make yourself and the crew look like megalomanical and territorial idiots. I had a play last year where my partner was trying to atone for a previous egregious error in judgment against one team, and he poached and sold the call on a drive in my primary, got it wrong, and I gave it up to prevent him and the crew further embarrassment. My response to the coach when questioned, "He took it, end of story." Think it lingered? No. Think a "blarge" call would have reflected well on me, when the film would have shown I was correct? No, I really don't.

Be patient with block/charge calls--you have plenty of time post-whistle to make, and even sell, the call if you have to. The crew is better if you can put up the fist on a double-whistle, and then put it back down and/or nod assent to your partner if you have to. If you give a preliminary signal, it's OK to say, "Hey, I kind of guessed, it's his primary and he has it." We have conferences all the time to "get it right". Use that tool and this philosophy to avoid the "blarge" at all costs.