Everyone talks about how experience makes officials better. They complain that they cannot move up because they get blocked by veterans, and veterans complain when a high potential guy passes them by very quickly after a relatively short period of time. While we all see officials who are no better at year 20 as they are at year 3, and we see the guys who have been promoted too quickly that stand out like a sore thumb, it is quite common for officials to know who is really, really good, and who is not. Experience is not the differentiator. What is? How quickly you can think, process, and act correctly when you are on the floor.
When officials are mentally quick, they can deal with situations before they mushroom into something bigger, and they can solve potential problems before many can get too excited. Example: I watched a game last year where there was a shot from the corner that was partially blocked, and went out of bounds behind the backboard. It was during a semi-fast break, and the officials were in transition. The T had nothing, and the L, who was not watching he shot from the corner, pointed the other way after a short, but very obvious delay. I'm in the stands waiting for the T or C to step in and state the ball was tipped, and to keep the ball there. They wound up having a conference, and after 10 seconds, stayed with the incorrect call. Someone who is quick and game aware would have jumped in right away, said it had to be tipped (or we missed a huge foul), so that we had to keep the ball here. But nobody did, and it hurt crew credibility. It was also a great learning experience for my friends.
Same example for me, which I am sure I blogged about before. I anticipated a shot clock violation, and hit the whistle a millisecond after the horn, only to see the ball graze the rim. I was able to charm my way out of a verbal tongue lashing, but I was wrong. If I was quicker and more aware, I would have gone inadvertent whistle. Here's the kicker--I learned from that, and probably went IW once a ear thereafter. I also was able to react and talk partners into it quickly a few other times a year. People close to me learned from it, and they implemented it. I never heard people talk about IW's before 2008-2009. I have heard a lot since from my friends.
Another great example. Long time ago, snowy night, OT game, partner has to drive 4 hours to get home. Road team is going to lose; we are in the foul foul foul mode where even desperation has left the building but they want to foul until the clock reads 0:00. Road player fouls out. While waiting for the sub by the road bench, the other refs allow a free throw to be shot, because they want to get on the road ASAP. Road coach goes ballistic. Greg Franz ballistic (he was the coach). He then decides to foul 4 more times and prolong the game, just to scream at us. He's more upset that he lost a tough upset bid on the road when he was up 15 in the second half, but we because the target of his transferred rage. He wanted the point taken off the board and to redo the free throw after the sub came in. The R did not manage it well, he basically ignored him. In the locker room, it was my fault for not communicating. U1 jumped the pile, and I just kept quiet. I read te book and talked to guys--you do not take the points off, you just move on. It is not a correctable error. So we were right, but did not explain that well, know the rule 100%, and did not handle that quickly. Two years later, I am with U1, and we have a foul out on a controversial call, so there was a lot going on. Getting ready for the free throw, I asked him 3 times whether the sub had come in, and he said yes three times. Free throw good, the the road coach starts screaming that we had to reshoot the FT because the sub had not come in. U1 starts to talk, and I immediately told him to go watch the players while I told road coach the deal. I told road coach that we messed up, the rule book says the point stays, we have you sub in now, and we play on. I also told him we had no excuse for not letting the sub in, and he could take it up with our assignor if he wanted to after the game. Moral: I learned from the first time. U1 obviously did not. U1 has been mediocre his entire 20 year career. It took me 3 years to pass him on the depth chart.
Taking your experience, and being able to smoothly implement them into your game is how experience makes you better. You cannot force it. It is your natural ability as an official. Some are very quick and can think on their feet. Others cannot. It cannot be taught. Either your experiences become innate and you improve from everything, or you get stuck. That's also why you can watch film until you eyeballs bleed, but if you cannot use it on the court, you are not helping yourself. Presence of mind and being quick is what separates the great officials from the laypeople. It's also why most great officials have a quick wit and get along with coaches well. They solve problems with it.
Experience doesn't mean squat if you don't learn from it. Being mentally quick is a lot more important than anyone talks about. It's what makes a lead official, no matter what the assignment says.
