bigfoot10... This is a forum for discussion. There is no reason to get all jacked up about it. If you don't like my points then refute them with your own points. All I am doing is giving an opionion.
I have watched college tennis for 15 seasons and have seen close to 350 dual matches. And while that doesnt qualify me as an expert, I have stayed at the Holiday inn Express before..

I actually have very little problem with officials who are prepared and come to the courts with a balanced approach to doing the job. Officials make mistakes just like players and coaches do. I think the key is to sharpen your focus particularly at key times in the match. Specifically when the score gets tight or when the match is on the line. If there are going to be honesty problems they will likely happen at that time of the contest.

I also agree as to how difficult it is for someone in the stands to see the ball clearly. At Penick/Allison the stands are higher than at some venues and the elevation causes a depth preception when watching accross the net at the far side. The far baseline and service line often have balls hit close to them and there is no way to tell in or out by someone in the stands due to the elevation. On the near side closest to the stands the service line is almost as difficult due to the depth. The only line seen clearly is the baseline. It is easy to see. If you are going to hook someone the baseline closest to the stands is not where to try it if you want to get one by the fans. However, I have yet to see an official this season overrule a player who called a ball out that landed there reguardless if it was on,near or inside the line. Obviously, the sidelines are much easier to see the ball due to the line of sight down the stripes.

I spoke with a local official the other night about this and he said that they are trying to work out a system to get officials who finish their matches to assist on courts that are still going. If a match is 3 all you could have all 6 officials on court to see that integrity is maintained. Seems like a good idea. It would cut down on cheating.

One other final note. Players know that the umpire in the chair will be reluctant to overrule an out call on the far sidelines. It boils down to this. If you are fair and honest you don't hook . If your not than you will. It is up to the umpire to know the difference.

Rikochet-

I understand that this is a discussion forum, and you could heed your own advice, and listen to my opinion as well.

I do not agree if they decide to pull all 6 officials on one court at the end of a dual match. I believe that that isnt fair to all of the players. There is already a rule in effect to cut down on cheating...when you get your second overrule, you get a point penalty. I believe it escalates from there.

Part of the beauty of organized sports is that there is some human error. I assure you that for every bad call, or hook as you might call it, there are probably 4-5 other calls that were missed, that were maybe out, that were not called. it all evens out.

bigfoot10s...

I think we have common ground here. I agree with you concerning the fact that over the entirity of a match poor calls will even out. Where we split is on the issue of integrity by the player who decides to hook when the match gets tight.

You believe the system is in place already to deal with it and you are right, it is. However, my concern is that there are way to many occasions when the official is either unwilling or unprepared to make a tough call when it is presented. Kind of like a basketball official not making the obvious foul call with seconds on the clock just because they dont want to cause anyone to lose by their call. I believe , what difference does it make? If a player calls it out and its in I dont care if its match point. Make the the call!!!! Whether the player wears orange or maroon I dont care. My orange shaded glasses will not allow duplicity.

Over the past 15 seasons I have only seen an official freeze up three times that actually caused a team to lose a match. One was this season when I observed a player call a ball out on Team Match point. The call was so blatent that I was shocked the official in the chair failed to overrule. In fact, the on court camera with wide angle restrictions revealed the ball to be about 6 inches inside the baseline.

I usually take the attitude that cheaters never win and winners never cheat. I may have to rethink that. It seems all too often recently that cheaters are winning all too often.

By the way, where did you play your college tennis?

[This message has been edited by rikochet (edited 4/21/2007 1:39a).]