[Mregor]

I personally only deal with head coaches. I have very little tolerance of assistants. What I have found to work for me is to acknowledge them. Most of the time they just want to know that you are listening. Be courteous with them as long as they are curteous with you. They've got a job to do just like you and if you ignore them, they'll keep on until they feel they have made their point. If a coach doesn't like a particular call and wants to talk about it, I'll let them talk all they want. Then I'll ask them what they saw. If they saw something different, I'll tell them what I saw. If we still can't work it out, I'll end it with, "If it happened the way you say it did, then I kicked it." What's a coach going to say to that? Of course, if you say that every time, the coach will probably have a problem with that. I have found that I normally don't have more than one conversation a game. This of couse is only one person's opinion. Don't ever get in an arguing match with a coach, even if you feel you are absolutely right. It will not help the situation. I guess the old addage, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" probably fits this situation.

Mregor

With that said, my absolute favorite line to an assistant coach is, "I have to take that from Batman, but I'm sure as hell not taking it from Robin. Sit down please." That one will get some smiles from the crowd and probably the head coach as well.