Quote:
Originally posted by zebraman
I don't get off on giving T's, nor do I mind giving out a deserved one. They are just a tool for us to use to control a game if required.
I highly doubt that the AAU coach of a 14-year old team intended to get a T to fire up his team. However, it makes for a better-sounding quote than, "we were getting outplayed and outcoached. Rather than trying positive methods, I took my frustration out on the officials because I didn't want to accept responsibility."
Z
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I agree. When I walk in to do a game there are two things that I remind myself of:
The first is a piece of advice from someone with much more experience than I - "remember that you and your partner are in all probability the only two people in the gym that are completely impartial and have no vested interest in the outcome of the game".
The second is that an important part of my job as an official is to act as the voice of reason in an otherwise chaotic world. Be above the chaos, keep your cool, don't react emotionally.
As Z-MAN said, T's are simply another tool that we have at our disposal to deal with conduct that crosses the line. I neither relish nor regret assessing a T when it is deserved - it's simply part of the job we undertake.