Hi all!
I worked four games on a 7th grade-only tournament this week-end. I would never have thought I would've given 3 technical fouls during these games!
I gave the first T yesterday. Team A was losing 64-12 (no typo here...), 4th quarter. Team A was settled in attacking zone; 30 seconds violation. The boy from team A who had the ball at the moment I called the violation slams the ball to the ground (ok, a 13-year-old slam, but still a slam), swearing silently. Whack. As you can imagine, it had no visible effect on the turn-out of the game...
I gave two other Ts in the same game this morning (new record...). I didn't realize it at that moment but one of the teams that were playing (let's say team A) was the one I gave the first T against yesterday! 1st quarter, 3 or 4 minutes to play. Team B's coach was giving us a hard time. He talked to us but it was nothing but "What's that!?" or "He was standing straight!", etc. I called a foul against team B on the shooter (2 FTs) and as I went to report the foul at the table he started protesting. I just could'nt ignore him since I was table side. The assistant coach was next to him "talking" to me, too, but I wasn't paying attention to him at that time. Then it was my turn, I counter-attacked
. I said to him authoritatively: "Coach, I don't want to hear you for the rest of the game". Then I realized there was absolutely no noise in the gym except for the buzz of the lights. Everyone were listening closely to each word I threw to the annoying coach. "If you have something pertinent to say or pertinent questions to ask us, we'll be happy to listen to you and discuss. If not, I don't want to hear you for the remainder of the game." Then I don't remember clearly what he said but it was in the range of "It's all about your reffing" or something like that. Forming my hands into a "T", I told him "We'll end this conversation here." I turn to the table, report the foul, and go to the opposite side. While I was doing this, the coach told me that I didn't whistle before calling the T... It was true, but BTW, do we absolutely have to whistle when shooting a T? Anyway, 4 FTs for team A and ball possession.
2nd quarter. Timeout. My partner stands ready for inbound on team A's baseline. The 50-seconds buzzer sounds. Team B's coach (yep, this one) tells my partner he wants to talk to him. Of course, my partner says no, because he sees the teams are getting ready to return on the court. So this is where the fun begins. The coach walks toward my partner and he is now practically under the basket! My partner tells him to back off. He replies "You're avoiding me!" I'm at mid court and I see this. I yell to the coach, again quite authoritatively : "Coach, return to your coaching box!". He replies that he is talking to my partner. I respond : "This is not the time! Return to your coaching box now!" He does so. The teams are walking from the bench toward the inbound area. I then see the assisstant coach, standing next to the table, trying to talk to me. I immediately tell him authoritatively (
) to sit down. He doesn't move. "Sit down now!". He keeps staring at me and puts his arms on his hips (you know, the "block" signal
), contesting me. How arrogant! WHACK! There you go. Now I hear a fan yelling "It's a basketball game, not a referee game!" (I laugh inside myself).
At halftime, team B's coach asked us for a conversation. We agreed. We had a nice one, actually. To make a long story short, we told ourselves that none of us three was there to piss anyone off. The second half unfolded almost like a fairytale. No problem with any coach (except for some "Could you watch for #22, he pushes on rebounds" or "Watch for the parking in the key", but I don't consider this as problems). Team A (you know, those who lost 68-14 or so yesterday) were losing by approx. 6 points and finally won the game 38-36. They won thanks to the nice gift of 4 free throws the opposing team staff offered them. God, do I like when this happens, when I actually
teach something to the coach
.
Damn, that's a novel I've just written! Hope it wasn't boring!
So, what do you think of all that? Did I do something wrong? Thank you guys a lot. I've learned much since I've joined this forum.
Oh! One more thing. The referee I worked with on the previous game I did this morning said he gave a T to the coach (yep! still this one) yesterday! So this weekend his team has an average of 1 technical foul per game!