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"It's our job to make sure the game goes fair -- if i ask a player several times to do something and he doesnt and I dont do anything about it then I have NO control of the game -- if a coach or captain doesnt step in to fix the situation then I HAVE to."
Our job is to administer the rules of the game, use common sense officiating (part of the college rule book). Fair? No. Being fair would require that for every team with a 6'10" athletic player, the other team should get one too, that a foul at one end is followed by another at the oppostite end so that its 'fair.' The officials control the game whether you believe it or not. We decide how the bigs will play, or what the guards can and cannot do. Coaches and players make adjustments based on your calls.
"If a coach or AD calls my assignor for this after I gave his player ample opportunity to fix the situation I am not in the wrong. Coaches and players need to learn that there is a line between playing basketball and being a jackass -- 1 of those I do not tolerate."
The reality of the matter is that the schools have input as to who works for them. In my neck of the woods, coaches can black ball officials, in areas where officials have to develop their own game schedules coaches will hire or fire you based on how they like the way you call a game and your game management skills. Look at some of the responsibilities that have been added to our duties, even this year. Example, that we have to deal with unruly fans through the site management. We have to further inforce bench decorum during timeouts. Look at the college game, those coaches have more power than almost every official because of the $$$$ that are on the line. In alot of cases the reason rules changes and POE are developed is because of specific concerns by coaches. I forget the game, but two years ago, a referee during the ACC tournament T'd up NC State for not coming out of timeout according to rule. He subsequently was sent home from the tournament.
"And also how was I not being "preventative" I offered Team A player the option to chose a spot 3 times -- It's not my fault that he doesn't understand english or chose to push the limits. To many officials "ask" players and coaches to many times to do something -- if i ask a player to stop hand checking once maybe twice and he doesn't adjust hes going to get called for a foul. If i ask a coach to move on after a close call and he keeps on it i offer him one last chance to let it go -- then i help him let it go.
short of my doing a dance to get this player to stay in a spot on the free throw lane -- he was up for a T. And it didn't hurt that half his team came up to me after the game to say it was a good T and he was being a jackass."
If it takes you 3 times on the first shot and then proceeds this routine prior to the second, then the players already don't respect you and you have lost control (of this moment). Players and coaches don't want referees to decide the outcome of games on T's that are less than obvious.
"So far in my six years (4 for high school) i have only given out maybe 5or6 t's in a high school game. Usually for coaches who wont let some subjects die, players who think it necessary to curse at themselves when the mess up so loud that the whole gym hears it and players that just cross the boundary with other players. Unlike some officials I have worked with i have my line in the sand and teams and coaches know where it is -- Im not afraid to penalize someone for crossing it."
If a player moving back and forth from lane line to lane line is your 'line in the sand' thats fine, but don't expect to be commended or rewarded for it. State tournament games are not handed out for this type of line in the sand mentality. There are plenty of other ways to deal with a player you are having difficulty reaching. In the context of your situation,the T was an abuse of power.
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