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With coaches, I've found that what works best for me is a lot of "OKs" and "Yes sirs/maams" to general comments and questions. As a trial lawyer with a solid background in argumentation and debate, I can say with certainty there are few coaches that are going to win any argument with me. But that doesn't mean I want to engage them. In fact, I do my best to keep from arguing, saying specifically many times, "coach, I'm not going to argue with you."
The hardest situations to deal with are the situations where I'm trying to be cooperative and explain what I had and the coach doesn't really want to hear it. At that point, you have to tactfully say something like, "OK, coach, that's what we had; let's play ball."
On rare occassions, I will get on a coach for doing something he really shouldn't be. In ATX's example of "when are you going to start," I'd respond something like, "now, coach, you know that comment wasn't helpful and was really uncalled for." I may or may not give a T; depends on where I think the game is, under control wise.
Guys, you have to understand: when people get into their thinking/acting from pure emotion mode, they want a confrontation. If you give it to them, then you are satisfying them and throwing gas on a fire. My advice is to talk as little as you can get away with while still being respectful and not ignoring them. If a coach goes comletely insane, then, in addition to enforcing whatever rule infractions they have committed, its time at that point to ignoring them.
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