[bgtg19]

Grant Wahl wrote a column entitled "The Magic Eight" on SI.com's website. The part of that column in which I thought officials would be most interested is the part in which Wahl and Jay Bilas answer the question (posed, apparently, by Bilas): "If you were crowned Omnipotent King of All Basketball, . . . what changes would you make in the game and why?"

Bilas provided nine suggested changes; the eighth was: "[I] would pronounce no coach shall be allowed to shout at or otherwise harass an official during the course of the game. 'Working officials' in a manner that causes the veins on a coach's neck to bulge is wholly ineffective, and therefore, unnecessary. Nobody wants to get it right more than the officials. Coaches shall coach their teams. Period. If coaches wish to holler fanatically, they shall be directed into broadcasting. Or sports writing."

Amen.