Rough and tumble varsity boys game tonight. Under Minnesota guidelines we'd still be there with each team trying to finish with 2 eligible players
Opposing players go up for a rebound and the visiting team player fouls the home team player pretty hard. Nothing intentional or flagrant, just two kids playing hard and going for the ball, with one having better position.
Home player goes down pretty hard with a thud, and instinct has me getting in the middle rather than taking it right to the table. Partner (2-person, grrr) does the same.
And here comes the coach right towards the player.
Partner: What are you doing here?
Coach: (Deer in headlights look)
Partner: He's fine, go back to your box. (Personally, I would've asked the coach if he wanted to check on the player, but hindsight is always 20-20.)
Coach goes.
Opposing coach is not happy and wants a technical. It's a 20 point game early in the fourth quarter, and while I understand the coach's point, he's a bit too caught up in the moment, too.
Partner comes to me and says, "What do you think?"
My response: Well, he has three choices -- he can sub for the player, take a time out, or get the technical for coming out on the floor if he doesn't like the first two options.
He took the 30.
I don't know the coach's motivation, but I believe he *might* have been concerned about whether his player was injured, and that was good enough got me.
Other coach was happy since the coach didn't get to leave the box "for free."
It ended up something like 72-45. Actually was better than the score indicates.