[theboys]

I may be opening a huge can of verbal "whoop ***", but I hope none of you ever tell a coach literally to "shut up". I realize coaches (including me) deserve it, but like police officers, you are held to a higher standard. People aren't surprised when coaches "go off", but there are consequences to our actions.

Telling a coach to shut up, in my mind, is much more personal than giving the coach a T. If you're that fed up with the coach, ring him up.

Telling a coach to shut up is confrontational. Giving a T is doing your job.

I was told, loudly, one time, by a ref, "Why don't you shut up?" I did the only thing a self-respecting, egotistical person would do. I replied, "Why don't you?" I then gathered my stuff and left the bench - under orders from the referee, of course. Hey, I'm not saying I didn't deserve it. I'm just saying, the referee shouldn't lower him(her)self to that level. Tough, I know. Just ask a police officer.