[icallfouls]

Originally Posted by fiasco

LOL...you can't win for losing on this board.

I love all the knee-jerk assumption judgment that goes on in a lot of threads, like has gone on in this one, with certain people looking for some nit to pick to make the thread controversial or interesting.

Had I posted in my scenario that I didn't go over and give the coach the seatbelt, then he came flying off the bench and screamed at my partner and we had to toss him, then it would have been my fault for not properly communicating with the coach that he had lost his coaching box privileges. You can't win, no matter what you do!

Fact is, coaches in my area really don't know these kinds of rules, as some have assumed. I mean, in the same quarter, we had coaches for both sides complaining that why were we administering the common foul shots first and not administering the FTs for the Ts first. "You're thinking of college." I said to both of them. "In HS, fouls are administered in the order in which they occurred." More blank stares. That's just the way it is in my area. Coaches can't be bothered to learn the nuances of the rules like this. Which is fine. But then it falls upon the officials to do a bit of educating during the game. (Especially when the coach has already been T'd up and is standing at the edge of his coaching box not moving)

So do you think these bozos know anything about a coaching box? No. I had to inform the assistant coach of the offending team (after the HC had been tossed) that he didn't have a coaching box either and he had zero clue what I was talking about. So you're telling me that I should let him just do whatever he wants, let him stand and use the coaching box, then go over to him later and tell him to have a seat once he's already used the coaching box? No thanks, that approach only leads to more agitation.

My approach is to politely and professionally educate when the situation warrants. If the coach wants to flip out on me, that's on him and I'm not losing any sleep over it. Like I said, easy T. I'd rather T up a coach while I'm telling him he's got a seatbelt than have to T him later for using the coaching box that he's lost because I didn't communicate properly with him.

I guess I just don't believe in pussy footing around coaches just to avoid technical fouls. Does that mean I intentionally insert myself in situations in order to call technical fouls? No, I'm over that "bravado" phase and have moved to a point in my career where a "T" truly is like any other foul to me.

And I know what it means to have my partner's back, which is what I did. I communicated with him after his T that I was going over to give coach the seatbelt, so my partner didn't think I was going to give him a shoulder to cry on (in fact, I pregame this with all my partners). And I didn't stand there nodding my head to the coach and having the kind of body language that shows sympathy. This isn't my first rodeo.

The only question I had was whether or not, in that situation, it warrants a 3rd T for a coach who wants to continue jawing at you. I appreciate those of you who responded to my actual question.

You have assumed that this particular coach doesn't know the rule upon receiving a TF. It is not your job to educate. Coaches are supposed to have some sort of rules knowledge. It helps them when they cry for 3 seconds, traveling and all the other stuff they ask for. If you are going to educate during the game it is going to be a long night for everyone. Coaches know. My 5th graders coach knows. They have seen and they have heard about it from other coaches, fans, athletic directors, and others.

The point was that you are not required to tell a coach they no longer have use of the coaches box. You took upon yourself to interject yourself into partners crap. Let them live with it. You can always inform the coach after the FT's, the subsequent inbound play, or at some other point in the game. If you think it is your job to educate and inform them of their new conditions you also needed to state that there are still times when they can get up: to request TO's, spontaneously react to a good play, replace a DQ'd player, etc. Now that would have been some educating.

Do the coach, the game and your partner a favor by staying away from the coach for a few moments. Delaying these instructions does not harm the game, your credibility, or your crew. It looks like you are over there to dump more crap on the coach (who already thought the TF was BS) under the guise of backing up your partner. If my partner calls a weak, mysterious TF, I will back them up. I won't go there to tell the coach they lost the privilege only to hear them chirp something else. Instead of moving on, you became the highlight of the night. Congrats on the fiasco and being the talk of the local watering hole.

As far as a 3rd TF, please indicate what rule there is for issuing a 3rd Direct TF to the coach. Guess someone else needs some education.