Wasting a Howler Monkey's time . . .

[Pantherdreams]

Let me preface all this by saying I'm still taking the year off from officiating but plan to come to back to the game. So I will comment on things I see as I watch games that make me think.

Secondly I'm not criticizing anything I saw officials do it just made me think about the situation in general.

Thirdly I continue to be of the belief that if you can get upset about something that's happening in a middle school basketball game you are in desperate need of a life.

Specific situation. I'm in the stands watching a middle school game. Two officials (is there even such thing as a 3 man middle school game). Late in 2nd quarter. There are some clock or timer issues and the game loses some flow coming down the stretch. After an in bounds play by team A they try to run a play that gets broken up. There is a mad scramble ball ends up out of bounds and team b ends getting the ball on an out of bounds under team A's basket. 7 Seconds left in the 2nd quarter team B down a couple hoops. Calls timeout.

Timeout goes on. Officials are over confering with the table. No idea what the conversation is about. Presumably about the clock issues coming down the stretch this half. Teams come out of time out and set up. Officials get clock set to 3 seconds and inform both coaches that there are only 3 seconds left in the half.Coach B slips off his cracker and starts to lose his mind. "If i'ld known we'd only have 3 seconds I would have had a totally different timeout . . . you can't do that after the timeout is done . . . you just wasted one of my f^&*ing timeouts . . . etc etc". As it ends up coach gets a couple of techs and hits the showers. Rest of half and game proceed uneventfully. Team B ends up losing by like 15.

So here is my thought. If you are going to make a change based on information from your partner and a team has called a timeout, at what point or any point do you let coaches know what is up or that something is in question. Adjusting the time? If there is a problem with possession arrow or who should be recieving the ball? How much time they may or may not have on game clock, shot clock, back court etc?

I don't think anyone did anything wrong and coach was way out of line BUT in a more significant varsity situation, would you (or how long would you) let a team spend in a timeout while working out information that will have a direct impact on what is said or done tactically in the timeout? Or should we care at all? Just make sure we get the call right by the time play resumes?

[Matt S.]

They shouldn't have granted the timeout until they had the clock squared away. While there's no excuse for the coach to go ballistic, he/she has a valid point. If anything, they should have allowed the team to re-huddle so coach could draw up a new play. Good learning experience for what I imagine are 'younger' officials.

[JetMetFan]

Ditto Matt's comment. If you know there's a clock issue, don't grant the timeout until it's dealt with. Both teams will have a chance to huddle while the officials confer with the table so the team granted the throw-in might not even bother to take the timeout once all is said and done. Once the ball goes OOB just tell the coaches you need to deal with a timing issue. No need to keep it a secret.

[BDevil15]

I continue to be of the belief that if you can get upset about something that's happening in a middle school basketball game you are in desperate need of a life.

I can't condone what you say happened but it really rubs me wrong when people dismiss middle school basketball games like they are rec league. Coaches/Players at that level often put just as much time, money, thought, effort and passion into coaching/playing at that level as any other.

Do I think who wins a middle school game is important? Not really, but to insinuate that people don't have a life because they want to work with Middle schoolers is just absurd.

[BatteryPowered]

Two possible scenarios as I see it with just a little thought...

1) Time out was granted and during the TO the table made the officials aware of an issue that they addressed. In this case, I would inform the coaches of the adjustment to the clock and restart the TO. If either coach complains I would explain that when the crew was informed that issue took precedence. Had we been informed prior to the request it would not have been granted until the issue was resolved.

2) Time out was granted and the crew went to the table to address a timing issue. Crew, in my opinion, kicked this as they should have kept the players on the court until the issue was resolved and then granted the TO.

I agree the coach had a legit complaint...and that he needs to learn how to manage his frustration and understand that being right is not always the best possible outcome.