Originally Posted by BadNewsRef (Post 975670)

The call could have been 100% correct and still evoked the same reaction.

Coaches' opinions of plays are quite often wrong.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust (Post 975681)

It certainly could, but we'll never know.

I've never said anything that suggests the coach has an excuse for behaving as he did. He should be charged with crime for his actions.

Either way, that doesn't erase the face that the call that led to it was also wrong. And most of what we work on and discuss here is getting the calls right. It can' t hurt to discuss that too and discuss the potential consequences of getting calls wrong.

Originally Posted by Adam (Post 975671)

If he'd had karate training, he would have known that.

On the other hand, the coach did have to move to hit him. He moved quite a distance, actually, pretty quickly.

Originally Posted by Eastshire (Post 975690)

Right. That's my point. That's the takeaway. When someone's moving towards you aggressively, stop. Move away. Quickly, if necessary.

That didn't happen here.

Originally Posted by JRutledge (Post 975685)

I have not seen an angle that I am satisfied with the correctness of the call. All I have seen is an angle from the other side of the court and not the angle of the calling official.

Originally Posted by Dad (Post 975691)

This is a bit ridiculous.

Officials are not certified ninjas.

Originally Posted by Smitty (Post 975692)

I'm glad you said this - I never thought this play was as clear cut and obvious as some people have stated, but I really didn't want to open that can of worms myself.

Originally Posted by Eastshire (Post 975690)

Right. That's my point. That's the takeaway. When someone's moving towards you aggressively, stop. Move away. Quickly, if necessary.

That didn't happen here.

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef (Post 975694)

I too didn't see that it was an "obvious" block because we only have one camera angle and it wasn't the point of the thread. But does anybody really think that would make a difference? I'm skeptical.

Originally Posted by Adam (Post 975695)

Frankly, he didn't have time. Your advice here would have to be applied virtually in every single close game where a coach might have a call go against him. Most of will work 20+ years, calling hundreds of technical fouls on emotional coaches and never have a single coach even consider this sort of assault.

You're talking about self-defense and situational awareness stuff that most will never need. It's good advice, but it would prevent us from getting close to a coach for a quiet discussion.

Had this official done something to escalate the situation, I could see addressing that.

Originally Posted by Adam (Post 975617)

I'm all for discussing plays and seeing what we as a group could have done differently in most situations. However, once a coach assaults (or batters) an official in the course of a game, I'm no longer interested in reviewing any actions of that official in that game. Unless he physically threatened the coach, the only discussion is whether or not the charges will be upgraded to a felony.

Someone noted that it seems he's not filing charges. If that's the case, it is my only critique of the official.

If he "embellished" or fell "too easily," I don't give a crap. We aren't required to stay in the line of fire and "take it like a man".

I'd be shocked if this was the first incident where this guy lost his temper, and I'm guessing he knew as soon as he turned around that his career was over and that he may well have to call his lawyer.

Originally Posted by Smitty (Post 975698)

Piling on to that answer, I do believe that the T was coming in to be a barrier between the coach and the L. Which is something I might have done under the same situation. And is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. If he hadn't, then the coach may have had a clear path to the L, who had his back to the coach at that point and may have received a head-butt to the back of his head, which may have been a much worse outcome. I don't think it's realistic that I, as a ref, should ever have to be concerned with my proximity to a coach. If that day comes, it will probably be time to hang it up. We don't get paid enough for that. The only time I have ever worried about being near anyone is after a fight has already broken out - I'm looking to be several feet away from anyone. But that's an entirely different situation.

Originally Posted by Eastshire (Post 975701)

That day is here or we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Originally Posted by Smitty (Post 975692)

I'm glad you said this - I never thought this play was as clear cut and obvious as some people have stated, but I really didn't want to open that can of worms myself.

Originally Posted by JRutledge (Post 975703)

For all we know, that might have been the young guy that called the foul and the veteran (Who was said to be the R in this game) came to help him out so that the coach would behave.

Peace