Would you address this?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BDevil15

Player on opposing team is in foul trouble all game long. Picks up his 4th on a questionable call in the 3rd quarter. He had his hands up and my player lowered his shoulder a bit and hit him below the chest, defenders arms came down and he got called for his 4th. He of course stands there looking back and forth between the officials and his coach with his hand straight up in the basketball international symbol for "But.... I was straight up". Anyways, as he lines up for the first free throw his arms are still straight up. As he leaves upon being subbed he is still holding his hands straight up. As he sits on the bench for 10 minutes he is sitting there with his hands straight up. As he checks in in the 4th quarter he goes to the table with his hands still raised, he continues to play standing with his hands straight up with the exception of the two times he caught the ball on offense. During a time out, hands still above his head. With about two minutes in the game he finally fouls out even though he has made it clear by this point that he has been in LGP for a good 25 minutes by having his hands straight up(yes that is sarcasm). He then stands in the same pose, takes as long as possible to leave the court, finally walks off the baseline and around the outside of the court through my bench area and finally to his bench where he continued to sit with his arms raised until the game concluded.

The officials did a great job of ignoring him the entire time, but I am wondering if anyone here would have addressed it, either through the coach or directly at some point? I found it incredibly disrespectful and that the kid was showing up the officials in a really unacceptable way. Curious what you feel. I wouldn't allow my players to behave this way but maybe I am just sensitive to this for some reason. Curious if you guys would address it or just let the child act like a child. Boys Varsity by the way.

I would have "whacked" him at some point during the time period described in red.

That said, there was a time up to the early 1970s, a player (H.S. and college) had to raise one hand straight up over his/her head after being charged with a PF so has to make it easier for the Scorer to identify who committed the PF. When that requirement was eliminated it became a TF for a few years for a player, after being charged with a PF, to raise his/her arm over his/her head to show displeasure with the official's call.

What still amazes me is that even today, that on occasion I will have a player raise his arm straight up after being called for a PF, not to show displeasure with the call but to let everybody know that he committed the PF.

So ends tonight's history lesson.

MTD, Sr.