Engaging Coaches Who Get T’d

I have worked with a couple D1 guys who told me that after a technical foul the only ref talking to the coach should be the one who called it. The other partners should stay away because after he gets a T, the coach has lost the privilege of talking to the crew.

I don't fully subscribe to that idea but it's frustrating when I whack a guy last year for waving off a partner after a foul call behind the partners back and then the same partner goes over and throws me under the bus to the coach. I found out a week or so after the game. Some guys are more concerned with what the coach thinks of them and how the coach will rate them rather than sticking up for their crew. I hope it was worth it to that guy cuz whenever people ask me what I think of him I tell them that story. His decision has given him so much bad publicity.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I have worked with a couple D1 guys who told me that after a technical foul the only ref talking to the coach should be the one who called it. The other partners should stay away because after he gets a T, the coach has lost the privilege of talking to the crew.

I don't fully subscribe to that idea but it's frustrating when I whack a guy last year for waving off a partner after a foul call behind the partners back and then the same partner goes over and throws me under the bus to the coach. I found out a week or so after the game. Some guys are more concerned with what the coach thinks of them and how the coach will rate them rather than sticking up for their crew. I hope it was worth it to that guy cuz whenever people ask me what I think of him I tell them that story. His decision has given him so much bad publicity.

And your story is the reason I do not want to talk to coaches after a T is given. Even if he did not throw you under the bus, the perception is that he might have based on what was said. And now you think the guy said something he should not have said. I just do not get why we want to be in that situation when I have done this long enough to know when coaches lie about the conversation. I do not ever want a partner to think I threw them under the bus or somehow got what the coach was saying. Walk away and live another day. They might be mad, but they cannot say I undermine my partner.

Peace

[SC Official]

I’m with JRut and AremRed on everything. Coaches are liars, and engaging with them gives them an opportunity to do just that, regardless of what is said in the conversation.

Originally Posted by Raymond

Only if you choose for it to be your perception. I've never once paid attention to what my partners say to a coach after I issue a T. Only care that coach gets seatbelted if HS game.

Surprised this is your take given that you’ve trained with NBA officials, where the philosophy is definitely to leave the coach alone.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by SC Official

I’m with JRut and AremRed on everything. Coaches are liars, and engaging with them gives them an opportunity to do just that, regardless of what is said in the conversation.


Surprised this is your take given that you’ve trained with NBA officials, where the philosophy is definitely to leave the coach alone.

I don't talk to coaches after my partner's give them a tech. But I also don't care or don't even look to see what my partner's are doing when I give a coach a Tech.

I'm good with the philosophy of not talking to coaches. I've even told a coach he lost his chance to talk to me because my partner had T'd him and he continued to be difficult.

But why should it bother me if my partners are talking to a coach after I Tech a coach? It has no effect on me or what I'm going to do for the rest of the game.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[VaTerp]

When working with less experienced partners I will sometimes pre-game that when we stick a coach, everyone should get away from him. If a coach asks to speak with you after we've issued him a direct T, "not right now, Coach."

I'd heard others advise this but didnt really subscribe to it until experiencing several different negative situations resulting from engaging coaches after our partners stick them.

The good cop/bad cop perception can be an issue. For partners and the other coach.

I've also seen 2nd Ts issued rather quickly when engaging a coach that IMO should have been left alone. One time in particular it looked really bad on tape because you have a T issued, then another official having a back and forth during the FTs that escalated and the coach is now tossed. Ultimately the coach's fault but the assigner said the crew should not have been engaging the coach at that time. Give him a second to cool off, then the 2nd T becomes obvious b/c the coach will be yelling at a distance not side by side.

I just don't see any upside to doing this while there is the potential for real negatives. There is no need to calm the coach down. That's what the T is for. If they can't calm themselves down then we can issue a 2nd.

HS coaches also know the seatbelt rule so there is no need to remind them at that moment.

If a coach's behavior has gotten to a point that we've issued a T then he's lost the privilege of not just the coaching box, but also the privilege of engaging the crew within reason.

So while a lot, perhaps even most, officials could handle a convo with a coach whose just been stuck again I just don't see the upside and have seen it go south in multiple ways.