The effect of a technical foul on a coach

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Rich

I am an assigner (23 boys and 22 girls varsity programs) and a regular clinician as well as an official.

(1) I wish officials (in general) called more technical fouls, not fewer. This year I'd like to see a warning in the book for each technical that fits the "persistent" category of the three Ps, though.

(2) When an official complains about a coach's behavior in one of my sportsmanship surveys or through an email, I ask when the T was assessed. If you don't whack him, then you have nothing to bitch about.

(3) When I get a report from an official, I thank him/her for the report. When I get a complaint from a coach that he/she got whacked, I ask for video. I want to see why a coach "didn't deserve it."

In 4 years of assigning HS varsity officials -- over 1000 games -- there is only 1 technical so far that I thought was unwarranted, and it was a second direct technical on a coach where I wasn't surprised it was who it was.

And you’re one of the many good assigners when it comes to this aspect of the position. I would say that most assigners are like you on this, but sadly there are some that are not.

And I’m 100% with you on officials that bitch about a coach’s behavior yet did nothing about it during the game. Of course, this isn’t helped by states that rely on coaches’ input for postseason assignments.

Sometimes I think people use “game management” as a cop-out for “not taking care of business.” I also think that a lot of officials that boast about never giving Ts aren’t as great of “game managers” as they purport–they just let coaches get away with more than they should.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

... people use “game management” as a cop-out for “not taking care of business.” I also think that a lot of officials that boast about never giving Ts aren’t as great of “game managers” as they purport–they just let coaches get away with more than they should.

Isn't "taking care of business" part of "game managment"? They are not mutually exclusive.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Isn't "taking care of business" part of "game managment"? They are not mutually exclusive.

No they’re not mutually exclusive; my point was that those kinds of officials think technical fouls are an indication of bad game management.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by SC Official

No they’re not mutually exclusive; my point was that those kinds of officials think technical fouls are an indication of bad game management.

We have an old guy who used to be good decades ago who still brags that he hasn't given out a technical in YEARS.

As the person running those meetings, I quickly replied that I expect the officials I hire (and he's not one of them) to penalize poor sportsmanship and moved on.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Rich

We have an old guy who used to be good decades ago who still brags that he hasn't given out a technical in YEARS.

As the person running those meetings, I quickly replied that I expect the officials I hire (and he's not one of them) to penalize poor sportsmanship and moved on.

Where I live we get a certain number of partner and school scratches, and I’d be willing to bet he’d be on my list.

He’s probably one of those guys that goes over and laughs with the coach that his partner just whacked.

Which reminds me of another pet peeve of mine.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by SC Official

Where I live we get a certain number of partner and school scratches, and I’d be willing to bet he’d be on my list.



He’s probably one of those guys that goes over and laughs with the coach that his partner just whacked.



Which reminds me of another pet peeve of mine.

I don't maintain a school blacklist. I won't. I consider it an unethical practice.


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[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

Where I live we get a certain number of ... school scratches ...

Originally Posted by Rich

I don't maintain a school blacklist. I won't. I consider it an unethical practice.

I'm sure that you would still allow school "scratches" for "conflicts of interest". I would never want to officiate at my daughter's school while was playing basketball. That would certainly be a lose lose situation.

Knowing that I was a basketball official, I was once asked by the athletic director (a friend of mine) at my daughter's school to umpire a junior varsity softball (I'm not a softball umpire) game when the umpires didn't show up one afternoon. It was me, or cancel the game. I explained to both coaches that I was not a softball umpire and that I was a parent of a junior varsity player. They both still wanted me to umpire. No equipment, so I called balls and strikes from behind the pitcher. Even with everyone on board, I was still uncomfortable the entire game, and it was only a junior varsity game. I received a check in the mail which I sent back asking that the money be deposited into the athletic awards account.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Rich

I don't maintain a school blacklist. I won't. I consider it an unethical practice.


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We shouldn’t have it here. But schools are allowed to maintain scratch lists of officials (also dumb), so I guess it’s only fair that officials get the same privilege. I have a couple officials scratched but I don’t scratch any schools. The way I see it, if a coach or AD has some sort of beef with me, they can use one of their scratches if they don’t want to see me again. There’s one school in the area that a bunch of officials scratch because they don’t like way the boys coach acts. In other words, they’re too scared to whack him.

I whacked a girls coach who was up 20 points late in the game and wanted to start coaching me and got all butthurt when I asked him to deal with his assistant. He said “you’re going on my list” and I looked at him and said “I do not care” and walked away.