When Enough is Enough
 

On nights I don't have school games, I officiate at a local venue which is home to both training and year-round leagues, for all grade levels throught HS. It can be ugly at times, and the pay is lower than any school games would be, but it offers me a place to officiate all year, so I like having it available...with that in mind, I left tonight at halftime of my 2nd game of 3.

There is a coach there who is a staple for that facility. He technically has no authority or title, but he trains players and has a key+building alarm code, so he definitely has more pull there than I. He was coaching this particular game and they were getting beat by 20+ toward end of 1st half. Leading team A1 shoots a last second 3, and gets hammered in both the back and his shooting elbow. Sure, I could let it go considering the lead and league itself, but it was an obvious and hard shooting foul, so I make the obvious call at the buzzer. My partner also had his fist raised from a far-side trail position. I report and tell A1 he's shooting.

Coach B is immediately all over me. At this age and league, I try to give as much leash as possible bc it's rare we have this happen. However, CB has done this before on more than one occasion. His "Are you serious?" Is met with an "Absolutely," and I clear the lanes. He continues to yell as I am ready to administer, and I look at him and advise him to stop it's over. I bounce the ball to A1 and CB starts yelling again. As soon as shot gets even close to basket, I whack the coach as the shot goes in. He continues to yell as my partner is half-ass attempting to calm him. He yells "I don't gotta be quiet...you don't make that call...that's terrible."

As we walk into office at halftime, CB comes in there (this is normal for any night) and is still berating me. I look at the guy who runs the day to day ops there, and he doesn't say anything. That moment was when I decided enough was enough. I have risen a long way this season and have a good reputation that is spreading. My time and ability is worth more than being harassed with no repercussions. I changed my shoes, put my jacket on, and told him he can keep my money for that game and I am not going to stand there and take that behavior for the money being paid. Then I left.

Was I wrong for leaving at halftime? Bear in mind, that will have zero effect on my scholastic schedule. Sorry for the long post but much more could have been said.

I think another option is to run the coach, finish out the game and never go back.

Many with way more experience than me will chime in, but I would say you should have finished your games that night, then never went back. It never looks good to quit.

Of course that would be the preferred route. I wish I could paint a better picture, but believe me when I say this guy comes and goes as he pleases. Tossing him would have only caused a scene for kids that don't deserve that. The way it went down in the office, with the person overseeing the gym sitting right there, made it clear to me he wasnt going to be made to do anything he doesn't want to do. I hated having to do what I did, believe me. Realistically, how do you envision that 2nd half going?

I doubt you will find much support here for what you did. Call the second T at some point. Sounds like it should have been while still shooting free throws. If the coach refuses to leave, then you can forfeit the game and go home.

This ain't gonna do your reputation any good.

While finishing the game would be ideal, but lets look what happened in the Site Manager's office: B-HC's is running wild and the SM did nothing to stop him. My instincts tell me that had B-HC been tossed, the SM would still have defended B-HC and done nothing to defend the Game Officials. Therefore, it makes sense to go home early because no official needs this kind of grief.

MTD, Sr.

If all this had occurred on the court, I would say toss him and finish the game. But once he entered the office he violated your personal space, and that's outside of basketball. That League reaps what it sows.

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It's one thing for a coach to go insane on the court, but to come into the locker room during halftime and keep throwing a temper tantrum? And furthermore the administration is doing nothing about it while being RIGHT THERE? Hell no.

Quitting like that is usually not the right thing, but if how you describe things is how it went down then... if I were your partner... I would have walked out with you.

No embellishments here, fellas. Another fellow official, who also works there on occasion, told me he has had this same coach come at his partner like that before. He described it as a poor representation of that facility, as it is a great place for basketball. I have had numerous people compliment me both in person, and to others who have relayed back to me. I am known to be as fair as they come and I do well with all ages.

I assure you all, had I stayed and issued a 2nd T, there would have been zero enforcement from the gym mgmt. I hate that I had to make the decision, it would have only gotten worse.

What did your partner do?

I'm assuming he stayed. He did back my side of it up, but nothing other than that.

That would be a reason for me to stay. Figure out a way to handle the HC, toss him if you have to. When he refuses to go, you can leave together. Can't say I blame you overall. Dealing with that kind of abuse, especially in a league like that, is pretty awful.

Way to go. The words of a much wiser man than I come to mind in that situation. Put the ball on the table and go home.

This should not be a consideration.

AremRed beat me to the punch.

The “it’s all about the kids” mantra. :rolleyes:

Our job as officials includes penalizing unsporting behavior. When the coach hangs himself, we have to take care of business. It’s not about being fair to “the kids.” If anything, it’s showing them that acting like an asshat is not acceptable.