What would you do?

[johnny d]

Flagrant Technical. Goodbye coach. See you next time.

[BigT]

I was expecting more opinions... where is Billy.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BigT

I was expecting more opinions... where is Billy.

Well, it is still the middle of a work day.

[Raymond]

Man, the more I think about this situation the more it burns me up. I hate this f'ing nonsensical concept coaches have that we are taking it personally when we don't let them address us in disrespectful or unprofessional manner.

Once a coach tried to justify his star player (now a Tar Heel) stomping towards me to complain about a call. I turned to the coach and asked "do you let him talk to you that way" and he literally stuttered 'well, no" and then he STFU towards me for the rest of the game.

I started officiating late in life and had been in the military 18 1/2 years when I started wearing the stripes. Past basic training, I never let a superior go unchallenged when they addressed me in a disrespectful manner and I sure as hell never had anybody yell or scream at me. So I sure as f**k am not letting coaches, parents, and student-athletes talk to me any kind of way. It's just not happening, and my remedy is not always a technical foul; it is more often a taste of their own medicine.

[BillyMac]

Too late. I already retired.

Originally Posted by Raymond

Well, it is still the middle of a work day.

Boys middle school game.

[BryanV21]

It depends on what type of touch it is, so I wouldn't call touching me automatic at all. But, in this case, it sounds like a technical foul from me. He wasn't grabbing your arm while calmly talking to you, he was purposely keeping you from moving way and restarting the game.

[BigT]

Thanks all!

[MattReferee]

Coach we’re not doing that today 🤷*♂️ Use the tools allotted hit the whistle and report a bench warning to table ..Now he clearly knows YOUR not gonna do that today !!! when he grab you your day is OVER !!! This a direct response to your circumstance !

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BigT

I was expecting more opinions... where is Billy.

Had to be there.

Unlike the NBA, contact from a coach is not an automatic "anything" for me personally.

A hard grab, an arm around you, or a touch on the shoulder?

Invasion of personal space by any of the three adults involved?

All officials have different levels of tolerance.

I wouldn't have any criticism for a variety of outcomes: nothing, official warning, technical foul, or flagrant technical foul (ejection).

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BigT

Working a BJV in front of a coach I have seen on and off for many years. Had AAU and some sub-varsity in front of him.

First quarter he screams across the court wanting some illegal contact where we felt no disadvantage was gained. I run by and let him know we are not doing that today and he quiets down.

At the break at the end of the first quarter he motions me over and my partner comes with me.

He asks me what is wrong. Coach we are not going to have you scream at us when you want foul calls to be made. If you want us to watch for something let us know when we are nearby.

He responds why are you taking this personally?

What I should have done was ask why do you think I am taking this personally.

I just decided to start to back away. He grabs my arm to keep me in this 3 man huddle....

My question is...

Is this nothing and I stare at my arm and say coach let go of me?
Do I take my arm away and give a behavior warning?
Do I move away and give him a technical foul or worse?

Never had a coach grab me like this in 6k games and so he caught me off guard.

Love this forum and wanted to ask for some advice and opinions on what you do.

I believe I said you are not going to talk to us like that and moved away.

Again thanks in advance you guys have helped my career a ton here.

Originally Posted by Rufus

I think we've gotten gun-shy when it comes to using this very valuable tool. You did him a favor with the warning, then even more so by explaining why he was behaving poorly during the break (good move by your partner to be there to hear what was going on too - these days it's not about your ability to handle the situation solo but to have witnesses to what was said).

Putting hands on an official is a step too far, though, regardless of the context. You already told him why you gave the warning and tried to back away. He then chose to reach out and put hands on you.

Originally Posted by johnny d

Flagrant Technical. Goodbye coach. See you next time.

Johnny D:

1) This is definitely a DTF.

2) As to whether or not this is a FTF or not would be a matter of how the Game Official perceived how physical the HC was with him.

3) From reading how Big T described it I would be leaning toward a FTF on the ACS Theory.


Amazingly, in my entire career I have had only three HCs make unwanted physical contact with me. 1) A YBOA Boys' National Championship Tournament; 2) An AAU Boys' Invitational; 3) A NAIA Women's regular season game. Items (1) and (2) were played under NFHS Rules and resulted in Disqualification and Ejection based upon the severity of the contact. Item (3) was played under NCAA Women's Rules and was just a TF based upon the situation under which the contact occurred; there is more to this story but that is for another time.

MTD, Sr.