Halftime of game last night, one of the JV refs comes in for his bag after watching first half. He informed us that the visiting coach flipped the bird to home fans across from his bench after they were hollering "Siddown" to him. How would you treat this if you observed it happening?

unsportsman like

T

Well, I would have tried my damndest to be professional, and not laugh out loud.

Then, I woulda whispered in his ear to please not do that.

Per state association requirements, he would have received a flagrant T, and the state would have suspended him for the next 2 games.

I would have T'd him up. I wouldn't care if he wasn't directing it at me. There's just no place for that kind of behavior. Matter of fact, at our state association rules meeting, the executive director said something like this would fall under the taunting rule. So, therefore, a T is justified.

How are you going to assess a T if you weren't on the floor at the time? You didn't see it, you don't even have jurisdiction at that point, do you? You're going to assess the T based on info provided by someone who is not an official on that game?

I'm legitimately curious as to whether you can do anything about it.

Chuck, the original question was what to do if you actually observed it happening...

Chuck, from the original post.

In the immortal words of Emily Litella, "Never mind!"

That ain't what she said. She actually said, "You ain't never had a mind." :D

I'd like more thoughts on this. How about if he yells back at the fans, is that worthy of unsportsmanlike Tech? Is "The Bird" recognized as an unsportsmanlike act in the rule book? What he does to the fans has no effect on floor play.

I believe it was actually Roseanne Rosanna Danna who said, "Never mind." :)

10-4-1
Commit an unsporting foul. This includes, but is not limited to, acts or conduct such as:
c. Using profane or inappropriate language or obscene gestures.

Nowhere does it say that it has to be directed at someone on the floor.

As my uncle, Santanna Rosannadanna once said to me:
"My little Rosanne Rosannadanna, it's always something. If it's not one thing, it's another thing."

At first when I read this post I was leaning toward a flagrant T on the coach. But I gave it some more thought and would only go with a run of the mill T. If it was directed at me or my partner(s) I would run the coach with a flagrant T. There would also be an incident report filed when I got home.