Dealing with troublesome coaches...

[Stat-Man]

One of the non-officiating forums I visit has a post where an official calls out a coach by name, mentions what he thinks is the coach's bad conduct towards officials, and ends with a comment about looking forward to calling one of his upcoming games.

Maybe it's just me, but this seems to go against the consensus of what I've seen here, that even with a rather troublesome coach, the slate starts clean each game, just so that the "this official has it in for me" argument has less chance of being valid.

What's some of the ways our esteemed officials here practice their game management skills when dealing with chronically troublesome coaches, aside from not working their games {Somehow, I doubt berating them on public messageboards is top on the list}

[ref18]

As officials we are supposed to act in a professional manner.

That was not professional.

If you know that you have a troublesome coach in a later game, you keep it to yourself, and silently think of ways to whack him (Just Kidding)

[JRutledge]

I want to know what kind of coach I have to deal with if possible. Officials talk, so many guys know who the problems are and how they act. I agree that coaches should be given a clean slate, but their reputation is always going to precede them.

In my playoff game this past year. One of the coaches has a horrible reputation with officials. I have dealt with this coach in summer leagues and tournaments and he really is a nice guy. He just does not understand sometimes how to keep his emotions in check when things do not go his way. I had never worked a regular season with this coach, but he left me alone. He complained about a couple of calls and did not say another word. I had two games in my regional with him and in the last game he was an angel. He did nothing out of the ordinary or says anything out of the ordinary. I was prepared for all this bad behavior, but when he asked a question I answered it. When he made a comment I addressed it. I let him know that I was listening when I was in front of him. Both games went smoothly.

I have had similar situations in my career and all I do is listen and confront them when it is warranted. They do get a fair shake from me, but I do not forget actions that happen in the past. If I have had a coach that was a real a$$ at one of my games, I let my partners know that he is that way. I do not go out to get them. I just might take a different road to accomplish what I want to in the next game. In other words I might have a quicker T if they go down that some road or take similar action that I let go in a previous game. Not much else you can do.

Peace

[garote]

I think the best way to handle this situation is just like a game. Anticipate the play not the call.

There are a few coaches that I see every season that I know I'm just going to half to ring them up. So when I see their school on my schedule I just mentally prepare myself to call the "T". Then when I get to the game I make absolutely sure that he/she earns it.

[ChrisSportsFan]

Some coaches consider a T as part of their strategy to fire up their team and so they go lookin for one. I've been in sales forever and so communicating with difficult people comes pretty natural for me. I haven't had to give a tremendous amount of T's in the past but mark my words, if he's lookin, he'll find one. Now we skip forward a few weeks and we're at the next mutual game. Maybe I'm naive, but I start each game fresh, even if he's been trouble for the past several games. Today's game has enough to consider that I don't need to carry any preconceived notions. Hey, it works for me!

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Starting every game with a clean slate is not easy to do. Once you and a coach have established a "relationship," it is very difficult to go back to that clean slate/first impression state of the relationship. In fact, it is impossible.

I personally do my best to forget what has gone on in the past; those activities are still there on the fringe. What I am able to do is to re-establish what my boundaries/limits are going to be - I can clear that slate. Where a coach may have gotten away with something in the past, I can move that limit up and enforce it earlier than last time we met. Don't let yourself become embarrassed; don't let things get out-of-hand.

Clear your mind as much as possible. Do not enter any game with animosity towards the coach or any player. Recognize what happened last time and set the appropriate limits to protect yourself and keep the game moving. Shake hands, wish them well, smile, make each call stand on its own merits.

[icallfouls]

I had the opportunity to attend a camp in which a Final 4 Official stated (with assignors in the room) that it is our job to know the coaches we are working for. If the coach is troublesome and it interferes with your conducting the game, then deal with it in whatever way you feel is warranted. We all have different tolerance levels on any given night.

As far as the idea of a clean slate (again for this official at camp), yes in most instances that is probably true for many of us. But, in some cases, there is a carry over and the coach is usually aware of it too.

I know some assignors will even go so far as to mention to the next crew that a coach will need to be monitored closely because of past conduct.

From personal experience, I have had to change my boundary lines with one coach in particular because of his on-court demeanor from one game to the next and his attitude toward me. It is part of my pre-game so that my partner(s) are aware of the history that exists. For some reason either I, or officials in general, just rub him the wrong way.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by icallfouls
For some reason either I, or officials in general, just rub him the wrong way.

I'm sure it's all you, Jim. You have such a grating personality!

Seriously, I agree with everything you said. The original situation had to do with something that was said away from the court, in a completely non-basketball environment. That seems extremely unprofessional to me, and if I heard it, I'd tattle. It makes us all look bad.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally posted by ref18
...think of ways to whack him (Just Kidding)

Atta boy!

[ref18]

[ChuckElias]

Ref18, I agree completely!

[SamIAm]

What about the comments the coach or player makes as you are leaving the floor that would have earned a T during the game. Those are the ones that I have trouble "letting go of".

[Adam]

Originally posted by SamIAm
What about the comments the coach or player makes as you are leaving the floor that would have earned a T during the game. Those are the ones that I have trouble "letting go of".

Sam, most times it's not worth hanging on to. However, if it's too bad, go ahead and call the Technical. Just because you don't shoot the free throws doesn't mean the coach won't get penalized.
That said, it would have to be pretty bad to get me to go back to the table to record the T.

[Kevzebra]

I agree. As a referee who has whacked a coach after buzzer has sounded, it is effective. The coach had a tournament the next day and had to sit out his game (they were hosting and the one I gave him at the end of the game was #2). Now the coach is "my best friend". Not because I whacked him and he had to sit out, but because I knew the rules. He didn't and called eveybody but the pope to find out if I was correct in my judgement. I was, he sat and I get an extra christmas card every year!

But seriously, most coaches know when they are out of line and how you deal with them goes a long way as to how they treat you in the future. Professionalism goes a long way to creating harmony among us.

[Tim Roden]

If they say something to you as you leave the floor, that is when you write your little letter to the state.