It's becoming a joke. I had an 8th grade Travel game yesterday. Team A is up by 28 points with 3:30 to go. I know the coach of Team A from Baseball. I walk over to him during a Timeout and say - Coach you are up by almost 30, How about giving them a break and take off YOUR FULL COURT PRESS. He refuses, telling me that other teams do it to them. I say "You know 2 wrongs don't make a right". He tells me no way. To add more salt to Team B wounds, 30 seconds later, he puts all his STARTERS back in the game.
Needless to say, they win by over 40. My partner and I did everything to control the anger that Team B and their Fans were displaying. If team A breathed heavy on a team B player, we called it a foul. The team A coach still didn't get it. After the game ends (we approve score and leave the court), I heard that team B refused to shake hands (Can you really blame them). Team A coach then started yelling at The Team B coach for not shaking hands. He says team B are being bad sports (can you believe this guy). Then some Parent from Team B runs up to me and start screaming about how his som was pushed after the game by a team A player. I told him our jurisdiction is over after we aprrove the score and leave the confines of the court. He says well then I'll hit the kid if he lays another hand on my son. I said if you're willing to lose your house, go for it.
This is about the 3rd time this year that I have had a blowout (30 points or more in the last few minutes of a game) where I had to approach a coach and ask them have some compassion and please stop pressing. The other 2 obliged). This is a real bad trend. I've also had more T's for profanity and unsporting acts then I've ever seen before.
Anyone else out there noticing this ??? I'm sure this isn't a local thing!!!
It is very frustating as
1) an official
2) a Human Being !!!!!
CAN"T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG !!!

DrC.,
I do not disagree with what you say.
I, however, will never interject for either team.
(Before I started officiating, that happened against my son's team. I was totally aggravated and went to the opposing Coach and had my say. I was a horrible fan.)
mick

That Coach and I get along famously, now. Maybe he forgot. ;)

I agree with...
 

...Mick.

Let the coaches coach. If they want to rout another team and show their lack of class, it's not our business. Call the game as you would with any other blowout, but don't get involved with their coaching styles.

Unfortunately this is a trend in NC. It seem to have started in AAU ball a few seasons back. The ego of the coachs is stopping a sportsmanship.
One youth group that I do games for has 2 rules that I think are good.
(1) When team goes up by 25 they can no longer press in the back court.
(2) When team goes up by 25 running clock begins. Only stops for timeouts and breaks.

Both rules in effect until point spread is down to 10.

Don,

I like the idea of changing to a running clock. Some Rec leagues here have a 20 point rule. When a team is up by 20 or more they either have to play defense in the paint or some have inside the 3 point area. Unfortunatly, this league had neither rule and this mess occurred. I understand the ref shouldn't really say anything to a coach (and I would never do this in any H.S. game), but in rec leagues, I think it's ok to go up to a coach. It could be considered by some as PREVENTIVE Referring

Can't say that we've seen that as a trend here in Kansas. If anything, the state association, the superintendents and principals are trying to get this stuff cut down.

The local school that my daughter attends used to have an assistant boys HS coach (JV coach) that liked to run it up. Their JV team is still something like 95-1 over the last few years. They'd win by 50 to 70 points (not an exageration) and some of the kids on the bench wouldn't see the floor until less than a minute to play.

Otherwise, occasionally we'll see a coach put one or two starters back in during a blowout if they are appoaching a school record to total points. The winning coach almost always apologizes and the losing coach generally understands the reasoning.

First of all let the coach alone. He has to deal with the blow out in his own fashion. As an official, You have no business asking him to pull the press off at any time regardless of the score. You however do have the creative ability to call fouls to get the same message across to him. If he doesn't, then keep calling em. but makee darn sure that they are legit. Phantom fouls, only tend to lead to technical fouls in this case. live and learn from it, it happens a lot

The only time this ever become a factor for me is when the game level is at the grade 8,9 level,with the score greater than 30+. The only comment i'll make it "Coach, how much would you like to win by."...the strange look i receive back from the coach is priceless. Most coaches are able to figure this out.

keep smiling
SH