Running a stop sign

[Adam]

Before this season started, I could truthfully say I'd never given a direct technical foul to a head coach. Now, just over a weak into the season, I've given two.
First one was begged for. Game is almost over, and suddenly I hear Home coach yelling in my ear, "G)dD@mm!t, didn't you see that?!" My Fox 40 automatically gave him a piece of my mind. I look up, 3 seconds left in an 8 point game.
Tonight. Midway through the fourth quarter. Batman has been chirping all night, but generally stopping when I acknowledged him (never really happy, but tamed occasionally). Finally, after I call a player control on one of his kids, he's apparently had enough. He starts complaining about the call. I tell him I've heard enough, and he responds by saying, "That's horrible." Loud enough for the gym to hear, and I give him one more warning. As I go to lead position for the ensuing inbounds, I hear him one more time, "He was flopping." Fox 40 once again decides it's enough.
As I report the T, he seems incredulous that I whacked him for "he was flopping." I informed him that told him that was enough. He responds with, "That's the worst technical foul I've seen."
Remembering the 30 second rule (of thumb) someone had mentioned here, I let that go and we administered the shots and moved on. He was relatively quiet the rest of the game.
Told my P after the game that the T wasn't so much for "he was flopping," as it was for "That's horrible." It was just a delayed call; sort of like a suspended sentence in criminal court, I guess.

Other than that, it was a good game; and the T seemed to make it better.