Twice this week, different schools, different coaches. Coach uses language that was borderline, I say something, and coach backs down fast, "That's not what I said! I said..." "I wasn't saying ... " Sent Robin out to defend. Both times.

First time, coach says, "Call that foul, we're getting raped out there." I said, "Coach, that's a little bit strong." "No! No! I said, Raked! Raked!" Yea, right. What does it mean to say, "We're getting raked." ?? Assistant comes over during a time-out and repeats protestations of innocence.

Second time, coach says, "Out of bounds! She's out of bounds! Look, her arm is over the line!" (players were on the floor, wrestling for the ball.) I called the oob, then said, "Coach, I need you to coach your players, not me." He says, "I was talking to my players! I wanted her to see that the other girl was out of bounds!" Uh, huh, sure.

Both times, I just said, okay, fine, and then dropped it. What do y'all do when you know full well what was said, but the coach is backing down like crazy? Is there any reason I should do anything besides drop it?

Can we talk to the rule committee about putting in a Technical Foul for Lying to an official?

If I'm 100% sure that coach said "Call the foul, we're getting raped out here," I might just ring him/her up right there. It's obviously strong and very disrespectful and certainly unsporting. If not the T, then definitely a very strongly worded warning. We're getting killed/mugged, etc might get a look or a warning, but "raped" I think crosses a line.

Once is enough. Time to give a warning, second time is whack. That should put an end to it.

That was my first reaction, but I've been working on not being too quick on the trigger this year. I can't always come up with a good response, but that time it came to mind, and it worked. He was a pussycat the rest of the game, and still apologizing afterward, so it made the game better. I agree with Forks though, if he'd said it again, I'd have popped him.

Not to side with a coach, but raked is descriptive of a foul, and is used in other sports, like baseball/softball, to describe hitting the ball well.

The player was raked across the arms, would describe being hit or pulled.

BushRef:

I have never been raped (yes, men can be raped) but I think that being raped, from the victim's point of view may be worse than being murdered. Rape is probably the most difficult crime of violence from which to recover and I think that if you were to discuss this with rape victims (both female and male) they will tell you what I have just told you.

MTD, Sr.

My mother always told me, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." So I won't.

Commendable, Juulie. There are some people who don't need any help hanging themselves.

Tell the coach that if he continues to make you decide whether his words are unsportsmanlike, he may not like the decision.

Show me a person who's been raped and murdered and let them answer wich was the worst.

As a person who's been raped as a youngster I feel I have the right to say this.

It took me a long time, and it will never heal completely, but I am glad I'm alive and not murdered. This doesn't mean that for someone else it could be different, hence the suicides amongst rape victems. An arguement about wich is worse is imo just as pointless as the discussion whether beeing devorced or widowed is worse. All these event are of the scale of human measurement, they are beyond that. Let's not have a "who's most pittyfull" contest, there realy is no consolation in it.

[Edited by Man in Grey on Jan 16th, 2005 at 12:26 PM]

Amen!

I'll add my amen to this, and add also that both analogies would be too strong for my comfort in most instances. (Can't think of any exceptions, but there may be one.)

this topic of coaches offering comments in hopes of getting calls is something I oftentimes struggle with.....that's a travel, that's a foul, he's carrying the ball, and so it goes. These are things I'm watching and not calling because IMO thy are not committing the violation. Oftentimes this is a zealous coach hoping for a call or he has limited rules understanding. I worked a BV game Fri night where A1 was called for a 5-second violation and the coach went nuts saying that all his player had to do was make a move towards the goal and the count restarted. then he kept wanting 5-second calls when his defenders were easily 10 feet away. sorry this is long but sometimes I don't know how to respond to this ignorance or if I should ignore but that usually ticks em off worse.

He's chirping at that point. Tell him to let it go and then ring him up if he doesn't.