I was doing a boys' freshman game tonight and about midway through the 3rd quarter I notice someone else is coaching the team in green. The guy I met at the start of things is still there, sitting down, but this guy must have been the head coach and he showed up late for the 5:30 game or something. But he starts in. Then he gets vocal at us (me, specifically), and during a time out I'm thinking "Now, I don't know the rulebook backwards and forwards, but doesn't it stand to reason that someone has to be designated the head coach at the start of the game and that you can't change that unless that guy gets ejected?"

That would mean that once Robin, always Robin, so you shouldn't be able to stand or to address me (I know it's a freshman game, but work with me here).

If the guy had gone any further I was going to make that point to him but I wasn't 100% sure I was on solid footing here, so I just ignored him.

Do I have a case in that instance? If I really wanted to?

He also commented on a call with a "Jesus!" If he'd have gone for the surname, I'd have nailed him (especially in the Catholic conference the game was in) but he didn't.

Blow the whistle, jog over & ask this guy what his role is. Tell him things were going just fine until he showed up, if he wants to see the rest of the game he should calm down. Smile as you do this.

In my area, the coach who starts the game with the box, keeps the box until I make him sit down.

I give the T for the "first name only" reference. If he's not praying (and they never are), they sit.

Along the same lines
 

During a co-rec game this intramural season, a girl missed a layup and went off the court under the basket with momentum, from behind me I hear her scream *** dang.

WHACK!

Re: Along the same lines
 

You must be kidding.

is that a bad word. It is comprised of two words. The first being God, that is not bad, at least in my opinion. the second being dang, not bad either. I would much rather hear that than the stuff that you sometimes hear on the court.

Coach's meeting.
 

When you hold the Coach's meeting or Sportsmanship meeting, make sure the head coach is present. If they are not you have the right to write the coach up to the IHSA for not attending. This meeting for the head coach is mandatory. They cannot just send any coach. If for some reason the head coach is not available, do everything to make them available. If it is unclear if they person is the head coach, then you ask them "Are you the head coach?" Depending on the time you have left before the game, you could run the meeting without the head coach, but let it be known that the head coach is responsible for the conduct of the bench. Then when it becomes unclear who the head coach is when the game is going on, you can always refer to the Coach's meeting and the coach's absents. This just takes a little preventative officiating and you should not have to deal with this problem very often.

Peace

Would you "T" a coach for saying "Allah" or "Buddha"?

It's all about context there. "Allah" or "Buddha" aren't exclamations of dismay or derision in our culture.

If I'd thought more quickly, I'd have t'd him and then said "Coach, unless The Lord walks through that door right this second, it's two shots for white and the ball."

Allah can say is you Buddha be kidding

Rainmaker,
How is this received? And I'm curious about the rule citation (I agree with you completely that this is inflammatory, but the reason for me is personal, as this is my Lord who is being spoke of irreverently.)...as this is my first year officiating and I have not yet encountered this.

Thanks!

I was once helping out at the table (running the clock) after I finished calling my games at a rec league gym. One of the coaches yells "Jesus Christ" at a call the L made. T, standing right by us says "He's busy with more important things coach, your stuck with us." WHACK

It was all I could do not to laugh with the coach standing beside me.

Last night's frosh boys game, about a minute and a half in, I blew a foul on red 11. As I walk by him to report (I was T opposite table), I hear him say (not mutter) the Savior's name.
Okay, now we have a Technical foul, too. As I reported it, Red coach asked me what was said, and I told him. Green coach then tells his boys, "Okay, now you know." Easy lesson for Green, I guess, as neither team's players gave us much grief the whole game. Even the coaches were pretty good (except for the references to the foul count with about a minute left in the first quarter: V 3, H 0).

Ask a serious question, and all you can do is be silly. Lah me!

What about Wiccans? Druids? Don't any of them play ball?