I do not think officials need to coach to know what it is to better understand the game. I had a game about a month ago where the home team was losing by one in regulation and we sent the home team to the line about 3 or 4 times. All FTs were two shots and they missed every FT until the very last one with 18 seconds to go. The home team ended up winning in overtime. We were told after the game that the home team was 2-10 in the 4th quarter alone. There are a lot of things we call, but we cannot make shots, FTs or throw the ball away for turnovers. Even if the officials are terrible, there is a lot we are not able to control or influence.

Peace

I'm not 100% sure that twref meant officials should coach to get a better understanding of the game - I took it as "if you tried to do what they do and have to deal with what they have to deal with and their particular set of demands, pressures and perspectives, you'd have a greater understanding of their job, just like if they tried to do our jobs, they'd have a better understanding of how difficult it is and how hard we try."

I might be reading that wrong. But I don't think we need to coach to understand the game. I think some of us might need to try coaching to better understand coaches, and I think some coaches might need to try officiating to better understand us.

OverandBack stated my thought much better then I did. In a perfect world we do not "influance" the game-the athletes influance the game. As for coaches and officials the game would be better off if we both took the time to put ourselves in the others' shoes. Some coaches are simply devoid of logic and I couldn't care less about them. The rest of them I try to communicate with and understand their frustrations.

In my opinion I believe officials understand the game from a rules standpoint much better than coaches do. I might not know how to teach the kids the mechanics of a good shot or when to help on the defensive end, but I know officials understand the rules much better than coaches. Officials do not ask coaches questions about why they ran that offense or why they made that sub? Coaches are constantly questioning our rules knowledge and our positioning and who called what and when. Most of the time coaches are approaching us based on myths and assumptions. Like "moving feet" to not get a charge call or "over the back."

Peace

Agree with you 100%, JRut. I think most of us shake our heads nightly at the astounding lack of knowledge of the rules by players (somewhat understandable, but not very) and especially coaches (really not understandable).

I think it's more understanding why coaches do and say the things they do with regards to us and why they get frustrated. We have certain pressures, constraints and things we have to deal with, and they have a different set. If they understood ours and we understood theirs, I think we'd get along much better.

Like I said, I used to have one opinion of officiating before I tried it and I'm sure I'd have a different opinion of coaching if I tried that. But I'm not ready to do that yet. :)

If I do ever coach, I'll have a much more developed respect and understanding for the job officials do and hopefully that'll make it so I won't lose my mind the way some of these guys do.

Refs: Writers get it wrong WAY too much.

I too just gave up after a few paragraphs. Sounds like he just bitter and wanted some attention.

Couldn't agree more. That's pathetic. He's excusing such behavior. I also agree that this article had no business getting published.

It's too bad the officials didn't call security and get the coaches tossed from the hotel too.

Do you think he got Phil Jacksons consent to tell that story.

I am sure Phil would be embarrassed by that story even if it is true.