Worst. Technical. Ever.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by A Pennsylvania Coach

Pennsylvania AA state championship, about to end right now. York Catholic had a ten-point lead earlier in the quarter, but a nice press has Beaver Falls up 58-54. York Catholic misses a shot with 1:50 left and BF rebounds. A quick foul on a YC kid, turns out to be his fifth. He is of course frustrated, but rather than saying a word, or jumping up and down, he walks a couple steps away, pulls his shirt up and puts the bottom of it in his mouth exposing half his torso. His face is clearly showing frustration. Official calls a T. BF hits 4 of 4 then 1 of 2 on the ensuing possession, and the game is over.

Yep, I would have made the same call and here's why:

2005-06 POINTS OF EMPHASIS
1. Sporting Behavior. The NFHS Basketball Rules Committee continues to be concerned with player, coach and fan behavior. While administrators continue to focus on solutions, it is imperative that all parties involved accept responsibility and improve behavior. Specifically, the committee wants the following addressed:
A. Uniforms: Players are increasingly using their uniforms in unsporting ways. Examples include: Holding the uniform out from the chest area to display the team name to the opponent or fans; pulling the uniform out of the shorts in an emotional display; and removing the jersey either on the court or near the team bench, especially after a disqualification. The committee expects jerseys to be worn properly and remain on. New Rule 3-4-15 adds, "A player shall not remove the jersey and/or pants/skirt in the confines of the playing area." The result is a technical foul.
Uniforms must be worn as intended and the rule must be enforced. The jersey must be tucked in and shorts must be worn properly. When a player is in violation of the rule, the player is directed to leave the game. While an untucked jersey during the normal course of play is understandable until it can be corrected, too often there are multiple warnings for clear violations. Coaches bear a great responsibility in ensuring uniforms stay on team members. Officials must enforce the rule.

[Ref_ Fred]

I agree with the call, but not know all the surrounding cirmcumstances I really wouldn't comment other than some points to remember for the future. We are all human, we all make mistakes, but as an official we need to keep game management in mind. That call may have turned the outcome of the game. Could that official held from making that call?

I would like some opinions and comments on that question.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Ref_ Fred

I agree with the call, but not know all the surrounding cirmcumstances I really wouldn't comment other than some points to remember for the future. We are all human, we all make mistakes, but as an official we need to keep game management in mind. That call may have turned the outcome of the game. Could that official held from making that call?

I would like some opinions and comments on that question.

According to the story, the player got the technical foul because he cursed at the official. What other circumstances do you need to know? Are you saying that that an official, any official, should ever ignore a player cursing at him?

Lah me......

That ain't game management imo, Fred. That a lack of testicular fortitude.

[Ref_ Fred]

As I stated earlier, Not knowing all circumstance, Yes I would have T'd him in a NY second. But for him putting his shirt in his mouth and walking away as the posting stated. I would have looked at what was going on in the game. That is all part of what is discussed in Pregame. we make it mandatory. we normally try to discuss all game situation and even then we don't cover all, it's imposible. we "TRY". We ask that we meet at for 1 to 1 1/2 hour before game time.

As an official, I try not to be the outcome of the game.....

That is all I am stating, I'm not disagreeing with anyone's comments.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Ref_ Fred

As an official, I try not to be the outcome of the game.....

I can't agree with that philosophy. As an official, sometimes you have to be the outcome of the game.

Just call the game consistently and evenly from beginning to end, and no one will ever have any real complaints with you. Swallowing your whistle at the end because you don't want to be the "outcome of the game" is just wrong imo, if that is what you are referring to. If you ignore a righteous foul or violation at the end of a game by trying to rationalize that you didn't want to affect the outcome, then you really are affecting the outcome by screwing the team that didn't commit that foul or violation.

Jmo.....

[Ref_ Fred]

I'm not going to go into anymore detail. I agree with you. Call consistently and call evenly.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

As an official, sometimes you have to be the outcome of the game.

Although I agree wholeheartedly with your entire point, I might have to subtly disagree with this statement. I think this is what scares a lot of officials into not making that tough call at the end of the game. If you look at it as the player was the one that committed the foul or violation, and all you're doing as an official is just making the proper call, you aren't determining the outcome, the players are. You're just making the call. The players determined the outcome.

I do think there are officials that talk themselves into not making a tough call by rationalizing that they don't want to be "determining the outcome". But they are, because they're screwing the team that didn't commit the foul or violation out of a posession or free throws. The only way an official helps determine an outcome is by making a wrong call, or no-call because they were out of position, or didn't have the kahonas.

[Ref_ Fred]

M&M I agree with you call what you see. I meant to outcome mostly toward the T'. Was it warranted. Possibly so. For all the right reasons. I again try to defend my post, based on the the original post stated." for putting his shirt in his mouth and wlking away"

If he cursed and put his shirt in his mouth and walking away. Hell yea T him up.

Again, the Player was probably frustrated, his 5th, game turning play, was he a senior, was he the top player and probably 10 other reasons. Non excusable. Let's get that out of the way.

I also see the other side of the coin, high visibility, News media, High school officials, Mayor, governor and maybe even President. There is no wrong answer to any posts. They are just opinions, from the look of it. there are many views on the issue. Most importantly I wasn't there and don't know what I would have done if I was. We are all being Monday morning officials of what we would have done. He made the right call.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Ref_ Fred

As I stated earlier, Not knowing all circumstance, Yes I would have T'd him in a NY second. But for him putting his shirt in his mouth and walking away as the posting stated. I would have looked at what was going on in the game. That is all part of what is discussed in Pregame. we make it mandatory. we normally try to discuss all game situation and even then we don't cover all, it's imposible. we "TRY". We ask that we meet at for 1 to 1 1/2 hour before game time.

As an official, I try not to be the outcome of the game.....

That is all I am stating, I'm not disagreeing with anyone's comments.

By not penalizing bad sportsmanship, you are costing the team that maintains composure. I hate this "don't want to be deciding the outcome" crap. If it's a T 3 minutes in, it's one with 3 seconds left. Just make sure it's the right call you can defend.

[icallfouls]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

By not penalizing bad sportsmanship, you are costing the team that maintains composure. I hate this "don't want to be deciding the outcome" crap. If it's a T 3 minutes in, it's one with 3 seconds left. Just make sure it's the right call you can defend.

The last sentence is your bail out right? "... right call you can defend." It is either the right call or it isn't according to the previous "don't want to be deciding the outcome crap." You must work at Burger King, where you can have it your way, or is that both ways?

Surely, most of us remember the official working the ACC tournament that called a T on the NCState (?) bench for the water clean up at the end of a time out. Sure, its in the rules, and the official enforced it, which you are advocating. He could even defend it and did so. Well, the ACC assignor yanked the official out of the tournament and publically stated that he should have used better judgment.

Using the reasoning that many have expressed on this topic, the T should have been called and it should have been supported, when the fact remains that it was not the right call, at the right time, in the right place. T'ing a player for pulling out their jersey in this situation is not high on my list either.

For those officials that would support the T for untucking the jersey, did you T players every time they left the court (prior to the rules change)? More than likely you used your best judgment rather than strictly enforcing the NFHS rulebook. If you did, or did not, you helped decide the outcome of the game. The difference is not that extreme.

[SMEngmann]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

By not penalizing bad sportsmanship, you are costing the team that maintains composure. I hate this "don't want to be deciding the outcome" crap. If it's a T 3 minutes in, it's one with 3 seconds left. Just make sure it's the right call you can defend.

Rich, I also disagree with you here. As officials, although we strive to be consistent, must be mindful of the situation in the game. In terms of fouls and violations on the court, we must call it the same way 3 minutes in and with 3 seconds to go, but with technicals, it's different because our reasoning for calling technicals is largely dependant on circumstance. Now there are no brainer Ts that we get all the time, but others are more subjective.

As an example, earlier in the game, technical fouls can be used to help maintain control of the game. Ignoring something or letting something go early, such as a frustrated player popping off/slamming the floor, pulling out his jersey, etc, could easily lead to a loss of control of the game, and rightly should be penalized. With 3 seconds left in the game, we've already established the level of control for the night, and given the point in the game, the impact is far more punitive.

I think the question to be asked is, why do we call technicals, and what is their purpose within the game? Since in my mind they are a tool to improve/control the game, to me they are dependant on circumstance, which means a T early in the game, if not one of the "automatics" may not be a T later on.