Watching four hundred games on TV this March I've noticed more and more that players on the bench are really badgering the officials (sometimes much worse than the coaches) about calls they think are missed.

How much of this do you take or get at the H.S. level, and have you ever seen an NCAA official T up a player on the bench for this? I can't remember seeing it happen myself.

I think what you think you see on TV, might not be what is actually happening. I do not know that the players on the bench are really saying anything to the officials, but just reacting to the play. I think it is alright for players to react to plays and even calls. The game has emotion and you are not going to completely take away that emotion.

Peace

I get none because I take none.

At the High School level, I don't take any yelling from anyone on the bench, except the Head Coach (and then only a little).

You need to nip this in the bud, if it's not too bad (no foul language, etc.), I let the Head Coach know that he/she has to control his/her bench. If I hear any complaining/arguing from anyone on the bench again, automatic technical foul.

Ill take a little from the head coach... VERY little from any player on the bench...and NOTHING from the assistant coach......

I dont take any mess from bench personal, I will stop the game and ask the head coach to control his players/asst coach and that usually solves the problem.

When you tell the coach he will loose his standing privledges if you need to T up any of his bench personel, he usually wastes no time in shutting them up :).

But you need to get it early, and enforce it hard.

Why hasn't Dan posted a Barney Fife pic yet? I can't be the only one who expected to see a picture for this post, can I?

I usually don't have a problem with the bench's emotional reaction in a close game but I'll never accept any booing, hissing or complaining. The coach get's a little leeway so long as it's not an attempt to show me or the crew up.

I saw Bruce Webber from Ilinois sprint full speed from up by the table, almost to the baseline where a call was made (against his team) in the corner by the end of his bench. Does anyone remember this and what do you think about it? Obviously with the way that game ended, every possession was critical.

The funny thing was that he was in his box the whole time and when he got to where the play was he just kinda stood there with his mouth agape. It was funny to watch the replay on that.(direct TV)
AAR

I also won't put up with any crap from bench personnel. I won't stop the game to address it unless the conduct warrants an immediate T, but at the very first opportunity I'll firmly tell the HC that he needs to get his bench under control.

I normally treat it as a opportunity to get re-aquainted with people. I just normally try to do it when subs are being brought in, a foul being reported, or I am in front of the bench while the game is going on.

I do agree with not stopping the game, unless you are going to T somebody right then and there. Otherwise, the whole scene just looks bad.

In a lower level game last year, there were some players from the first game sitting a couple of spots down from the players in the second game. They complained about a couple of calls and since I knew they were players, during a dead ball I explained to them that if they were sitting there I could consider them bench personel and give a technical foul if I heard any more complaints. They chose to move up a bleacher, but they also quit complaining. I know this school well and they are really going out of their way to work on sporstmanship. I probably wouldn't have done it anywhere else. Just thought I'd share.

I've coached a different sport than basketball and know full well the times I've *worked* an official when he made the correct call AGAINST my team. I've tossed out my fair share of "Good call! Good call!" when it was an obvious missed call which went my way too! :D

Running the sidelines reffing football and being bench side on the basketball court, I give quite a bit of leeway to the coaches as long as they are *working*. If they cross the line, which they rarely have done, I'll speak with them when I can.

As for players, I'll allow emotion to come into it as long as it's focused on the game itself. A quick warning to a player with a comment towards myself or my partner is headed off quickly.

Players are supposed to play, and coaches are entitled to *work* their craft. Just as I as an official am entitled to WHACK! when justified.

But I do know other officials which allow no leeway when it comes to working a game. To each their own?