Canuck, I'm pretty new and I have a feeling I may have the "too-thicked-skin" problem also. But, I think I'm learning...a little.

I'm interested in thoughts on this T situation I had in an adult rec-league. Here's what happened and how I handled it. Sound good, bad, or in the middle? If it's HS or college, does it make a difference on how to handle it?

I'm the Lead when A1 drives, misses, thinks he got fouled...B1 gets rebound and is going the other way, with just about everyone else except A1. A1 says, "What the f___ are you looking at?" I respond with, "Just a second..." as I watch if B1 is turning the rebound into a fastbreak or slowing it down. As I see B1 slow down I say...tweet..."Technical Foul on A1." Team A has only five players and A1 has some kind of response like, "whatever" or something fairly harmless. But a responose none-the-less. I finish with, "Hey, you can finish with four if you want to. I really don't care." A1 walks away and we play from there.

I understand what everyone is saying(I will grow).:D I agree that every situation is different. The feedback I receive from the posts I make is helping me become a better official(I actually pay attention in class).:DThe situation others have encountered I learn from too. Stick around the maturation process is taking effect.

If he said that to me, they would be playing with 4.

If he said it in a high school game in my state, I would be expected to eject him and he would sit out the next two games.

NU1, why wait to assess the T? Hit your whistle and do it when it happens. Also, check the rules for your league. A lot of leagues would call this kind of language flagrant. You did the right thing in calling the T, but in my opinion, you should have gotten it when it occured.

So, what were you looking at?

Now playing point guard.....Travis Bickle.

I was looking at the play - just didn't see a foul :)

I waited to blow the whistle because his "what the..." question came as the ball was going the other way. I didn't want to take the fast break away from the non-offending team.

As far as tossing the guy...that's where I'm saying I'm still learning. I definitely understand the thought of doing that right away in HS. College same thing? But, in this rec-league I didn't. Not saying I shouldn't have, but I didn't.

Thanks for the responses.

I understand why you didn't want to penalize the non-offending team, but you're opening yourself up for more problems with the guy you whacked if he or his team notices the time lapse between the comment and the T.

Did he yell it at you or was it sort of mumbled in your direction?

It wasn't yelled or mumbled. Everyone went the other way - except him - and it was face to face, clearly spoken. Kind of matter-of-fact like.

This is one of the reasons I got out of officiating Men's Adult Rec League. I was becoming as much of a jerk as they were.
For example, if a grown Man had said that to me...I would have responded with somehting like, "Your stupid A$$ trying to make a lay-up"!...then I would have whacked him and told him to shut the He11 up or go home and watch cartoons.

When I broke in as a Rookie about 17 years ago...rec ball had it's place. I watched as some top H.S. officials, at the time, really did become mean-spirited toward Men's rec ball players. I vowed not to become like that...but, I found myself doing some of the exact same things the other guys were doing.
Therfore, time to get out...it wasn't fun anymore and I was acting unprofessional.
I still love H.S. ball and will continue doing it untill it isn't fun anymore.

Should have T'ed him up right away, not waited.

Rec league I probably would have DQ'ed him. For sure if he had been ay more animated than you say he was.

No question T him in HS. Not so sure I would have DQ'ed him though.

Any level above HS there's a good chance I would have not heard him if he & I were the only 2 back there, more than likely I would have left him there to follow the break. But he & I would have had a good heart-to-heart later on.

Wrong answer. He waited to see if Team B was going to push the ball for a fast break. To whistle the T in the middle of B's drive to the basket is a disadvantage to Team B. The Case Book instructs us to wait in this situation. He did the right thing by waiting.

Know what? I disagree. Simply because of the way I see this play unfolding.

The way I read this is that the comment was not made "in the middle of B's drive", it was made as B grabbed the rebound. If B had already pushed the ball up to midcourt or further then fine, give them a few seconds. But then what the heck was Nu1 still doing back there anyway if the ball was upcourt? Maybe there was a nifty outlet pass to get the ball upcourt, but I didn't read that in there.

The way I see this sitch hit the whistle right away.

Dan --

Here are the relevant sentences.

Somewhat ambiguous, but it's at least possible that the fast break might have already been underway. On the other hand, he says that B1 has the rebound, and that B1 might be turning it into a fast break. Same player? Hmmm...