Did a game tonight where the coach approached me just before we're about to resume after halftime.

Background: I had three block-charge calls in a row in the first half, where his players stepped in late on the opponents' drives to the hoop. All right in front of me, none of them borderline - all clearcut blocks. After the second one, he asked me "what do we have to do to get a charge?" and I replied calmly "they have to be there first" You can guess how satisfied he was with that.

So anyway, he says to me and my partner at halftime, in a fairly assertive voice, that he thinks that I was making a conscious effort to not give him that call. I paused, and then asked him "are you questioning my integrity?" - he gives me a "well...", and I continue "because I need to know what to write on the game report about why I T'd you". He backed off and went to his bench.

T or not?

No. You made your point. He back off. You won. :)

Evaluators have commented in the past that maybe I have TOO thick a skin sometimes, so in this case I wondered what might have happened had I not cut off his answer to my integrity question...

Afterwards, I say to my partner "he just used up his slack", and my partner replies "all of it".

He was fine for the rest of the game - even after two more block calls :p

Had a similar situation a few years ago, in which the coach used just about the same words. I came back with, "Visa or Mastercard are accepted, but not American Express."

He actually laughed.

I agree with Tony. No need to T here, as he backed off. However, if the conversation had been during the game, in front of the fans, etc and could've been overheard, I might have a different answer. Maybe.

I disagree, a T is warrant, The coach behavior is unacceptable. I understand clearly why coachs behave the way they do. Officials, let them get away with it. Anytime, a coach or player is questioning an official integrity a T is what they should receive. Let them explain to their administrators why they receive a technical during the game. Questioning one's integrity is not an option.

Would you take it from a player questioning your integrity?

But he wasn't really questioning the official's integrity. He's just frustrated and doesn't really know who to blame, so it's easy to blame the ref. But when the official asked him point-blank if he calling the official's integrity into question, the coach immediately realized that's not what he really wanted to do and backed off.

Give everybody a second to cool off. If you stick him right away, you're just giving him more "proof" that you're out to get him. If you give him a chance to cool down and then he still presses the issue, then he's just hanging himself.

P.S. -- you're using commas incorrectly.

I have to agree with most of the posts, you won the debate. The coach got the message and will probably leave you alone. You did the same thing I would do, ask him a question about his comment and move on.

Peace

If you think this is questioning an official's integrity, then you've got a lot to learn, grasshopper.

If he had said, "Why is it always charging when we drive the lane and blocking when they drive the lane? Call it both ways!" Now that's questioning your integrity. Even then, he would probably just get a stop sign from me, along with a "That's enough, coach," unless he had been previously warned.

As you mature rook, you won't be as fast to pull the trigger. Trust me, we were all young and full of piss and vinegar at one time. You'll grow out of it.

Ah, the exuberance of youth.

Actually, I felt good about my decision, I just wanted to bat it around with these yahoos :D a bit, because I haven't been around that much - NHL's back, you know (NOTE TO RUT: shut up ;) )

What is the NHL back from?

Peace

I said shut up.

You know I could not resist.

Peace

Shouldn't you be watching the ChiSox or Arena football or something? :p

Rook, I wish it was but it just ain't that simple or easy. Every situation is different, and you do what you think will work best for that particular situation. What Canucklehead did worked out well for him in that particular game. Ergo-- it was the right way to handle it. End of story.

Sometimes you do haveta T someone up. Sometimes there are much better options. Don't lock yourself into any one specific course of action <b>before</b> these types of situations occur. Just deal with them with what happens to feel right at the time for that particular situation.