Yesterday I was officiating a house league game I believe the ages of the boys were 13-14 or so. During the entire game every call that was called against this coaches team he wanted an explination; no matter if it was a traveling, carrying, 5 sec closely guarded. He basicly demanded (at first nicely) an explanation. During the second half he got louder about the need for an explination during the play. About half way thru the 4th, I am the trail, and I call a charge on his center, A1 did an inside spin move on his defender, B1, that anticipated the spin of A1. A1 hit B1 with his shoulder and B1 hit the floor. As contact was made I called Charging. The coach went nuts and yelled how are you going to call that just because there was contact. I turned to the coach and T'ed him. After B4 shoot the two free throws, I went to administer the throw-in from the sidezone (where the play became dead). As I about to hand the Ball to B2, A's coach is standing up. I instruct the coach that since he got a Technical he had to sit down. He then stared right at me and Mouthed "F YOU." I gave him his second T and instructed him he had to leave the gym.

I feel I did the correct thing, knowing he directed it at me. My question to the board is, do you T a coach for mouthing (not speaking) an obsinety?

F* Yes!

Most definitely, he has earned it.

Absolutely! He needed to go. Was he respectful with his questions the rest of the game? If not, maybe you needed to get him his first earlier? I wasn't there so I don't know, but just a little food for thought.

Didn't stop there.
 

After the game he came back into the gym to collect his things (ie Girlfriend). She took over as the coach. She tried to substitue a player that had fouled out. What really got me was as he re entered the gym he stared me down and then proceeded to talk to the coach of the next game and told him that he had to watch out for me cause I didn't know what I was doing and I T'ed him for nothing.

That game (Game 4 for the day) went real smooth with both coaches.

Up until the charge foul that gave his Center his 4th, he was not respectful, but not over the line.

Re: Didn't stop there.
 

Make sure you talk to the game management person on this one. One of the reasons I work very few leagues other than our actual state athletic association games is there is often no accountablilty for the coaches. If game management is not going to talk to the coach, talk to the league coordinator. If they don't back you up, don't schedule with them again and if it were me, I'd let any other officials I work with know how well they back up their officials. Hopefully the coach following him realized what a well informed coach the tossed guy was.

You let this clown get away with entirely too much. You should have taken care of him the second time he came out asking for an explanation - "I'm not here to give a clinic coach, talk to the league director about getting a rule book" and walk away. Next time he asks for an explanation tell him he's distracting you from the game and the next time you'll T him up. Then do it. Or, take the direct aproach & T him right off the bat. But whatever you do, do not let a coach question you for 4 quarters. Ever.

As for getting stared down, the easiest way to handle that crap is to just disappear. If there's a dressing room go there. If not simply turn around & do not acknowledge him. Most cell phones these days have video cameras in them. During an AAU game 2 or 3 yrs ago a coach was getting loud with me. I went to my bag & got my cell phone, opened it up & started the video camera. When he asked what I was doing I played it back for him.

That shut him up.

Rememeber, it was his actions that got him ejected, not yours. If he comes back into the gym after the game and it is for any reason other than to apologize, the league needs to be notified and deal with him. Good luck.

Just a reminder to those who officiate in Michigan: Do not EVER take that cell phone with video/picture capability into a school locker room. It is illegal. It's not illegal to have it in the public gym like where Dan_ref was using it, but I'd still be careful about taking any kind of pictures where young people are present....

As for this game situation, I agree with the suggestion - the gracious suggestion, we've all been there - that this coach needed to be dealt with earlier. Regardless of whether or not that was done, you have to give the coach the T he earned by mouthing profanity at you.

Good point, thanks.

Is it illegal to have the cell phone in your bag and carry your bag into the locker room with you? What do you do with your cell when you are changing?

I leave mine in the car. There is one guy in my circuit who is on the phone for pre-game, halftime and postgame. You don't need it.

I would not T him for that: I flagrant T him.

Amen!

BTW, here's a handy little forumula I use to evaluate situations like the one you're in.

If n is the number of explanations asked for and gotten, then n - 2 of them should not have happened. :)

the 3 P's
 

some other wise offical on this forum had posted his rule of thumb that I now incorporate in my game...the 3 P's...profane, persistant and personal...this has helped me to draw a more consistant line when it comes to coach's...

I agree with Dan that this went on far too long. I put a stop to this nonsense after 2 or 3 times of everything being questioned -- particularly in rec games. BTW, which association do you call for? I'm with Cardinal.

After the game I talked to the head official which is escalating the situation to the appropriate person. Honestly I T'ed a coach the week before for argueing in a 12-13 girls game during the intermission between the first and second quarter. After that game the coach came up to me and apoligized for his actions. He even apoligized to his team and thier parents. And I had that coach the following week with no problems. This league is not that large of a league. The parents, coachs and playeres that have been around for a few years all know most of us officials by name and 90% of the time there are no problems.

When he reentered the gym, I turned my back to him and started talking to my fellow official and then went and had my pregame talk with one of the head coachs for the next game. The first thing out of his mouth was "you won't see or hear any problems from me." And I didn't. I will use the video technique next time I need to. Thanks for the idea.

This Just In
 

I just got a call from my assigner about this game. The coach finally wrote an email stating that his 11-12 year old player did a spin move and I called a charge "like it was obvious to everyone in the gym". and he futher stated that he was thrown out because he "protested very vocally". In his discription of the play he states that the defender was not still and that the contact was made but not caused by his player (offense). Finally states that the the "referee wanted the focus to be on him and not the kids."

My only comment other than to laugh my butt off is, it is always about the players not me or the coaches. Why would a person in thier late 20s give up thier whole Sunday to officiate house league games if it was not for the kids. and that is just my own opinon.

My assigner told asked me to discribe the call again. I said that A23 did a left spin move from the left side of the lane (A23 is backing down B12). B12 was shadowing inside position. As A23 spun, B12 moved sideways to contiune blocking. A23 shoulder contacted B12 left side of chest and B12 went down.

Charge was called on A23, his 5th foul.

I'd like to see the coaches email describing the play next week. I'd say the story would be embibed to the point where his player had jumped and was about to dunk when B52 came in from the side and contacted his player. ;)