My first varsity game, and a T-foul question

[robertclasalle]

Had my first varsity game last night, girls, 2 good teams. My partner does college games, has lots of experience. Uneventful game with visitors losing by about 20 when visitors' coach explodes after my partner's call in the third quarter, slams his water bottle onto the floor where it opens and spills water onto the court. I T'd him for it, home shooter made 1 of the 2 FT's off the T, visitors made a great comeback, tied it, went into overtime, home team won by one point on a foul shot with 2 seconds left in OT (my partner called the shooting foul on that). My wife was there, said it was a baptism of fire for me. I wonder if anyone picked up on the fact that the coach's T may have (probably did) cost his team the game? Or was it the official's fault, as usual? Anyway, I'm a third year ref, 2 years in the state association, was lucky to get this assignment from a friend on a cancellation, I do mostly freshmen and JV but I won't forget the excitement of my first varsity game.

One footnote: after the technical, the visitors' coach would not sit down, I calmly reminded him that he lost the box and needed to sit, he was shocked, did not know that rule, I did not want to further provoke the situation by a second technical, followed by removal from the building, paperwork, phone calls, etc. I was hoping my partner would come to the rescue and sit him down, but he didn't. I know I could have T'ed him again and ejected him but decided against it. Any thoughts?

[blindzebra]

It was a legit T, it had no impact on the outcome of the game, in fact it sounds like it may have helped them re-focus in get back into it.

You did a find job, and IMO, your partner left you hanging. He should be the one sitting the coach down, and he did not take care of his business.

[Texas Aggie]

You've got to sit him down.

One question: he slammed the bottle down on your partner's call. Did your partner not see it or did he pass on it? I think you were correct in issuing the T (he can't get away with that), but generally, I like to wait and let the calling official (if possible, and that's a big if) take it.

I did have a water bottle incident several years ago. 3 man game; kid gets his 4th foul and coach is arguing with the calling official. I and the other official are setting up for a throw in when kid goes to bench and kicks the water bucket over, and it was full. I called a T and ejected him -- back then, Ts didn't count toward 5 personals. But my partner was fully engaged with his back partially turned toward the bench. Coach didn't see it, got defensive at first, and then when I pointed out the water all over the floor, didn't say another word.

As I told my partner tonight, game control is your number one priority.

[blindzebra]

Originally posted by Texas Aggie
You've got to sit him down.

One question: he slammed the bottle down on your partner's call. Did your partner not see it or did he pass on it? I think you were correct in issuing the T (he can't get away with that), but generally, I like to wait and let the calling official (if possible, and that's a big if) take it.

I did have a water bottle incident several years ago. 3 man game; kid gets his 4th foul and coach is arguing with the calling official. I and the other official are setting up for a throw in when kid goes to bench and kicks the water bucket over, and it was full. I called a T and ejected him -- back then, Ts didn't count toward 5 personals. But my partner was fully engaged with his back partially turned toward the bench. Coach didn't see it, got defensive at first, and then when I pointed out the water all over the floor, didn't say another word.

As I told my partner tonight, game control is your number one priority.

Anything that blatant is fair game, and if his partner was passing on it, he did an even a worse job of controlling the coach than I got from the first post.

[Texas Aggie]

I agree. I fully support his calling the T. I was just curious and making a recommendation that he wait a split second. You don't want to steal your partner's whistle, but you do want to keep control.

[robertclasalle]

Thanks for your input, everyone. My partner was down low, behind the paint. His ruling was on a jump ball/holding call. I was right in front of the table, and near the benches, when my partner made his call and the coach erupted. I don't think my partner saw the water bottle event, but I sure did.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by robertclasalle
I do mostly freshmen and JV but I won't forget the excitement of my first varsity game.

You never forget your first...

[Junker]

Sounds like you did a nice job. Ignorant fans may place the blame on you for the coach's T, but they are ignorant fans. His poor decision and lack of self control cost them the game, not you. As far as taking the T, I again say nice job. I have no problem if a partner beats me to the punch on a T. It shows that we are in it together and backing each other up.

[TussAgee11]

I was the head manager on my high school basketball team, our PG had a fast break and got absolutly hammered from behind by their big man on the way up. Ref calls a foul, it was a hard foul nothign intentional. Well the defender stands over our player and does the throat slash thing. Our bench was on that side of the court. Well our coach goes nuts, the lead had begun to loop around and saw it. He had dropped his whistle, and I saw him see the throat slashing and blow, but there was no whistle there! He looked like a lost child trying to get that thing back into his mouth.

Our coach quickly apologized for yelling so loudly right away about it, because it sounded like nothing was going to be called, but the ref got it right.

Its happened to me officiating games where I try to whistle a time out or something and the whistle isn't there. Whoops!

[zebracz]

Way to step it up, (RC) robertclasalle! 4-Real!

IMO, that's the very reason You Were On that Game. And, as opportunity arose, you 'stepped it up, when you needed to.' ..not only is it great officiating, but great to know that you noticed that that's what it took to take care of that ballgame. ..ending in OT? ahhh, couldn't get much better, right? ..as sitch's came on, YOU dealt w/ them. ..i think that (it's good-partnering) letting your P have his T. We all need the Pard...thankgod, for me in many many of my games.

A patient T doesn't always have to be a late T.
If the (teamB) coach's reaction is THAT blatant, moronic, stupid, un-called4, unneeded (wutever), The trying to gain ADV or to influence officiating, none the less to influence the official is mostly beside the point, just becuz of his physical tyrade. it's destracting, slows the game down--stops the game. wow, that's the most obvious one to T-up, right? meaning, you can't go wrong w/ that action. ..as had been mentioned by TEXAS Aggie who tossed the waterbottle kid, I'd a tossed the coach too! (maybe, who knows or cares) But if you'd had to toss the coach, there's underlyingly written a rule that "a coach's 2nd T--oughta be your P's t, if you'd t'd him first."

But if ur P won't/can't/didn't see? You can. You gotta. You have discression and judgment to help you manage the game. Well done. You were uncertain about the admin-side w/ the coach not wanting/knowing about sitting down. You sound like you felt comfortable w/ addressing the coach, asking him to sit, etc--Was it comfortable, 2nd nature, instinctual, easy-to-do?? Then great! Awesome! --you've arrived, RC. congrats! keep it up. Many P's encourage help, need help, need leadership, or need reminding. Your skills, your philosophy, your style, your ability--All that practice you're getting on Frosh/JV games paid off, right? IMO, what P wouldn't want that type of "attack-of the game," if you will, in his/her P. I mean, as long as you're getting 'em right and getting it done.

So, if you pass (long enough) to see your P isn't gonna T--then you do. But, let ur P have his reward, his dues...know, what I mean? IMO, if you had taken a T from up in front of my sitch, before you had given me a chance to take it, I would wanna talk about it. Mentioning it in a postgame, during a deadball or during a t.o. so that we can share our 'side of the story, so we both learn from the sitch. If I'da just not seen it or missed it, I'd wanna know, ya know? W/ further communication we'd be that much better on our next game together, we'd be that much more on the same page. hopefully, I'da seen it and been right there to help (rescue)--not to take it from you. (BTW, that coach's "he was in shock" reaction, as you wrote-it, is only an antic. he's trying to intimidate and/or discredit his actions. (or he's just plain messing w/ ya) I'd expect (or respect) that that coach knows that rule, right?

U R perfectly legit to admin 'the seat-belt rule' to him. don't back down either. you may be finding that the guys working those (varsity) games, may not have really been doing things as you thought they were. (It may not just be admin-ing T's, but rules-knowledge, management-skills, court coverage changes, etc etc.) On the contrary side of this, I'd bet that most or ur future partners and in many games, you'll get to work w/ very good officials (whether they are veterans, just plain 'know the game,' have been around forever, have had very good and lots of experience, or are 'just a damn good refs.' be a sponge, learn all you want, learn all you can. Ask, watch, follow, Listen, and continually ask for feedback, assistance in inproving. You'll be needed more, as you start to get some of these games. try to stay-up on the rules, keep polishing yourself. be ready like you were on this one. Way to step it up! congrats, RC.

Know that a good P would've been there w/ you. It also sounds as though your patient whistle (to not 2nd T-him) was a right decision, good decision.

goodluck.

[zebracz]

...oh and one more thing: Good T story, as was said, but great FIRSTGAME T story. LoL