"Try it and you'll find out"

[JAdams]

I'm sorry, fellow officials, but Mark's partner started this one with his smart*** reply of "try it and you'll find out." What would be wrong with a simple yes or no? The game of life (and basketball) is played by communicating, and Mark's partner certainly failed with his communciation skills. I'm betting that Mark's partner went into this game with a chip on his shoulder, and probably deserved all the crap he got from the players. Sure, the player in question was also wrong for his verbal tirade, but Mark's parter started it. I have found that if you treat players (even adult rec players) with respect, it goes a long way toward preventing problems. Treating them with respect (e.g. answering a simple question) is far different than knuckling under and being subservient to them.