That's one of the Golden Rules of Officiating, which can also be unfortunate at times.

Scrapper,
I just went through the new Case Book for the 2006-07 season and read all of the rulings with a * because that means that they are new or have changed. I do this before each new season. Look what I found for you! ;)

FORFEITURE
*5.4.1 SITUATION A: A1 commits his/her fifth personal foul. Both the head coach and player are properly notified. Team A has substitutes available but the head coach from Team A does not send a substitute to the table within the 30-second time limit. The Team A head coach is assessed a technical foul. The head coach still does not send a substitute to the table. RULING: The official should forfeit the contest to the opposing team for the head coach delaying the contest and attempting to make a travesty of the game. COMMENT: The referee may forfeit a game if any player, team member, bench personnel or coach fails to comply with any technical foul penalty.

The underlined words still seem to give the official some leeway, but I guess it's pretty clear what they want you to do. Thanks, Nevadaref.

That's because if there is a crowd at the door with a noose, and you would have to award the game to the visiting team via forfeit, you need to have room to use your judgment.

This is interesting because I had the exact thing happen in a game last night. Team A is playing with a short bench, 7 players. two players fouls out and with 4 minutes left in the game a third gets his second Direct T. Coach goes off on my partner so she T'd him up. Coach would not leave it alone even after I asked him to refrain and if he could not then he could watch the remainder from outside the gym doors. I asked him to sit down and relax, but as this is not a requirement in NCAA he goes off on me now telling me I can't tell him to do something that is not part of the rules. I informed him I could because he was being disruptive and gave him his second T. Perhaps I could have been more leaniant. Short story long Assistant was not willing to sit on bench as head coach so the game was over.

Are you saying that the assistant was not willing to coach the team? Or are you saying that the assistant was not willing to be "seatbelted" while acting as head coach?

If the assistant was unwilling to coach, then it seems like that person shouldn't be on the coaching staff.

The second question made me wonder if the assistant gets to use the coaching box after the head coach is ejected in NCAA. I know in HS the answer is "no". But can the "acting head coach" use the box in NCAA? I looked through Rule 10, but couldn't find anything that says so. Is there an AR anywhere that addresses this?

He was not confident enough to act as Head coach. Coaching is voluntary and not a paid position in this league. NCAA does not seatbelt head coaches, so if the Assistant is acting as the head coach, they get the use of the box.

In NCAA even if you T the coach he does not get seatbelted. So if they are disrupting the game you give them 2 and problem is solved.

Is that written somewhere? Rule reference or AR?

That one, I knew! :)

Rule 10 ..... Bench restrictions I believe says the Head coach has use of the box. I take it that when the head coach is ejected the Assistant takes over duties of Head coach and therefore would have use of the box. I can't find any other references, so I may be wrong.

The HS rule says the same thing, but it's interpreted to mean that ONLY the head coach can use the box; not the assistant if/when he takes over. So if the college rule reads the same way, do we interpret it the same way?

That is only because of the reason the head coach is being replaced. When even a single T is received by the HS coach, the box is lost. In NCAA, the box is not lost.

So, any assistant inherits the privileges and restrictions left to them by the departing coach. In the NCAA, the box remains. In HS, the box is lost because it was lost by the departing coach.

If the departing coach leaves due to illness, the assistant wil have the use of the box unless it has otherwise been lost.

In HS? I don't think so!