How would/do you handle this....
 

Be prepared, this is a long winded explanation and question!

Last night, working a BV conference game we had one coach that absolutely drove me crazy. He stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed and would say:

"watch their hands please"
"watch the pics please"
"watch handchecks please"
"watch the holding please"
"watch the traveling please"

He said this on EVERY SINGLE posession!!

Now to give you some insight into the game. First of all, the players were tall, big and fast but, really not "athletic." Meaning, they didn't have the greatest body control. The game was full of action with pressure defense, a lot of cutting and back screens set. All in all, it was a very disorganized game.

We called 24 fouls in the first half and 29 fouls in the second half. All fouls were pretty obvious (really no complaints about any whistles). But how would you have handled this head coach? Honestly, it was every time down the floor!

"Coach, that's enough for the game!" Turn away from him.

Probably something like, "Coach, if you have some occasional questions about calls, we'll be happy to talk to you. However, we are not going to tolerate a running commentary from the bench."

"Coach, I'm aware of the rules for ALL that. That will be enough." Say it loud enough so that he knows you've heard enough. Next trip down...if he persists....WHACK! If ya don't handle this guy early...he'll be a pain in the a$$ all game.

At the next stoppage in play I would go over and quitely tell him he was killing me with the constant chatter. Any coach who isn't in his first game would get the hint. If he continues the next step is obvious. Or ignore it. Everyone's different, some guys would whack him early others if it continued. And still others not at all. No one is exactly right and no one is exactly wrong.JMO:cool:

And all season until someone sends him a definite message.

By switching more on fouls. :)

If he is only saying it in a subdued tone I think I've conditioned myself to ignore it. But if it did become an irritant I would say something like "Coach, I can't have you in my ear every trip up the court." (followed by the "stop sign" :p )

When a coach says something to me like this, I tend to just ignore them.

If it got to the point where every time a coach had something to say, I would wait until a timeout or extended dead ball and say something like, "Coach you need to allow us to call the game." Or I might say, "Coach we cannot officiate the game with you talking to us all night long." Basically I would have to let the coach know they need to get back to doing their job and I will do mine. I try to address the behavior not the questions like these.

Peace

When I encounter coaches with this mentality or approach

Me: Coach, that the first and last time you get to officiate the game.

I, too, used to be a proponent of the "snappy" comeback. But as I've grown as an official and talked to those who have had successful careers I've learned we are better served to stay professional and deal with the behavior appropriately.

I listened to John Clougherty (former Final Four ref/now supervisor for the ACC and CAA) at a camp this past summer and he said that he does not want his officials responding to coaches in a non-professional manner, no matter how un-professional the coaches are acting.

The main problem I have with that comment is the fact the next time he questions something, you better stick him. Or you will not have much credibility after that point.

I think saying "Coach I cannot have to officiating the game all night" is a better response because it lets the coach know you they need to get back to coaching and not telling you how to do your job. Then a coach has been at the very least warned, but you do not have to take a zero tolerance position if they ask you a very legitimate question. Just my opinion.

Peace

I think it needs to be said that I do not feel this comment that truerookie made was in any way unprofessional. We can debate if it was effective or not, but I do not think this snappy comment was at all professional. It is very professional to let a coach know they are not to officiate the game. I just did not like the statement because it puts you into a box.

Peace

Give the coach the stop sign and tell him that he's <b>almost</b> becoming a game interrupter and he's not allowing you to use good game management.

Then puke on his shoes.

I must have a short fuse but there's nowayinhell that I'm gonna let a coach work me like that on every single trip up and down the court. Nip it, nip it in the bud.

Well, I would just give him my .72 second stop sign. :D

I have been working on it all afternoon; it works pretty darn quick now!

For the record, I've never used the "stop sign" as I just don't like it personally. But, this is a case where I could have tried it :eek: