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:

i igonre comments like this and pretty much have gotten to the point where i dont even hear them.

I think the coach, the game, and YOUR personality will dictate how you handle this situation. In some instances, I merely ignore the coach. In some instances, I warn the coach (something like, "Coach, please coach your team and let me officiate. Thank you, Coach."). In some "continuing" instances, I warn the coach ("coach, that's enough.") and give them the stop sign. But I won't listen to it for an entire game.

I wish I could buy a ticket, a soda, some popcorn, a big foam stop sign and go to one of these games. I would just cheer my butt off when I see the stop sign! Talk to the coach more and do things that piss them off less! You might as well start telling them to shut up and sit down.

I'm not sure why the stop sign has become such a big deal here. It has it's place and can be used effectively there.

In the OP, I respond to the first comment by saying, "We're watching, coach". Next time, if it's literally the next trip back, I start into "Thank you. Thank you." Next time, I'm up to, "Coach, I've heard enough" which always includes the stop sign. After that, WHACK!! That's if these are literally every trip back, as in OP, and if it's during a live ball. Four of these throughout the game, I'll say, "We're watching, coach" once and then basically ignore.

Amen, Rut! I truly don't understand why so many officials get upset by boneheaded coach comments and feel they have to address them.

"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!! ..

So what?? If that's all he's doing/saying, if that's the way he chooses to coach, why do I care? Besides, at least this guy's being polite..."please"

He isn't being polite. He also isn't coaching. He's working you as an official. Every single possession. If you want to listen to it, fine. I won't.

From what I've heard 4th or 5th-hand, this was Coach Wooden's approach. Every possession, he would have some little comment as you went by and then when you had enough and T'd him, he'd look completely innocent, since he was just sitting there on the bench without making any gestures and nobody else heard him say a word. So you look like an idiot for T'ing up this poor old guy who's just sitting there minding his own business.

Coach Wooden received technicals? :confused: :eek:

Every single possesion! He's questioning your ability to do the job at hand. Stop it and stop it early.

Coaches around here know I will answer questions but not comments. I react to comments if they are disrespectful, and might I say without a stop sign usually.

Last night VG coach was looking for a rebounding foul and as I was in front of his bench says to his Captain " Please ask Mr Referee why he didn't call over the back on that play, when he has a moment." He knew I heard him and I just smiled, she never addressed me about it though.

I wanted so badly to respond by challenging him to find the rule in the rule book where it says I have to call over the back a foul, then I would call it. I didn't, I just thought about this forum.

Reminds me of a pet-peeve of mine: I call a foul on a player then the coach loudly asks his/her player "Did you foul him/her?"

I'd tell him, "Coach, we're already calling a ton of fouls. We are getting the contact we need to. Please keep your comments to yourself." If he continues, turn around and whack him. I would not ignore it because first of all he'll keep doing it, and second of all you'll open the door to "That guy won't talk to me."

BF coach the other night, 2nd time I've had him this year. He thinks I call too many travels. First game I had him, I called his pg for a double dribble coming down the lane about half-way through the 2nd quarter. I hear the coach ask him, "Did you?" Point guard cops to it, and coach simply nods his head and moves on.
Tuesday night, I call the same kid for a travel on a little hippity-hop move. Again, I hear the coach ask his kid if he did it, "Did you pick up your foot." This time I didn't pay attention to the response.

[QUOTE=rainmaker]I'm not sure why the stop sign has become such a big deal here. It has it's place and can be used effectively there.


For the anal in the crowd, use "its" here, and not "it's."

[QUOTE=TriggerMN]Captian to petard...one to hoist

;)

Well if we're really going to be anal then I need to ask what picture the coach wanted you to see?

I heard it first hand. Wooden was notorious for working the officials. That's why I laugh every time I see the term "sportsmanship" used along with his name. He was the Jim Boheim of his time.

Speaking of Boheim, the greatest description I ever heard of him came from an official. He said <i>"If a hemmorhoid could talk, it would sound just like Boheim".</i>

Coach K is another one that gets away with murder imo. Another whining phony that pays lip service to sportsmanship.

Grumble, grumble, grumble.....:D

how is it working an official if the official tunes out said coach? only statements that you let get to you can effect you.

I had one of these coaches Tuesday night as well, and after the same comment 3 or 4 trips up the floor, I just politely said "Coach, Please coach your players, and we will referee the game" He got the hint and did a nice job from then on.
I have heard one line used that was funny, but I would never use it because I don't find it to be very professional. "Coach, if you and I are both officiating, Who is coaching your team?"

I would give him the stop sign, let my partner know and then if he continues chirping, WACKARAMA!

I would think this may provoke a response from said Coach like "When are you gonna start then" or something that will make you then have to decide if you need to make a further call on the Coach.

You may be right, and baiting a coach into a comment that leads to a T is not a good practice. Maybe in this situation, the stop sign is the proper way to handle the situation. I will try that approach next time around.

This was a great response in another thread.
"this is where i would ask the coach if he saw the new Rocky. And while he is confused I make my escape."
I don't know what she meant, but I thought it was funny.

by she you mean HE -- last I checked thats what I qualify as....

:o Oops.... Sorry. My bad.

Would you wrap it in a bow? Do they make bows for octagonal structures?

http://blog.kir.com/archives/stop_sign_cop.jpg

Yessssssssssssss!

Good Coaches ?
 

This thread has mentioned the names of some very successful coaches who seem to exhibit poor sportmanship, in some cases, in very subtle ways: Coach Boheim, Coach Wooden, and Coach K. I would like to add Coach Calhoun and, or course, Coach Knight.

For those of you who closely follow or officiate Division I basketball, are there any really successful "big time" Division I coaches who exemplify good sportmanship ?

From what I hear, Coach Calhoun is not subtle at being an a-hole.

Calmly say "Coach, you are becoming a distraction. I can't listen to you and ref the game at the same time. Which would you prefer I do tonight?" If he's smart, he'll stop...if he keeps going, turn your back to the court while play is going on and repeat the statement...if that doesn't work, walk over and sit down next to him on the bench and say "Now that I'm comfortable, we can have a nice, long conversation".

Editorial Note: Everything after the words "he'll stop" is only wishful thinking and I would never really do it - altho it might be fun the last game I do before retiring! :D But the statement has worked well for me for many years...

1st trip down..."we're working hard coach" or "I'll watch"
2nd trip down...."Not on every play Coach"
3rd trip down....Generally, the Coach is busy coaching his team but if he's still chirping, he will get a stopsign from me so everyone knows his line has been drawn. If he continues, why wait til the next trip to pin him?

or if the coach throws up his arms and you are close enough -- tickle his pits and run

I know he's not being polite...I thought the sarcasm was implied. I'll be more precise with that in the future.

And if I'm ignoring what the coach is saying, then I'm not listening to it, so I'm not being worked, am I? And if his "coaching" is to work me but I'm not listening, then why do I care how he "coaches"? I'm not his principal, athletic director, parent of a player on his team, or school alumnus, so I really, truly don't care if he's a poor coach.

I just don't understand why so many officials feel a need to respond to anything/everything a coach says or does. I'll answer coaches' questions, I'll address their behavior if they're approaching or over the edge. But if I give in to their attempt to "game" me then they've won because now my focus isn't on the game at hand but on the psychological crappola they're trying to lay on me.

But if you don't want to listen to it that's perfectly okay with me.

Corndog, you're making up multi excuses on why you shouldn't call a "T". That's fine. That's you. If you feel it's OK to let a coach whine and yap at you on every single possesssion, be my guest. Everybody has their own tolerance level. Yours and mine are completely different. Shrug.

how would/do you handle this...
 

In Texas we: Ignore the comments and answer the questions I.E. "watch the handchecks please" is an (ignored) comment. vs "Why are you not calling that handcheck?" I will answer with a very short "I'll watch for that coach".

Cute . . .

OK in this situation, I'll tell the coach that I've heard enough. Be sure to let your partners know that you have now warned the coach. Next word - pop him! I might be tempted to - as I pop him - say, "Wanna compain about that one?":D

How is ignoring a bonehead who is not yelling, screaming, gesticulating, swearing, insulting me or my partners, etc, but instead just whining "making up multi-excuses"? And how can that be "T" worthy?

JR, I respect your comments, opinions, and judgements on this board a lot, but on this issue I guess our tolerance levels are different, which is still okay with me.