Barking Assistant

[SperlingPE]

Don't communicate with the assistants.
I had a similar situation about two weeks back.
First chance I had I told the HEAD coach that his assistant is about to lose the coach's box for you.

[JRutledge]

I think the main lesson I get out of all these responses, is what you do might not work for someone else and vice versa. I also think a lot of what you say is based on your personal presence when you talk and the tone of voice and even the situations. There are situations where I am a hard *** when it comes to assistants and there are other situations where I hardly raise my voice. I think it just depends on what coach you are dealing with and the actions of the assistants. I think we can all pretty much agree that assistants are not to be getting out of hand and are mostly to be seen and not heard. Even that last statement does not always apply.

Peace

[Mountaineer]

That's one of those situations like my buddy had last year. He pepped the asst. and said that one's for you - immediately popped him again and said that one's for me!

Of course, as I said in another thread, I also LOVE the "Sorry Robin, I only talk to Batman".

I probably wouldn't have warned him - if he barked at me like that - I'd have popped him. No excuse for that crap. That's one area where I don't have much patience.

[mbyron]

The best place for those snappy lines is right here on the board. I'd never use one on the court. I like the line about the privilege of explanation not extending to assistants.

[Junker]

I agree. Tell the head coach to control your bench. Right before the break we went down to a little 1A school we hadn't worked before (we go back tomorrow). The assistant coach was from the same small town I am and has known me all my life, although I would imagine in his eyes I'm still a 10 year old kid (He is a little less than 10 years older). The first call I made, I rotate table side and he starts complaing. I look at him...then look at the head coach and say, "Coach, I just want to remind you that the head coach is the only person on the bench that will be addressing us this evening." When I turned back a minute later the assistant was laughing and I had to give him a grin. He just thought he could work me because he knew me I think.

[Junker]

Oh yeah, by the way, if an assistant continues to complain, you shouldn't remind them it will be a long night, it will be a short one for them.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by mbyron

The best place for those snappy lines is right here on the board. I'd never use one on the court.

I keep away from them too. They're usually unprofessional, and they also usually just piss people off. You're just inviting a response when you use a wiseazz remark. And if the response is also wiseazz, you've now got a real decision to make, don't you.

[Ignats75]

You're right, coach. And the first was the technical on you. But don't worry, I'll get that called right now."

If he asks what the second thing was, tell him it's his second technical.

Assistant coaches are a pain in the backside, but why would you enflame the situation by goading one into a second T?

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by Ignats75

Assistant coaches are a pain in the backside, but why would you enflame the situation by goading one into a second T?

The second T relieves the pain

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

I keep away from them too. They're usually unprofessional, and they also usually just piss people off. You're just inviting a response when you use a wiseazz remark. And if the response is also wiseazz, you've now got a real decision to make, don't you.

Example (I can give a good example from my own experience for almost any mistake there is!): I read on this board that if a coach asks something like, "How can you call that a foul?" or "Why would she just throw the ball out of bounds if there wasn't a foul?" an official could say, "That's a coaching issue." It really didn't sound that smart-azz to me, in fact I thought it sounded pretty reasonable (first mistake!). Next game, I had the perfect opportunity to use that one, and I yanked it out of the bag. Talk about backfire! There were some dads of players (from the coach's school!), who were real jerks and were razzing the girls and the team as a whole. When they heard me say that, they started giving him heck. He was furious at me the rest of the game, and although I never had to T him, the game just went into the crapper.

The only smart-azz remark that I've used successfully, but still rarely, is to say to a player who wants to comment on my officiating (and I always say it quietly), " If you want to change shirts, you can finish reffing, and I"ll play for you, but your coach definitely doesn't want me on your team!" The girl will usually smile, if I do, and shut up. But I only use it about once a year.

[Time2Ref]

I agree. The snappy comebacks do little to improve the situation. I know, I've tried them.

I hear things on this board, I hear things in the assoc. meeting and think, "That's a good one, I'll have to remember that one". They didn't work for me. Maybe it's just my personality.

One that I did get away with was the following:
GJV, visiting team is getting blown out of the water. Partner is calling fouls everywhere. Home team coach is a jerk. Tableside, as trail, play is going the other way. As I pass the visiting coach, I hear him say something to the effect of "We've got 11 fouls, the other team only has 4". I look at him as I run by and say, "Coach, tell your girls to stop fouling so much".

He looks like he wants to say something, then his face gets this confused look, and he shrugs his shoulders, by then, I'm down the floor.

[bgleason@neonin]

I love the Batman line...
Try this one: After a complaint from the ***. Coach i say in voice loud enough for the whole bench to hear, "who is the head coach here?" That usually prompts some action from the HC and quiets the AC. Sometimes it gets the HC really pissed at the Asst Coach. He He He.