Barking Assistant

[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.

[Jway44]

Yeah, I say leave the smart azz comments to Saturday recreational coaches (who know nothing of the game) and keep the Varsity level officiating as professional as possible. If you work enough games you will know most of the HC from past seasons, so you know each ones demeanor and how they will communicate with you. Usually just a "Coach, can you please take care of your bench for me?" will be enough to take care of it. If it continues, go ahead with the T. That is the only way to stop it if the HC refuses to do so. He is the one that will loose the most because there will be no coaching box for him to stand in, so usually just a warning to him will get the point across.

[deecee]

if an assistant asks me a question and in a respectable manner during lets say a break in action I will answer and work with him (this happens very rarely). However if I ever need to discipline an AC -- before a T for example -- I do this through the HC and make sure the AC hears as well.

My dealings with AC's are only the positive kind -- if it needs to get negative it will channel through the HC. If the AC is one word from a T usually to the HC I say "Your assistant is about to cost you 2 points, possession and your freedom to stand." or "Reign him in coach he's about to cost you." Which one I use depends on how much time i have in front of the HC.