She dropped her clipboard?
 

GJV tonight. A1 goes up for a shot, well contested and no foul. I'm lead on the table side and hear what sounds like a clipboard fall. I look over after the rebounding scrum subsides and see a flabbergasted coach standing next to her clipboard lying on the floor.
I know she threw it down in disgust, but I didn't see it, so I couldn't call it. Frankly, I just ignored it and let her stew. Anyone would have done it different?

Mostly likely, as in 99.85%, no.

But I have T'd a coach up without seeing all the action they we doing. It was more of a game management call than anything.

Coach, maybe if you were sitting down you'd have better clipboard control.

Just kidding.

You did the right thing.

If I see it, automatic T.

If I hear it and the board is on the playing surface when I look over, I'm calling it then too.

I would never dream of giving a technical foul to a coach for merely dropping their clipboard.

Allowing it to hit the floor is a whole 'nother matter though.....;)

I don't think it's a good habit to get into calling things you don't see and it's certainly bad advice to tell officials to call a technical they didn't clearly see. The fact of the matter is, we only got 1 set of eyes, and depending on what we're watching at the time, it's possible we just didn't see it, therefore, I'm got no call, and I'm not losing any sleep over it either. Case in point, I'm the lead, watching moving screens in the lane, 4 players (2 offense 2 defense) are to my right on the court, but I'm watching activity in the lane, moving screens, etc. Two players (A1 - B1) Trail has because they got the ball. The other 2 players, closest to me, I assume A2 made a move toward the basket and then decided to quickly come back for the pass, well, all of a sudden, B2 guarding A2 hits the floor. Coach is yelling at me, he just pushed him down on the floor, come on...!!!! I was like coach, look at my eyes, I'm looking off-ball in the lane, I didn't see it, therefore, I got no call. B2 could have just fallen on his own, or he could have gotten push, I don't know.

Now the coach dropping the clipboard is now on a real short leash with me and I'm watching, and if there's no more problems. Chalk it up, move on. Now if you suspected it was done on purpose, couple things to check. Is she in the coaching box? If not, technical for that. Give her a long hard stare, inviting her to say something. She says the wrong thing, technical.

A lot of people would call this 'baiting' the coach. I think it's appropriate just to keep an eye on her from that point.

I think everyone would call it baiting, and we know most coaches will take hook, line, and sinker.

I agree, no call. However, give a stern look to the clipboard with the expression of "how did that get there?" I think you'll likely get the message across that she got away with it once, but won't again.

Had a coach a few weeks ago throw her hands up with clipboard and it kept going.

They are slick and YES make a lot of racket when they hit the floor.

In your case - If no ref saw it - I guess it was not a factor in any play.

Let it go.

You didn't SEE it, don't call it. JMO . . . but you are BEGGING for trouble with this one if you do call the "T". Sounds like you made a good no-call.

Definitely DO NOT do was Old School says. You do not want to get into a "stare down" with a coach. That IS baiting, and 90% or more of coaches WILL bite. You also don't want to "Look" for a reason to give a "T" either. If the coach and their behavior is going to be your focus, then who is focused on the game??

This happened in a Christmas Tournament game this year (well last year, but this basketball season ;)). It was the game after mine, and we stayed around for a little while and took advantage of the food!

Coach threw down his clip board on a call he didn't get, the officials were down on the other end of the floor and didn't see it. Then, there was a call that went against him... so he took a coin out of his pocket, threw it up, looked at the result, and shrugged his shoulders. Just when he thought he got away with it... the C (who was opposite table) came in with the call -- whack.

That's pretty close to a flagrant technical in my opinion.

I have a clipboard story. I'm working a freshman game 15 or so years ago at my alma mater. My 10th grade economics teacher is the coach. He gets so mad at his team, he slams the clipboard down and the metal clip goes flying off the clipboard onto the floor.

The coach is now an ACC football official.

Something similar happened to me some years ago: an object was dropped on the court; my partner and I didn't see who dropped it, but nevertheless we decided to eject the responsible.

Why? Well, the object was a chair and the person who used to sit on it was the analog of the game manager (more precisely the person responsible for the officials' needs).

Of course a clipboard is a bit different from a chair.;) If I don't see how it came to the floor, I would not T the coach, but probably keep an eye on the bench.

Ciao

My second year as an official, I had a coach slam his clipboard on his chair with both hands as I was walking to report a foul. Yep . . . see ya coach.