Do you apologize?

[mu4scott]

Varsity boys game last night and I think I blow a call early in the third quarter. Kid blows down the lane and in hindsight he probably walks before he gets fouled and the basket goes.

Coach goes ballistic and runs out onto the court while I am coming to the table to report the foul. I obviously have to whack him for coming on the court and throwing a tantrum. He returns to the sideline, but continues his tirade. I give him the stop sign trying to avoid the ejection, but he won’t stop. So I bang him with another. He also proceeds to drop an “F” bomb before he leaves the gym.

My question is this. Do you or should you ever apologize to the coach for probably missing one? Or should you just move on and forget about it?

[Mark Padgett]

Start apologizing to coaches for bad calls after they start apologizing to you for bad coaching.

[bigwhistle]

It depends a lot of times on the relationship that you have with the coach involved. If he is being levelheaded and will talk to you (and listen), there is nothing wrong with getting close enough to him to let him know you missed a particular call. This is not necessarily apoligizing for the call, but just letting him be aware that you realize that the call was incorrect. He knows you can't take the call back, but should appreciate your honesty in admitting a mistake. Than being said, don't do it more than once a game.

[zebraman]

Originally Posted by mu4scott

Varsity boys game last night and I think I blow a call early in the third quarter. Kid blows down the lane and in hindsight he probably walks before he gets fouled and the basket goes.

Coach goes ballistic and runs out onto the court while I am coming to the table to report the foul. I obviously have to whack him for coming on the court and throwing a tantrum. He returns to the sideline, but continues his tirade. I give him the stop sign trying to avoid the ejection, but he won’t stop. So I bang him with another. He also proceeds to drop an “F” bomb before he leaves the gym.

My question is this. Do you or should you ever apologize to the coach for probably missing one? Or should you just move on and forget about it?

Had the coach not gone ballistic, you might have been able to have a nice conversation and said something like, "I'll try to get a better look through the key next time coach." But since he made that conversation impossible, just let it go.

[TimTaylor]

Originally Posted by zebraman

Had the coach not gone ballistic, you might have been able to have a nice conversation and said something like, "I'll try to get a better look through the key next time coach." But since he made that conversation impossible, just let it go.

Good point. Something I've used a time or two is "Coach, if it happened the way you described, then we missed it. We'll watch harder for it next time." But you have to have a dialog established for that to work.........in this case not possible.

[blindzebra]

I had a coach the other night, that "thought" he saw a hold go uncalled. I was trail...we do 2 whistle in AZ...so we had about the same look through the players and from what I could see through the off ball action it wasn't.

We go the other way and I now have a foul against his team, obvious stuff, and he's up yelling.

I report and go over: "Coach, we may have missed it, but I won't have you screaming at us across the court."

He replies, "I wasn't screaming at you, but your partner..."

I cut him off and said, "You won't be screaming at either of us," then walked away.

I whacked him about 5 minutes later, too.

Seems that his number 1 seed in the region tournament was getting out played, and he was getting out coached...but of course it was the officiating that was costing him.

[deecee]

i have had a situation or 2 come up where after I make my call i am not to happy with it -- coach says something like they disagree and asks what I had and I tell them "coach right now I am not too happy with that call either -- I will work harder next time." -- then move on. you have to read a coach and understand if they can handle this comment in a responsible manner -- if you think they will be a jerk down the line with it by bringing it up then just say something like "i will work harder to get a better angle next time".

its ok to show you could have screwed up but that you will work to improve. good coaches expect officials to screw up here and there and as long as its consitent they will work with you.

in your case there was no working with him -- next time maybe try and get your partner to attempt to smooth things over with the coach to cool him down while you are attempting the first set of T free throws. however unless he says something across court then nail him. I try and defuse situations between my partner and coaches whenever possible -- sometimes not possible at all and 99% of the time the coach gets what he deserves.

[mu4scott]

Thanks for the responses.

It was the first time I've had to toss a coach in seven years of officiating. The part that makes me feel bad is that I screwed up and while he did over react if I would have gotten the call right he would be coaching again tonight. Instead he sits out his teams game tonight and I'm off to officiate.

[MJT]

Originally Posted by zebraman

Had the coach not gone ballistic, you might have been able to have a nice conversation and said something like, "I'll try to get a better look through the key next time coach." But since he made that conversation impossible, just let it go.

I agree with you zebraman, he wouldn't let it get to the point you could talk to him. They no in a 3-man crew you will be tableside and they can talk to you without yelling. Maybe he will do that better next time.

[Mountaineer]

In your sitch there's no way he gets any explaination. However, there have been times where a coach went nuts on a walk or oob call (or whatever) and I've gone over and said something like "Yep, I kicked it - sorry coach, I haven't quite mastered that 'perfect' thing yet" - it gets a smile and he knows I'm human and in his own little way feels vindicated and I believe appreciates it.

We have a guy in our board that does it the wrong way. A mediocre official but makes himself even worse by apolgizing all the time. "Coach, I'm sorry I had to call that foul." "Coach, he did walk, but I'm sorry I had to call it" - sheeeeeesh, now that's a problem.

I kicked one bad last year at the end of a game that did actually hurt a team - didn't cause them to lose the game - but didn't help them win either. The coach and I do have a good relationship and talk often when we cross paths. He told me during a softball game this summer that I blew it - I told him, hey I might have - I didn't have a great look at it and I'd love to see the tape. Of course it was months after the game and tempers were calmed down but I did admit that it's possible I blew it. I'm not one to put on the superior attitude that I cannot make a mistake - if I'm wrong I admit it - but never in a situation like in the OP.

[mu4scott]

Just a follow up.

On my way to my game last night I get a call from the offending coach apologizing for his actions. He was very complimentary of me and said, "even though I think you missed the call I never should have acted like that".

Told him that I owe him a beer for the bad call and he owes me $.39 for having to report his tantrum to the state.

We both laughed and all's well that ends well.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by mu4scott

My question is this. Do you or should you ever apologize to the coach for probably missing one? Or should you just move on and forget about it?

In this case there's no way he gets an acknowledgement that you MAY have a missed a call. He blew that with his reaction.

There are 1 or 2 ocassions during each season where I told a coach that I may have missed something on an earlier play. But I don't go out of my way to do it nor do I apologize.

[TimTaylor]

It depends on the situation. If it was an officials error, i.e. giving the ball to the wrong team for inbound, then I have no problem explaining that to the coaches.

A possible error on a judgement call is a different. By definition it's subjective, and the judgement that counts is that of the official. Mistooks happen, and you need to remember that hindsight is always 20/20. We've all been in situations where we've second guessed our initial call, but one thing I've learned is that my initial call is usually correct. Trust your gut instincts. If there was a question at the time it occurred, then you need to get together with your partner immediately & decide what the call will be - travel or foul. Once the decision is made, it's done, and you move on from there.

Regardless of whether or not there was an error in the call, the coach's subsequent behaviour was completely unjustified. He deserved both T's and the resulting ejection, although it would have probably been better if your partner had issued the 2nd one. His expletive before leaving should also be in your ejection report.