Wisdom from the stands

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by williebfree
My quick retort, "Coach, I'll call it when it happens!"

Tell him that it's a delayed violation, and stick out your fist.

Of course, make sure the howler monkey is standing right next to you when you do this

Simpsons example:
Marge: Homer, don't eat any of that pie I just baked.
Homer: I'm just going to go like this (chewing air while walking toward the pie), and if any pie gets in my mouth, it's the pie's fault!

[Larks]

I'm working a 5th grade tourney game yesterday. This league shoots the FTs from the shorter line so we adjust our 3-sec lane to that line. All game long, I hear 123. Mind you not one hundred twenty three but one-two-three about as fast as you can say it.

"Excuse me Mr. Expert, I guess you are trying to get us to call three seconds?" I thinks.

123

123

This idiot is yelling 123 taking about a half a sec to actually say it.

All the 5th grade teams usually post their center right at this shortened line. All year, all the games I have worked where there is a shorter FT line, we shorten the lane (right or wrong, thats what they told us, so thats what we do)...but since its a tourney I guess all the experts are out in force.

"CMON, HE'S ALL OVER HIM....THATS OVER THE BACK....123"

I love it when an expert attends the game.

Larks - Veteran In Training

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by williebfree
Girls' Varsity:

Team A advancing the ball in the BC. The dribbler moves to the non-tableside of the court away from me (and the opposing coach). At the division line, near the far sideline, the defense sets a double-team trap. The dribbler has both feet across the division line, BUT has not advanced the ball forward of it. The dribbler recognizes the situation and returns to the BC to avoid the "trap".

The opposing coach gets loud, "That's over and back Ref! How can you miss it!"

My quick retort, "Coach, I'll call it when it happens!"

He gave me a perplexed look. As if he thought "I" was in another game.

In the time it took you to give the retort, you could have said, "Three points on a dribble, coach."

I prefer to explain the rule, if I can in oone or two sentences.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

My personal all time favorite.......

"Awwwwwwwww.....c'mon Ref that's gotta be sumthin!!"

I took some TASO applications to my daughters last game and gave them to a couple of dads. Told them that since they obviously had such rules knowledge.....they ought to just go ahead and become a ref......

They didn't think it was funny..........oh well.

Joel

[williebfree]

Originally posted by bob jenkins

In the time it took you to give the retort, you could have said, "Three points on a dribble, coach."

I prefer to explain the rule, if I can in oone or two sentences.

BOB-

I am with you on this; however, this coach had been given explanations earlier. He is also a state-certified official. He was clearly trying to unnerve me (and incite his fans to do the same).

Thanks for your input!

[Spaman_29]

I had a very similar situation in a girls varsity game from a group in the stands. Team A is advancing the ball and the girl with the ball steps on the division line but had not completely crossed to gain FC status. She then dribbles back and passes the ball around. The group goes crazy and the coach thought that we missed it. Fortunatly the ball is knocked out of bounds close to that group. I retort quite loudly, "Ok who is the idiot who thought that was back court, you should be thown out for stupidity." Then some of the guys who knew the rule started to make fun of the guys who had said it. Needless to say nothing else came from the stands. You have to love poetic justice!

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by williebfree
BOB-

I am with you on this; however, this coach had been given explanations earlier. He is also a state-certified official. He was clearly trying to unnerve me (and incite his fans to do the same).

Thanks for your input!

In that case, I start my explanation with, "As you know, coach, ..." This forces him to admit:

a) He doesn't know, or
b) He shouldn't be arguing "against" the rules.

[Oz Referee]

One of my favourites was when I was a spectator at a NBL game (the Australian version of the NBA). The "expert" behind me was explaining the finer points of the rules to his friend. He explained that if a player gets 5 fouls they are ejected (it's actually 6) and are not allowed to be replaced (like in soccer). Plus if a player or coach gets a tech, then they are automatically ejected and suspended for 2 games (I wish!). As well, he explained that when a team reaches 5 fouls in a quarter, then they are not allowed to substitute any further (WTF?).

On his last statement, I turned around and commented to his friend that it is great that he is now a basketball fan - but perhaps he would like to ask someone who actually knows the rules, rather than the fool sitting next to him. The "expert" then went on to tell me that he knew all there was to know about the game, and that I was just a kid - so what could I know (he was maybe 5 years older than me).

At half time, one of the State assigners came up to me and asked if I was still available to referee the warm-up game the next week before the NBL game was played....funnily enough, the "expert" was very quiet for the rest of the game...