Your worst game ever?

[Texas Aggie]

Probably last year. Early season tournament assignment for a private school thing. Allegedly varsity. This game amounted to the 7-8th place game, as both teams had lost their first two games. Immediately, it was clear even this game was going to be a blowout. The bad team was poorly coached and lived by the motto "if you can't beat 'um, beat 'um up." We (2 man) struggled to keep control from the middle of the first quarter, but were doing OK. The biggest problem was that we were trying to keep the clock running and throw a bone to the losing team by calling fouls against them and only the felonies committed by them. By the 4th quarter, it was apparent that strategy was flawed. The winning team started getting a little miffed about how they were getting hammered and no call was made.

One example of the contact was a good wrestling throw down move that the losing team was using -- calling it a block out. On a rebound, they'd grab the other player, and throw him down. Unbelievably I let one of these go, then started calling them. The coach was irate from the middle of the 3rd quarter on (down by at least 35 at that point), and in the 4th, my partner threw out one of the premier wrestlers on the losing team after he threw an elbow. The coach started asking me if we gave him a warning first, and I told him, "no, we don't give warnings for flagrant fouls." Then, he started loudly complaining. I had passed on a T before then, but late in the game, it was starting to get out of hand. After I warned him twice, he continued his loud protests, and I dumped him. My first ejection ever. I do know the coach was shocked beyond belief and might have had some job issues because of it. This was supposedly a Christian school!

While I stand by the ejection, I performed poorly. But to some extent, it was worth it due to the things I've learned:

1. Don't automatically go into blowout mode (i.e. ignoring fouls committed by the team getting pummeled), especially early in the game. You might be judicious in your selection of what to call, but don't EVER ignore things like takedowns or other completely physical moves that have no place in any basketball game. I can't believe I swallowed my whistle on that one play.

2. Don't ignore the T even if the team's coach you need to hit is behind by a bunch. Had I hit the coach earlier, ejection may not have come about.

3. Warn once, then enforce. Most coaches don't want to be ejected, and won't chance a second T.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

This was supposedly a Christian school!

What the hell difference does that make?

[Old School]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

While I stand by the ejection, I performed poorly. But to some extent, it was worth it due to the things I've learned:

1. Don't automatically go into blowout mode (i.e. ignoring fouls committed by the team getting pummeled), especially early in the game. You might be judicious in your selection of what to call, but don't EVER ignore things like takedowns or other completely physical moves that have no place in any basketball game. I can't believe I swallowed my whistle on that one play.

2. Don't ignore the T even if the team's coach you need to hit is behind by a bunch. Had I hit the coach earlier, ejection may not have come about.

3. Warn once, then enforce. Most coaches don't want to be ejected, and won't chance a second T.

#1. Never go into blowout mode

#2.) There is this thing called game management. It's in the book. Sometimes, it is better to use your discretion.

#3.) I know some coaches that behave even worse after receiving 1st technical because they know officials won't give them the 2nd one.

Try communicating to the players and coaches how you expect the game should be played, what you will accept and what you will not. If I got a team that's getting chippie, we start sending people to the bench. 7th and 8th grade, go to the bench, varsity, intentional foul. Hopefully you can get thru it, if not JR em...

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Old School

Or he might have something to say to your assigner for giving him a T he didn't commit. It could have been a fan for all you know. At the NCAA level there is a huge fine for getting a technical, you better be sure about that. Telling your assigner it was someone on the bench, I don't think is gonna fly.

Quit talking like this was during an NCAA game, 'cause if it was, I guarantee you'd have been retired for not giving him a T. Three person crew, there's no excuse for someone not seeing it. HS game, call the T on the HC and move on.

Originally Posted by Old School

There is this thing called game management. It's in the book. Sometimes, it is better to use your discretion.

Which book would that be?

Originally Posted by Old School

I know some coaches that behave even worse after receiving 1st technical because they know officials won't give them the 2nd one.

And whose fault is that? Oddly, I haven't seen this after my Ts (with one exception who quickly learned that a 2nd T would indeed be called). Here's a hint, wreck coaches can be taught, too. Hand out a deserved 2nd T a couple of times, and they get the picture pretty quickly.

[Old School]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Quit talking like this was during an NCAA game, 'cause if it was, I guarantee you'd have been retired for not giving him a T. Three person crew, there's no excuse for someone not seeing it.

You can't call what you don't see! Nobody going to get retired for failing to call a T or any violation for that matter, that they are not sure of. Are you suggesting to GUESS?????

And whose fault is that? Oddly, I haven't seen this after my Ts (with one exception who quickly learned that a 2nd T would indeed be called). Here's a hint, wreck coaches can be taught, too. Hand out a deserved 2nd T a couple of times, and they get the picture pretty quickly.

NCAA College coaches are very powerful and influencial people. Most of them have been doing their jobs longer than we have been officiating. You talk all big and bad but as hard as it is to get on a college schedule. If there's some real NCAA officials out here that's willing to speak the truth, they will tell you. That's not a place you want to go in your games. You look for other ways (game management) of handling the situation.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Old School

NCAA College coaches are very powerful and influencial people. Most of them have been doing their jobs longer than we have been officiating. You talk all big and bad but as hard as it is to get on a college schedule. If there's some real NCAA officials out here that's willing to speak the truth, they will tell you. That's not a place you want to go in your games. You look for other ways (game management) of handling the situation.

Iow, the officials were completely wrong to make this call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvRO2GE4x4M

You know as much about what's going on in college games as you do about high school games. You only know what you've seen from the stands or on tv. It ain't your rec leagues, Toto.

[Lcubed48]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Probably last year. Early season tournament assignment for a private school thing. Allegedly varsity. This game amounted to the 7-8th place game, as both teams had lost their first two games. Immediately, it was clear even this game was going to be a blowout. The bad team was poorly coached and lived by the motto "if you can't beat 'um, beat 'um up." We (2 man) struggled to keep control from the middle of the first quarter, but were doing OK. The biggest problem was that we were trying to keep the clock running and throw a bone to the losing team by calling fouls against them and only the felonies committed by them. By the 4th quarter, it was apparent that strategy was flawed. The winning team started getting a little miffed about how they were getting hammered and no call was made.

One example of the contact was a good wrestling throw down move that the losing team was using -- calling it a block out. On a rebound, they'd grab the other player, and throw him down. Unbelievably I let one of these go, then started calling them. The coach was irate from the middle of the 3rd quarter on (down by at least 35 at that point), and in the 4th, my partner threw out one of the premier wrestlers on the losing team after he threw an elbow. The coach started asking me if we gave him a warning first, and I told him, "no, we don't give warnings for flagrant fouls." Then, he started loudly complaining. I had passed on a T before then, but late in the game, it was starting to get out of hand. After I warned him twice, he continued his loud protests, and I dumped him. My first ejection ever. I do know the coach was shocked beyond belief and might have had some job issues because of it. This was supposedly a Christian school!

While I stand by the ejection, I performed poorly. But to some extent, it was worth it due to the things I've learned:

1. Don't automatically go into blowout mode (i.e. ignoring fouls committed by the team getting pummeled), especially early in the game. You might be judicious in your selection of what to call, but don't EVER ignore things like takedowns or other completely physical moves that have no place in any basketball game. I can't believe I swallowed my whistle on that one play.

2. Don't ignore the T even if the team's coach you need to hit is behind by a bunch. Had I hit the coach earlier, ejection may not have come about.

3. Warn once, then enforce. Most coaches don't want to be ejected, and won't chance a second T.

I am in complete agreement with you. We are often our own worst critics. We know when we have made a mistake or were less than perfect. But, we learn from it and move on.