Whacking Coaches

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

But isn't not watching coaches the problem? Isn't that why the various committees have been using bench decorum as a POI, because officials need to be watching the benches more often? Sure, we shouldn't call something we don't see, but maybe we should be seeing more; after all, the bench is under our jurisdiction.

Watching coaches are not the priority. I realize that in the perfect world that many would like to live, we can see and call everything that takes place. I personally would love to have eyes in the back of my head or on the sides of my head. Most likely most officials are only going to see coaches during times when the ball is not live and when the ball is next to the bench.

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

There was an Illinois game I attended last year (non-Big 10) where the visiting coach squatted down and watched play from the corner inbounds. (Picture 2-3 feet in from the sideline, and 2-3 feet in off the baseline.) This in the first half, so this was in front of their bench, while IL was on offense. At one point, an IL player had to side-step the coach, but nothing obvious was said to the coach. Hey, he wasn't screaming at the refs, so why should they concern themselves, right?

Let me let you guys in on a little secret. I know this is going to shock many of you. The reality is that officials that work D1 ball, do not listen to the NCAA, they listen to their supervisors. If the supervisor they work for wants something done, that is what they do. You cannot work the NCAA Tournament without the conferences making recommendations to the NCAA. You cannot work D1 ball if the supervisor of a conference does not hire you. And I can tell you from knowledge that what happens in one conference might not happen in another conference. All you have to do is have a talk with an official that works multiple conferences and supervisors and that will become very obvious to anyone.

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Also, your argument about a T being very different than a violation isn't as true in college. With a violation, you lose a possession. With a T, (and missed FT's), you've lost nothing because of POI.

I am going to have to disagree. College supervisors are much more explicit in their opinions on how things are called and what is expected. Most HS conferences do not have a meeting with all the conference staff or have camps only for those that work in that conference. I can tell you as someone that has worked college ball that who you work for makes a big difference in what you might call in their conference. Usually those things are not very big, but it can affect things like where you stand and how you enforce certain rules.

Peace