cursing on court
 

If you hear cursing on the court, is it an automatic T ?

It is for me if I know who is doing the cursing. If I hear it and don't know who said it I will warn both captains.

I try to get away from the usage of "automatic." That tends to put you into a box that is hard to get out of. My answer is no, I do not have automatic criteria for any T.

Peace

Amen! Well said, Rut.

Yep, it an automatic "t" unless I can not determine who said the curse word.

Approx. 3 seasons ago our Men's wreck league put in place a "Zero tolerence" policy on cursing. I'm so gald that they did cause I've had that policy in place for the 16 seasons I've been officiating the game. To me cursing so that another player, coach or fan hears what is said is unsportmanlike and deserving of a T.

A couple of things:

1) I hope they defined "cursing" because what I consider acceptable, you might not (and vice-versa). (If a player misses a lay-up and exclaims "damn" to himself, but another player happens to be standing nearby, is that a T?)

2) What's acceptable to me varies by level, volume, specific word and to whom it's directed. The higher we go, the more that's allowed. The louder it is, the more likely it's a T. The "F" word is more likely to get a T than the "D" word. And anything directed at the other team or an official likely earns a T.

3) Just because I might not issue a T in some set of circumstances, doesn't mean it's not addressed. THere's a whole reange of actions, from ignoring it, through talking to the player, to issuing a T, to ejecting. I've used all of the above.

Bob's opinion reflected my own.

This might not be the best way to handle the situation, but if I do hear profanity and I am certain who stated the profanity, during the next dead ball I go over and ask him not to speak in that way while on the court. This of course, is what I would do in reference to Bob's #1.

If the profanity is directed to the opposing team, that is taunting, which is unsportsmanlike, and will result in a T.

In our local kids rec league in grades 3-8, any profanity by a player or coach heard by the official is an automatic flagrant technical with ejection and one game suspension (all ejections in our league carry this suspension). If the offender is a coach, they must appeal to the Board to be reinstated after the suspension. We have had cases in which the profanity was at a very high level (i.e.: directed personally at an official) in which the coach was suspended for the season and had to appeal to come back the following year. As you can tell, there is an absolute zero tolerance policy at these grade levels.

At the HS level, it's an automatic T but not necessarily flagrant. All coaches at all levels must agree to and sign a sportsmanship/code of conduct pledge every year.

Any profanity by a spectator at any level results in an immediate ejection and suspension for the season.

We just don't like swearing, I guess.

A kid once fell to the floor in agony (he had torn his ACL) and yelled the F word four or five times. I gave him a technical because it is an automatic for me.

This might be one I let go. Not sure, though.

Had a Boys freshman coach last year ask me, in reference to a hot head on the other team, "Can he say 'Bull sh!t' like that?"

I didn't hear it, told the coach as much, and did not T the coach.

Even "automatics" have exceptions, I guess. ;)

Our rec league uses the same policy. A couple seasons ago I had a 6th grader argue a foul I called on him...He slammed the ball down, T'd him...when he realized I'd Td him up, he yelled "That's Bull S***!" really loud...Tossed him and he sat the next game as well....That was a playoff game and they lost.

A few years ago, I was doing an 8th grade girls game. The best player from the red team ( visitors ) as I called a foul, I heard " Bull Sh*t." , but I wasn't sure who said it. I went to the coach and said, " coach I think # 20 just cussed at me, you should do something about it" But I wasn't sure, so I let it go. 1 quarter later again after a foul ( not on her ) She yells, " that's Bull Sh*t" "Bang T" as I go to the table to report the foul, her mother and grandmother come out of the stands at me and telling me their daughter and grand daughter would never say such a thing, "Bang "T" my partner "T's" her up for the same thing. I hadn't even finished reporting my "T" with the problem with the parents...

But she would never do such a thing.

Years ago, I T'd a 6th grader for profanity. While I was reporting, his coach came over to the table and asked what was the reason for the T. I told him and he said, "Impossible. That's my son and he would never swear." I told him - well, yes he did and he restated that it would be "impossible". I told him to mark this day down in history because the impossible just happened.

He wasn't a happy camper but "quare si mihi cura est" (for those of you who don't speak Latin, loosely translated that means "ask me if I care" - it's my personal motto).

The above speaks volumes. Many of the coaches of teams I officiate know I am also a preacher. My definition of cursing includes "euphemisms" and they are just as offensive to me as the real words.

So you can see I am in a situation where if I T a player I run the risk of being accused of having rabbit ears, or just being too quick to T and not allow the player to let off some steam after making a mistake.

Over the years I have found the system that works best for me and the coaches. Like Rut said nothing is automatic. But using preventative officiating to let players know I heard their language coupled with communication with the coaches then the player can get the message from both me and his coach that such verbiage is unnacceptable and will result in the proper penalty if uttered again.