T or let it ride?

[tomegun]

Rut, I agree with you when you say "one size will not fit all." But the reality is many officials do not have enough experience to know what to say to coaches. This being the case, I wouldn't suggest anything other than being direct and clear - this only applies to questions not comments. Is that so hard?
I know right off, "Thank you" will not work for me. I make every effort to only call things I have no problem explaining. I don't know where I am on the scale of smooth communicators, but I think I can answer a question concerning one of my calls. If a coach becomes a problem...I have something for that too.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by tomegun

Rut, I agree with you when you say "one size will not fit all." But the reality is many officials do not have enough experience to know what to say to coaches. This being the case, I wouldn't suggest anything other than being direct and clear - this only applies to questions not comments. Is that so hard?

Of course they do not have the experience. That is why one size cannot fit all. Also even if you have two different officials with similar experiences and they have different personalities, I am sure the same words coming out of their mouths are not going to work equally with different coaches. This is why you have to work games, watch other officials to figure out your way. Sometimes you have to use some trial and error.

Originally Posted by tomegun

I know right off, "Thank you" will not work for me. I make every effort to only call things I have no problem explaining. I don't know where I am on the scale of smooth communicators, but I think I can answer a question concerning one of my calls. If a coach becomes a problem...I have something for that too.

Sometimes I do not even say a word and the look I give tells a story of what I want to get across. That does not always work, but it works well for me.

Peace

[tomegun]

Rocky, while that worked for you this weekend, wouldn't you say that answering comments - no matter the answer - could end the wrong way? It has been said many times, by some of the "big dogs", that silence cannot be quoted - answer questions and not comments.

Having said that, your example of using "Thank you" fit what the coach said. It isn't like the coach said, "How can the fouls be 8 to 3?" and you said, "Thank you." While I don't necessarily endorse answering comments, you use is understandable. Saying "Thank you" repeatedly, for questions that don't fit that as an answer, could quickly become an irritant. Without (hopefully) using any absolutes, would you agree?