Timeout to Vent

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by texaspaul

I look at the coach for a 30 or 60 option. He turns his back to me, so I walk closer and ask again as I approach.

It is a common policy around here, not officially supported anywhere as far as I know, to tell coaches before the game: Let us see the 30 signal, or you get a full timeout. This serves two purposes. It keeps the official from having to lean into the huddle for the answer, and it keeps at team from stretching the length of the timeout while we wait for the answer.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by just another ref

It is a common policy around here, not officially supported anywhere as far as I know, to tell coaches before the game: Let us see the 30 signal, or you get a full timeout. This serves two purposes. It keeps the official from having to lean into the huddle for the answer, and it keeps at team from stretching the length of the timeout while we wait for the answer.

I try to both remind at the coaches meeting, and then attempt to ask on the way to the table once. If they don't respond by the time I get there, they get the full.

I've always thought that of all the things coaches do, giving a simple signal about which TO they want would be one they would just automatically do to make sure they don't lose a full when they only want a 30.

[Indianaref]

Originally Posted by jdw3018

I try to both remind at the coaches meeting, and then attempt to ask on the way to the table once. If they don't respond by the time I get there, they get the full.

Thanks JDW, this is how I will do it from now on. I have been getting tired of tracking down the coach after every request.

[Coltdoggs]

I'm down with giving the full TO if they don't respond...I do this too.....but how do you guys handle it when you report FULL TO and the coach says "I didn't want a full...I want a :30!" and now he's really peeved...

I had this happen to me once and I simply told the coach that if he does not specify verbally or through signal to one of the officials it will be charged as a full and to make sure next time he requests a TO that he make sure we are aware....

I had a guy last week asking for a TO by shouting "THIRTY!" at me...I looked cause I thought that's what he wanted (the TO) but did not blow the whistle right away thinking, He could be calling a play....I drew eye contact and he then signaled for :30 and said "timeout!".

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

I'm down with giving the full TO if they don't respond...I do this too.....but how do you guys handle it when you report FULL TO and the coach says "I didn't want a full...I want a :30!" and now he's really peeved...

I say "Coach, in the pregame I reminded you to let us know, and then I asked you on the way to the table, and by rule if you don't respond you're granted a full TO."

And then I go wherever I'm supposed to go.

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by jdw3018

I try to both remind at the coaches meeting, and then attempt to ask on the way to the table once. If they don't respond by the time I get there, they get the full.

JDW, this is sort of what I was talking about. How many times will you say "Thirty" or "Full?" I will say it twice every time. I'm going to say it the first time to let my partners know where they need to go - this occurs after I grant it and the coach tells me what he/she would like (or not). The second time is after we (the crew) communicate what length of timeout it is and where the ball is - then I report to the table (this is the second time).
When someone says a coach must tell them before they get to the table it make be think 1) they are going all the way to the table and 2) their partners are waiting until they report the timeout to the table to find out where they need to go for the timeout. Of course, there are many times where everyone knows what length the timeout will be, but not all the time.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by tomegun

How many times will you say "Thirty" or "Full?"

I only say it once as a question to the coach if he/she doesn't signal me right away - although I try to get close enough to the coach that he/she should be able to hear me when I do. I signal it to my partners, and I also say it to the table, but that isn't what the question in this thread is...

Originally Posted by tomegun

I'm going to say it the first time to let my partners know where they need to go - this occurs after I grant it and the coach tells me what he/she would like (or not).

So, do you not ask the coach at all? He/she either tells you or you just grant the full? Because if the coach doesn't tell you what he wants, you're going to have to ask him before you can tell your partners, or you're going to have to grant the full.

Originally Posted by tomegun

When someone says a coach must tell them before they get to the table it make be think 1) they are going all the way to the table and 2) their partners are waiting until they report the timeout to the table to find out where they need to go for the timeout. Of course, there are many times where everyone knows what length the timeout will be, but not all the time.

Sometimes I may get to the table before telling my partners. This could occur when I'm tableside and the call comes from the coach at the opposite end of the court. Most of the time I'm going to have gotten an answer prior to getting to the table if I'm coming from L or from the opposite side of the court.

My partners don't seem to have a problem waiting just a bit - they still find out before I report it. They usually pay attention to the players as they make their ways to the huddles, and then want to go to the appropriate spot.

I guess my confusion is simply, how do you follow your procedure and also find out what the coach wants if the coach doesn't signal or tell you right away?

[tomegun]

I ask the coach. I thought the first thing I said was "I will ask twice, without going to the huddle, and then it is a full." Everything else, I posted because I noticed that it was mentioned about a coach telling the official before the official gets to the table.

Listen, I'm not telling you what to do or any of that. I'm simply telling you that a little communication will make sure your partners can go to their spots sooner. Sure your partners don't have a problem with it, you don't miss something you never had. Can you say that having information that allows you to move to the correct spot sooner isn't a good thing? For me it is all about crew cohesion. I want the crew to operate as smoothly as possible.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by tomegun

JDW, this is sort of what I was talking about. How many times will you say "Thirty" or "Full?" I will say it twice every time. I'm going to say it the first time to let my partners know where they need to go - this occurs after I grant it and the coach tells me what he/she would like (or not). The second time is after we (the crew) communicate what length of timeout it is and where the ball is - then I report to the table (this is the second time).
When someone says a coach must tell them before they get to the table it make be think 1) they are going all the way to the table and 2) their partners are waiting until they report the timeout to the table to find out where they need to go for the timeout. Of course, there are many times where everyone knows what length the timeout will be, but not all the time.

Sorry, Tomegun. "To the table" for me is a euphamism for getting it reported. I'm not actually getting to the table. My procedure is similar to yours, although not necessarily as concrete (although it maybe should be), and I don't have a set number of times to ask (although I normally have an answer by the 2nd time).

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Sorry, Tomegun. "To the table" for me is a euphamism for getting it reported. I'm not actually getting to the table. My procedure is similar to yours, although not necessarily as concrete (although it maybe should be), and I don't have a set number of times to ask (although I normally have an answer by the 2nd time).

How many times would you ask a coach what they want? We should keep in mind, the majority of coaches call the timeout and say what they want at the same time: Give me a thirty. If I know this, hit the whistle and then say, "Timeout white" what would my partners be doing? Besides watching possible players crossing, they are waiting to find out whether they should go to the top of the key or to the blocks. Since we want to make sure where the ball is placed anyway, I think it is also efficient to communicate to them the length of the timeout. I just do this in the name of communication and efficiency.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by texaspaul

Prior post almost covered my situation. 1st quarter of an uneventfull 8th grade boys game. Home team calls TO and as I go to report it, I look at the coach for a 30 or 60 option. He turns his back to me, so I walk closer and ask again as I approach. He tells the kids," everyone on the bench." Spins to me and says, "Full!..... and tell your partner I want to talk to him". I give him the stop sign and report the full TO and head to my floor position. I'm really not interested in having a head coach ask me to be his message courier. He barked something across the floor, but I really couldn't make it out. Told my partner about it during the quarter break, but we agreed, no sense in creating a commotion. I try to watch my partners back as much as possible.

Speaking of this, when I get in the angry coaches clutch and have to listen to a chewing, I always come over turn my body, perpendicular to them and continue this through the full, usually one sided convo. An occasional nod and a simple "I understand ". Sure, I've had one or two that we went in a semi, funny circle, but it works for me. I think most of the time, I avoid serious problems with the simple fact that I let them vent and acknowledge they were heard. If the convo turns defamatory, I stick-em.....

If they have a question, answer it. If they are venting comments at you, then get to the blocks and make it so they have to go back their team or get whacked. If the coach clearly ignores your question "full or 30," he's bought himself a full timeout. I ask twice, never a third time.

If you stay over by the coach and let him vent, you've made it so one of two things will happen:

(1) You stay there and you send the message to everyone in the building that he owns you. The other coach is watching, the players are watching, and everyone else is watching. The time out is for him to coach his players, period.

(2) You can't whack him without looking like the aggressor, or worse, looking like you were over there to bait him.

So call the time out, report it, answer any quick question, and turn and go to the block. If the coach follows you, now it is obvious to everyone who the aggressor is and if you have to whack him, it will be obvious to all that he had it coming.