Too Many "T's"?

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by TheOracle

Coaches and players rarely blow up unless there has been some series of calls or events where they perceive they are wronged.

This statement is correct.

However, every player and coach is different and reacts differently to any kind of game management techniques used to diffuse these situations. There are some coaches and players who are going to get whacked no matter what. There are some that will respond well to an official and back down before crossing the line.

Every time I T a coach for unsportsmanlike conduct, I review the situation to see if I could have done anything differently. Most of the time, my answer is no - based on the information I had at the time. One time this year I gave a T to a coach and in reviewing I said something in an attempt to calm that actually aggravated the situation. But it didn't excuse what happened next to necessitate the T.

All of the Ts in the OP were earned - and many of them should have been earned earlier than they were. We have no idea if any other "game management" techniques could have been used...

Oh, and edited to add: sometimes their perception is so far from reality that it doesn't matter. And then there's nothing an official can do but whack them and move on. Ignorance is a tripping point for me...

[chartrusepengui]

My daughter - 2nd year and younger official asked me why I don't get any "crap" from coaches the way she does. My response was - because I am rarely in conversation with them. The only warning they might get is a non-verbal stop sign - and if offense is such that it doesn't warrant that - it's an immediate WHACK. I told her that she spends way too much time speaking with coaches and trying to justify a call or lack of a call. That is not her job. I wasn't very sympathetic and told her just to do her job.

Yesterday - she called her very first T early in game. She called me to tell me it was on a coach who has been "a pain" for 2 years but after the T he was very polite etc. After the game she was a little anxious when he approached her as she was leaving the floor but all he said to her was it was about time she nailed him. He admitted that he would have kept it up until he found her limit.

Do your job - then forget about it.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by chartrusepengui

My daughter, 2nd year, and younger official asked me why I don't get any "crap" from coaches the way she does.

Experience has a a lot to do with it. When I started officiating twenty-seven years ago, my hair was entirely brown, I didn't know any of the coaches, they didn't know me, and I called a lot of technical fouls.

Today, my hair has as much gray as brown, I've been to at least ten schools in our area over twenty times, I know most of the coaches, and they know me.

I've only had to call two technical fouls this year, both on players. One, flagrant, against a player who slapped another player during the aftermath of a held ball, and the second against a player who threw a ball at an opponent.

I haven't even come close to giving a technical foul to a coach this year, not even a stop sign, and I work about three high school varsity games a week, as well as a few Catholic middle school games every weekend.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Sorry, but that's a load of crap. Folks get T'ed for violating the 3 P's: personal, profane, or prolonged. No matter how bad my calls are, participants are not thereby justified in violating the 3 P's.

I haven't been in the forums that much lately but I see people are still, for some reason, taking Old School's....errrrr, I mean TheOracle's posts seriously.

[kblehman]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Folks get T'ed for violating the 3 P's: personal, profane, or prolonged. No matter how bad my calls are, participants are not thereby justified in violating the 3 P's.

Regarding T's for profanity, are there any unofficial guidelines? Is it just the F-bomb, or does G-D and the S-word qualify as well? And does it have to be a loud outburst, or does a kid who, for example, says "s**t" or "damn!" to himself for missing a layup, qualify for a T?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by kblehman

Regarding T's for profanity, are there any unofficial guidelines? Is it just the F-bomb, or does G-D and the S-word qualify as well? And does it have to be a loud outburst, or does a kid who, for example, says "s**t" or "damn!" to himself for missing a layup, qualify for a T?

If you're doing NFHS games, any of the FCC's "7 words" should probably qualify. As for "GD" and others, that's going to vary by region. I wouldn't call it, but in some parts of the country that's profanity.

[Adam]

As for GD, I'm particularly annoyed at that one, but generally rule this based on whom it's aimed toward and how loud it's uttered. Same with JC.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by mbyron

If you're doing NFHS games, any of the FCC's "7 words" should probably qualify.

I thought those were George Carlin's seven words. . .

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by TheOracle

I doubt you are thin-skinned, but you are doing something to cause those reactions from coaches and players. I rarely see players or coaches get T'd up for reacting to one obvious correct call that goes against them. Fair or not, perception is important.

So, are you saying it's perhaps Terrapins Fan's fault? Is it unacceptable if a coach acts inappropriately after a correct call, but ok if they do the same thing after an incorrect call?

[TheOracle]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

So, are you saying it's perhaps Terrapins Fan's fault? Is it unacceptable if a coach acts inappropriately after a correct call, but ok if they do the same thing after an incorrect call?

There is no fault, period. He has done nothing wrong. He asked if he was giving too many T's, and I tried to give him something to think about. He has to figure out the answer for himself. If my input doesn't help, no big deal.

Early in my career, I should have given more T's than I did, but I also did a lot of things that caused those situations to occur. Now I am deft enough to manage around those situations, due to better judgment/call selection and understanding the player/coach point of view. So they occur far less frequently, and I rarely have to give T's. I've given 3 this year, all to players. That's about an average year for me. I have very, very few problems with coaches. Maybe I'll change my screen name to CoachWhisperer.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by TheOracle

OP stated that he gets put in those positions. That's a victim mentality. He'll find the answers he's looking for when he acknowledges that he puts himself in those situations, and tries to determine how to change his judgment and/or projection to participants in the future.

Originally Posted by TheOracle

There is no fault, period. He has done nothing wrong.

Hmm...which is it?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Hmm...which is it?

Uhm.... Old School math?

I believe it's referred to in educational circles as "Chaos Theory."

[TheOracle]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Hmm...which is it?

He is the cause of the result. If he wants a different result, he needs to make a change in something. Or he can make the decision that all of his T's this year were warranted and there is nothing he could have done differently. Either way, there is no fault. We all have to draw our own conclusions. I hope Terrapin Fan at least tries something different. If he doesn't, no big deal.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by TheOracle

I doubt you are thin-skinned, but you are doing something to cause those reactions from coaches and players. I rarely see players or coaches get T'd up for reacting to one obvious correct call that goes against them. Fair or not, perception is important.

I'm with Lord Byron. That's a complete load of crap.

[kblehman]

Originally Posted by Terrapins Fan

9.
5 in December.
2 January.
2 so far in February ( 3 games )

Am I thin skinned? I don't think so. But 9 "T's" that seems to be a lot.

Wow, I must be an anomoly.
Been working for 25 months, 295 games, no T's.