Doing an eighth grade boys championship game. My partner calls a charge under the basket (I know crew). Parent from the stand yells, "You can't call that under there!". Partner replies, "Not using NBA rules." Parent continues to argue and I say, "We are using High School rules." Parent replies, "No we are not, we are using IHSA rules!"

For those of you not from Illinois....

IHSA=Illinois HIGH SCHOOL Association

Cute. But it gives me an opportunity to say
(echo on)
Dont' argue with the fans!
(echo off)

Sometimes you have to educate the parents to shut them up. I had a youth game many years ago where they were all over my partner (I was the Ref). He was a very good official, and was calling a very good game. I finally got fed up, and after a dead ball situation, blew my whistle extra loud and walked up to the sideline. "People, we are playing by NBA or NCAA rules, we are playing by high school federation rules with modifications for this age level. Now, let's play ball". Didn't hear a peep the rest of the game. One of the big problems, in all sports, is that the coaches, players, parents, all watch pro basll, and believe the high schools and youth programs use the same rules.

Bob

My favorite stupid-parent or stupid-coach holler is the "Three seconds!!" hollers when the shot is going up again and again, or when there is absolutely no one in the key, or when the ball is in the backcourt. And they never yell it if it's their daughter in the key!!

Believe it or not, I had this happen to me last week. Boys Varsity game. I'm the lead and the home coach is yelling for 3 seconds. I double-check and there is not a single offensive player in the lane. I put my arms out with palms up, shrug my shoulders and simply say "Where, Coach?" I really couldn't believe it.

This coach, by the way, passed the official's test this fall and is a first year ref. :(

Chuck

About 3 years ago I was doing an 8th grade boys rec game. The defensive howler monkey was screaming for 3 seconds. There was absolutely no one in the lane at all. I blew the whistle and yelled at everybody to freeze. I then went over to the bench and said, "OK Brainiac, come out here with me and put your hand on the shoulder of the offensive player who's in the lane."

He said, "Well, there's no one in there now!"

I replied, "Yeah - and that's why there's no count now!!!"

He shut up not just the rest of the game, but the entire season whenever I had him again.

BTW - I thought calling him "Brainiac" was cool.

That's a great story, Mark. Oh, how I wish I could do that in a HS game!! That would be ultra :cool:

Chuck

I had the 3 second call from the bench before I had handed the ball to the player for the spot throwin. I had to pull out the T on that one. My partner had warned them less than a minute earlier for officiating from the sidelines.

I tried something like Mark's trick in a rec league years ago. I blew the whistle and yelled "everybody stand where you are - freeze!" All ten players totally ignored me by walking around patting hands and getting ready for the inbounds pass. I breifly thought about putting back where I thought they were but it was too late. Some days you have it, some days you don't...

BTW - Brainiac was cool