Mind your own business?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Ray_from_Mi

All games from now on, keep in mind, time-score-situation Sometimes we do some 'closet-coaching' while on the floor, i.e. a team is on a 'run' and the opposing coach needs to call a TO to 'put out the fire'. We start checking (visual only) with the coach to see if he's looking to call a TO. If I was the coach in your example. I would be really upset if I was to receive a T because you are not aware of my verbal request for a TO w/ 3min. to go and possibly a close score. It was evident the coach was willing to go to great lengths to get someone's attention.

Then he should have $#$!#^% signalled. I would tell him that as I reported the T.

[Freddy]

Seven pages of responses leads me back to that one rule I'd change if I could -- that only players on the floor may request a timeout.
If the coach then fails to get the attention of his/her player on the floor to make a request, that's a team communication problem. As it is, it has, by default, become "our" problem over "our" perceived failure to see or hear the coach make the request. Not always the easiest thing to do in close game in a noisy gym with each offical properly covering his/her primary.
Glancing through the Officials' Manual, I don't see any indication of which offical has the bench area specifically designated as his area of coverage.
I'm not the king, but if I were, I'd change that rule and solve 98% of these situations. The other 2% probably wouldn't occur.
Sound rational?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Seven pages of responses leads me back to that one rule I'd change if I could -- that only players on the floor may request a timeout.
If the coach then fails to get the attention of his/her player on the floor to make a request, that's a team communication problem. As it is, it has, by default, become "our" problem over "our" perceived failure to see or hear the coach make the request. Not always the easiest thing to do in close game in a noisy gym with each offical properly covering his/her primary.
Glancing through the Officials' Manual, I don't see any indication of which offical has the bench area specifically designated as his area of coverage.
I'm not the king, but if I were, I'd change that rule and solve 98% of these situations. The other 2% probably wouldn't occur.
Sound rational?

I like it. However, if there's a change, it's most likely to allow only players to request a TO during a live ball but allow coaches to also request a TO during a dead ball (if we're lucky, only dead balls with the clock stopped). In that case, the OP still happens.

[deecee]

Giving a T here is tantamount to the college coach (at least i think it was a coach) who collapsed during a game and had to be rushed to the ER and the officials gave him a T essentially for falling out of the coaches box onto the court. I guess since heart attacks werent specifically NOT covered as an exception they went ahead and administered the T. I think in this case the spirit of the rule should be observed and a bit of common sense sprinkled in there. If a coach wants a TO, and neither officials notice it, AND its a dead ball, why can he not do everything within reason to get the officials attention?

Maybe next time he should try flashing lights and a loudspeaker. But then again that would be using an artificial noisemaker on the bench, and some here would want to T that too. Guess he's screwed.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by deecee

If a coach wants a TO, and neither officials notice it, AND its a dead ball, why can he not do everything within reason to get the officials attention?

I don't consider going out to the middle of the court to be within reason. The ball was seconds away from becoming live. Then what?

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by deecee

If a coach wants a TO, and neither officials notice it, AND its a dead ball, why can he not do everything within reason to get the officials attention?

Because the rules do not allow him to do so.

Everyone blames the officials for not noticing the request, but there are also 5 players who could have seen the request and requested a timeout.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Because the rules do not allow him to do so.

Everyone blames the officials for not noticing the request, but there are also 5 players who could have seen the request and requested a timeout.

And this is the very reason coaches requesting timeouts is one of the dumbest rules in the rulebook. Coaches have lost all common sense and never expect players to echo such requests and blame officials when we do not look at them.

Peace

[just another ref]

I think the coaches would all be upset if their right to make the timeout request was taken away, but, as in this case, the rule sometimes blows up in their faces. Some players now do not seem to even know that they can request the timeout, or at least they have never had a reason to do so.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by deecee

Giving a T here is tantamount to the college coach (at least i think it was a coach) who collapsed during a game and had to be rushed to the ER and the officials gave him a T essentially for falling out of the coaches box onto the court. I guess since heart attacks werent specifically NOT covered as an exception they went ahead and administered the T. I think in this case the spirit of the rule should be observed and a bit of common sense sprinkled in there. If a coach wants a TO, and neither officials notice it, AND its a dead ball, why can he not do everything within reason to get the officials attention?

Maybe next time he should try flashing lights and a loudspeaker. But then again that would be using an artificial noisemaker on the bench, and some here would want to T that too. Guess he's screwed.

If you can't see the difference between a heart attack and a coach purposefully walking into the middle of the court to verbally request a timeout; I can't help you.

[deecee]

Unfortunatley the coach has a RIGHT to request a TO and we have a job to pay attention to the game as a whole. That includes the court and benches. Suck it up and stop trying to dole out T's, just because by the letter of the rule they are allowed. We use discretion and judgement every game and I dont see why, we would not do the same here.

[Adam]

You're right. he has the right to request one. He has the responsibility, however, to do it within the rules. I've said it before, I'll bend the rules a bit on this, but I need him to do everything he can within the rules first, such as using a signal.

And just because he requests one, we are not obligated to see it. Our primary focus is the court.