What Not to Do/Say!

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

OH and I have had our disagreements, but this isn't one of them. It has nothing to do with eating crow or being man enough to admit your mistake.

For better or worse, the game goes better when the official has final authority. It goes smoother, it goes faster, and it's just better.

"Coach, I'll be happy to discuss it another time, but you'll need to put the book away for the night."

First of all, I am impressed that the coach has the rule book. Secondly, I have no problem with the official having the final authority, but the part that makes the game go "smoother", "faster" and "just better" is when the official actually KNOWS the rules. Thirdly, can you state the rule or case that REQUIRES the coach to put the rule book away?

I have coached basketball for about as long as some of the oldest dinosaurs have been reffing. I got my referee license years and years ago because several officials felt that I was one of the few coaches who actually knew nearly all of the rules. I can tell you that I never expect a referee to know every single nuance of every rule and case (there would be no reason for this forum if we all did). At the same time, if we are wrong, we are wrong.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by CMHCoachNRef

First of all, I am impressed that the coach has the rule book. Secondly, I have no problem with the official having the final authority, but the part that makes the game go "smoother", "faster" and "just better" is when the official actually KNOWS the rules. Thirdly, can you state the rule or case that REQUIRES the coach to put the rule book away?

The rule that says the coach cannot attempt to influence a call.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by CMHCoachNRef

First of all, I am impressed that the coach has the rule book. Secondly, I have no problem with the official having the final authority, but the part that makes the game go "smoother", "faster" and "just better" is when the official actually KNOWS the rules. Thirdly, can you state the rule or case that REQUIRES the coach to put the rule book away?

I have coached basketball for about as long as some of the oldest dinosaurs have been reffing. I got my referee license years and years ago because several officials felt that I was one of the few coaches who actually knew nearly all of the rules. I can tell you that I never expect a referee to know every single nuance of every rule and case (there would be no reason for this forum if we all did). At the same time, if we are wrong, we are wrong.

Not all coaches are you.

Other coaches (and I would say a majority) would use the book to try to intimidate the official or work up the crowd. Or, in a case I had, read the rule in the wrong way to try to get a ruling to go in the coach's favor (it was pregame, he contended a visiting player dunked "by definition" when the kid dropped the ball from above into the basket -- then he threw the rulebook on the table on top of the book I was checking and I was too stunned to recognize this right away as the technical or flagrant technical it should've been).

If I lived in Missouri, I would tolerate the process. It's part of the gig. In my current games, I would pick myself off the floor after seeing a coach with a rule book and kindly ask him to put it away, telling him I'd talk to him about anything, but he wasn't going to use a prop as part of the process. Matter of fact, I wouldn't talk to him until the book was put away and if it wasn't put away in a timely manner, we'd be shooting free throws.