I made a mistake
 

Sub-District Game, 5 point differential, late 3rd quarter.

Team B has been pressing all game, effectively. Team A breaks the press out of a timeout with a great 'football' pass play for an easy layup. Ball is bouncing under the basket, when B1 picks up the ball and begins "coaching" teammates on who was to pick up that player, while B1 is still standing under the basket and clock is running. I was new T at this point, verbally said, "let's go...take it out" and then started my count because the ball was clearly at his disposal for the throw-in. I got to 3 before B1 even got out of bounds, and then got to 5, paused for a breath (to be nice) then called the 5 second count. B1 looked at me and slammed the ball down.

Technical Foul.

As I head toward the table B's coach standing in the coaches box obviously wants an explanation. I agree, he needs one. So I tell him, ball at his disposal, starts the count, blah blah blah. He says, "Come on, no one ever calls it that way (which I did in favor of his team at a Christmas tournament this season)" I explained for his benefit, ball was clearly at his disposal. That's the rule. I was turning to resume my new spot at T for the free throw administration and he asked why B1 deserved a Technical foul. Coach had been a little snooty, but he and I have had a good raport for a few years. I simply said as I started to walk away, "Come on coach, he slammed the ball down, that gets a Tech, and everyone calls it that way." He then said, loud enough i could hear from 20 feet away, "How dare he talk to me that way, smart a**."

I admit, my comment may have crossed a line. My next one sure did. "Coach, no one talks to me that way." Tweet. Magic Word = Technical Foul.

He then charged me. Partner who had also heard the comment and was already on his way over intercepted coach and issued a second Tech.

It was a long night.

I made a mistake. 10 years of officiating, 7 years of HS varsity basketball, and I in 30 seconds became a complete moron.

How much do you wish to bet that the fact that the coach came onto the court, and rushed towards you, will be left out of the story when the coach tells his version.

And that's not to mention that you called the original violation as you are to call it.

But you're right; the "that gets a Tech, and everyone calls it that way" wasn't necessary.

I agree, but the rest of it I didn't find to be a huge deal UNTIL the idiot charged the official. Then he's got to go.

You can always look for ways to handle situations better, but he's the one who called you a name and then charged you after (rightly) receiving a technical foul. There'd better be a mirror for him to look at, too.

Live and learn. It happens that we all make decisions at times while officiating that perhaps we wouldn't do it exactly the same if we would have thought it through. It wasn't an egregious error, in my opinion.

-Josh

That comment, regardless of what was said before that, was totally unnecessary. It gives the impression that the coach has the right to decide what is appropriate on the court and what is not. Not T'ing him up here would give an impression of cowardice.

I hope this was mentioned in the report to the state association (if you had to fill one out for the ejection. I know some in some places, the fact the coach "charged" onto the court in "rage", would lead to more sanctions than the normal prescribed sanctions.

RR, I would say that I tend to give coaches a rather long leash. I am still trying to ascertain where YOUR mistakes were here. The player had the ball at his disposal, you begin a count (no mistake, yet). You call the violation (no mistake, yet). Player slams the ball down (no mistake, yet). You call a technical foul (no mistake, yet). You explain the call (no mistake, yet). You then explained the technical with a statement that is accurate (could have stayed and given the explanation, but he was on his second explanation -- and based on the description the call was pretty clear). He calls you an inappropriate name (no mistake, here). He gets T'd up for the comment (no mistake, yet). You inform him that no one talks to you that way (Probably accurate, not necessarily a mistake, either). He follows you and receives his second technical and is ejected (no mistake here, either).

Mistake Tally:
Player B1 -- 2 (one for not getting the ball in play and one for the reaction),
HC -- 2 (one for the comment to you and the second for coming after you),
YOU -- 0* (the asterisk only for not answering the question while staying in the vicinity of the coach -- one reason for doing that was to TRY to prevent a confrontation that caused the first T and for making the statement just prior to the T).

While I understand that you are disappointed with the outcome of the ejection and your two comments, if I were a judge, I am not convinced that your actions rose to the level of "mistake." Even if they did, the coach and player were more culpable than you were.

Kudos to your partner.

The part in red is what caused your mistake, if there was one. the only thing you did wrong was to assume the coach would be reasonable, and respect your long standing relationship. It's been the hardest thing for me is to understand that the person coaching and the person I talk to off the court are two completely different people. It's just the way it is.

Also, if you only have 30 seconds of moronity in 7 years of HS varsity, I'd say you're absolutely super-human!!

This was my immediate reaction, too, but I wasn't there.

Me as well.

You didn't prevent the coach from getting stupid.
You didn't cause him to get stupid, though.

This was, and still is, my reaction. Reffing Rev, you did nothing wrong or inappropriate here. You used his own words with him - if he can't handle that, it's his problem not yours. Do not beat yourself up about this, and do not consider it a mistake. The coach decided to get stoopid and he suffered the consequences.

Agreed...
 

Could it have been handled better? You admit that.

More important, did you learn from it? I bet so.

Damn skippy.

That's what I said after eating that tainted peanut butter.

Was the "everyone calls it that way" comment the best? Probably not, but I do not think it crossed any lines. The coach was called on being a jerk, didn't like it, but instead of correcting his own hehavior decided to continue being a jerk. You took care of business.