admitting to a coach you made a mistake

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by jdmara

"I saw something a little different; however, you may be right. I'll work the angles better to see it next time."
-Josh

What if you had a good angle and saw the play correctly? If you know you missed a call, what is wrong with cutting to the chase and saying so?

I don't like "I'll work the angles better to see it next time" just like I don't like a pregame saying something like "We are going to work hard for you."

Just my opinion.

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by jdmara

I've found a little trick over the years of officiating. If the coach is upset with the call, you know you've blew it, and it's not a good time to admit to that mistake directly...Take a round about approach.

Back up to the coach (as he is, I'm sure "talking" with you) and ask him, "Coach/Bill/etc..., what did you see on that play?" You've put him in the position to vent and it probably seems to him that he is getting somewhere. "I saw something a little different; however, you may be right. I'll work the angles better to see it next time."

I've always received position feedback from coaches. Never has a coach exploded with the situation and everyone tends to end up "happy"

-Josh

Originally Posted by tomegun

What if you had a good angle and saw the play correctly? If you know you missed a call, what is wrong with cutting to the chase and saying so?

I don't like "I'll work the angles better to see it next time" just like I don't like a pregame saying something like "We are going to work hard for you."

Just my opinion.

tomegun-

We all know there are times you can admit mistakes and times you can't. If I blew a call and I believe the coach is going to react favorably to that admission, then you're darn right I'll say, "Coach, I missed that one. I apoligize." But if I'm not on best terms with the coach because he thinks I'm biased or one of my partners, his team is getting stomped, etc...I am going to put him in the situation to explain himself while he vents. As a lot of us know, coaches just like to vent.

-Josh

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by jdmara

tomegun-

We all know there are times you can admit mistakes and times you can't. If I blew a call and I believe the coach is going to react favorably to that admission, then you're darn right I'll say, "Coach, I missed that one. I apoligize." But if I'm not on best terms with the coach because he thinks I'm biased or one of my partners, his team is getting stomped, etc...I am going to put him in the situation to explain himself while he vents. As a lot of us know, coaches just like to vent.

-Josh

I think, rather "I know", Tomegun was referring to the verbiage "I'll work harder to get a better angle". It implies 1) that you are not already attempting to do so; and 2) what's to say you didn't already have the best angle and you still just missed the play. It's something that should go unsaid as it can open up a Pandora's Box of comments in response from the coach, or in other words, it's too much verbiage to give to the coach.

Short, simple statements work best, IMO. "Maybe I missed that one", "Maybe I didn't get the best look on that play", "I didn't see that play the same way you did".

For outright flub-ups: "Coach, you're right, I blew that call"