How bad does this look?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Right.

If it's "fouling at the end of the game to stop the clock and everyone knows it", then let the calling official handle it.

If it's "a close block/charge" and the calling official has alreadyhad words with the coach, let another official handle it.

It's up to the calling official to decide.

And, either way, all officials need to know what is going on before anyone else is told. This applies to 5th fouls, bonus, lenght of time outs, what happens after the TO is granted , ....

It's like this little cartoon my daughter used to watch a few years ago -- a bunny called Miffy. The moral of the story frequently was "when you rush everything goes wrong." True a lot in officiating.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by slow whistle

I'm not sure if I like it or not. Informing the coach yourself gives you the opportunity to give a QUICK explanation which they are often looking for on a 5th foul and then inform the timer to start the clock - or better yet inform the timer to start the clock and THEN give a quick explanation. If it becomes heated you can always get out of there after, but at least the coach is on the clock. If you go get one of your partners to tell the coach, you are really giving them another 10 seconds or so to sub which effectively becomes a 30 second time out. Now to your point and that in the OP, you DEFINITELY want to pre-game this and make sure your partners know what is going on. If your partners are worth a damn they should not administer when you have your back to the floor EVER!

You are not there to give a quick explanation. You are there to inform the coach. Plus, why does it seem when a player gets disqualified the official walks all the way up to the table?

I call a foul. I report the foul from the reporting area. Table notifies me that the player has 5 fouls....first thing I do is turn to my partner(s) and communicate "5 fouls" (verbally and/or non-verbally)--it takes 2 seconds to do that.....THEN I approach the coach and notify him of the disqualification......

And on those rare occasions where I don't want to do the notification I will walk towards the slot official and say "let the coach know ## has 5 fouls".