You either work in the most courteous place in the world or you aren't handling your business. Now, this is just my opinion, but in the various places I've officiated coaches and players earn more than three Ts per year.

I have also heard a final four official say, "I can help someone stop calling Ts, but I can't get them to start." He went on to say something along the lines of officials have to have the courage to call a technical when it is warranted. BNR has worked for this official/assigner too.

It's a point of emphasis, for gosh sakes!!
 

Surprised that in all of the back and forth, no one has pointed out that behavior in the coaching box is a point of emphasis this year.

The best point I have read thus far is "we have no idea what Huggins said". One thing is certain: whatever he said, it was way over the line. Div 1 officials won't launch a coach in the last minute of a game he has obviously lost unless he really went too far.

That T wasn't for this game. That T was his way of trying to get into the heads of a crew he might see again in the tournament. For all intents and purposes, the game was already over when he got whacked.

Do we LIKE it when the official who gives the first T ends up giving the second? No. Is it a hard and fast rule that the same official can't give both? Of course not. You whack a coach. After you whack him, he launches into a tirade that begins with "you f'ing cheating mf'er". Of course you're going to get him again.

Hugs got what he deserved. And I'm a Mountaineer, by the way. ;)

This gives me an excuse to brag a little - I do have the luxury of working in an area whose officials are scheduled by longtime assignors that have had decades of experience both as officials and assignors. My primary assignor is heavy heavy heavy on pre-season, in-season and off-season communication with his officials about how to conduct themselves professionally on (and off) the court. I'm not sure if this is or isn't the case in other metro areas across the nation, but where I am located, it's all engrained in us from the moment we start our careers.

As a result, we as officials definitely know how and when to administer a technical foul. On the flip side, we also have area league organizers and coaches that know exactly what is expected of them and their players during the season because of the relationship with the assignors and his officials. League administrators often attend annual assignor's meetings to review any number of issues.

In saying all of that, it would be fair to say that I do work in a "courteous" area. I'll also say that when there has been poor behavior, it has been a little nasty. We def don't live in some type of utopian basketball world.

For me, part of the fun managing a game is to see how calmly and evenly tempered I can be in the heat of any moment....keeping the heart rate as low as possible. Making good decisions. Sometimes I suck. Most times, I succeed.

I could echo DLH's post, for the most part. The metro area I work in, I've been pleasantly surprised at the good behavior of the coaches at the high school level. Below that, my experience is limited to two games with three teams. 2 good, 1 not so much.

Were you at my game this weekend? :eek:

I rang up a coach for crossing the line and as I was reporting he just kept right at it and made it worse. I ended up ringing him up again and tossing him. He left me no choice as far as I was concerned.

Do I wish my partner would have stepped in? Sure. But he was inexperienced and it wasn't going to happen. Shrug.

Well I am glad I finally started a good thread. I will disagree that the first "T" was warranted even though I have no idea what was said. Judging by the reaction of Huggy Bear, I don't think he knew it was coming. He was heading to talk to his team when the official went and whacked him. Then 3 seconds later ran him.
It would have looked a WHOLE lot better had the official 1) Not been in the huddle with WVU 2) Not had the whistle in his mouth the whole time - it looked like a pacifier 3)If he was expaining something to Huggy and Huggy didn't like it, then walk away to your designated spot on the floor. That way if he continues his tirade everyone and their sister will know what was going on. Also, if he earned the "T" earlier in the conversation than why stand around? When the referee left the WVU huddle, he shook his head, you can't see Huggy say anything more, then he whacks him.
Warranted or not, very ugly

That's exactly how my Tx2 went down a couple years ago. Coach just...wouldn't....shut....up. He made a huge spectacle of himself in front of his kids and made it all about himself instead of the players. Easy decision for me. And, it felt gooooooood. :)

You disagree it was warranted, although you don't know what was said. That makes no sense whatsoever.

Are you serious? I'm with Mr MSN on this one.Irrelevant. All that matters is you don't know what was said.

Remind me that if we ever do a game together, I shouldn't turn my back on you. Ever.

Sad!

Look how do you expect me to type coherently and particiapte in a conference call. Geez.:D
Here is what I was trying to say:
The first one could possibly have been avoided had the official changed his location or behavior.
It did not appear to me that Huggy said anything after the official left the huddle and went to the give the "T". Was he getting a T for something he said right before he left the huddle or afterwards?
My main point is this: It looked bad for the official to be in that huddle having a conversation with a coach then non chalantly go over and "T" him. There were a lot of things I am sure the official would do differently. (Not sure about Huggy though, he'd probalby do the same) THere was a better way, IMO, to handle the whole situation.

Assuming Huggy said something when the official was in the huddle, should he have made a grand show of the T?

WHy do you say that? If we were actually working together and YOU were the official in the huddle I would have probably been nearby to show support. If you whacked him out of the huddle, I would have watched to see what his reaction was, and I would be the one who tossed him. We would also have gotten together and discussed the situation, said some moderately funny comments at the coaches expense, and then gone on. Of course, you might be right because if you actually TURNED your back on me and a player/coach/fan did something uncalled for I would be able to see it and help you out!! (Unless you were one of my middle school teachers, I SWEAR they had eyes in the back of their heads!)

He should have ended the conversation right there and then T'd him up.

Actually, the next words out of the varsity official's mouth, "I can see why you no-called it."