if you need a drink....go get one from either bench.....

do we really think that people are paying attention to us during timeouts? does it really matter if we get a drink from one bench or the other?

while everyone has an ego, it shouldn't be large enough to think that people care wether you drink during the game or where it comes from....we don't matter THAT MUCH to people....

While I would certainly take a drink if offered by game management, I would never approach the bench and ask for one. It's not about ego, and it's not about what grandma thinks sitting in the stands. Frankly, it's not professional to request a favor (a drink) from one team. And I sure wouldn't want to be the guy to pull that stunt when an evaluator, assigner, board president, etc., happens to be sitting in the stands watching his or her nephew play.

In baseball, we do it *all the time*.

Different sports, different areas, different protocols. I grew up with HS baseball in the summer, though, where a league game in 100 degree whether wasn't unheard of.

Frankly, if I'm working one game I can't imagine working up such a severe thirst in a half of work. Unlike baseball, where we're on the field in heat for hours at a time, the longest halves in basketball don't even approach an hour (in a HS game).

It would be nice to be handed a cup of water, though. I got that once all season. OTOH we've had schools that didn't give us water at halftime and to me that's just not acceptable. How hard is it to provide a bottle of water and a towel for the officials?

+1

We get water at half time about 90% of the time, I would guess. Towels? I haven't seen it in CO, so I've learned to bring my own.

I just go right to Gatorade thermos at end of bench with all the cups.

Having said this, I probably do it 2, 3 times a season. Much ado about nothing. If I'm really parched, I grab a gulp.

you really don't need to ask. just simply walk over and grab a cup.

just curious, has anyone ever heard a coach, player, or fan say: "you haven't given us a call all game and I know why....you had a drink from the other team!"....

c'mon people...if you're thirsty (which doesn't happen all that often during a game), just grab a drink.

if you still don't feel comfortable taking a drink during a game, that's your prerogative. i just don't understand why people feel that this is a big "no - no".

Heck, sometimes there's not even a school official there to meet and walk us to the appropriate official's room before game time, much less being given access to a bottle of water. :rolleyes:

Let's not get silly here, I just said it doesn't look good. Personally, I don't care what you do there, but I'm not going to be the first guy in my association to do it.

As Rich alluded to, if I can't go a half without water, I didn't hydrate enough before the game.

Now, in AAU-type games with no locker room, I see no problem with having a bottle of water at the table. If I'm going to break protocol and drink during the game, on the court, I'd rather provide my own water than take some from one team.

Again, it's obviously going to be different with locale. It may be perfectly accepted in your area, so have a cup.

LOL. Frankly, this is one reason I refuse to head to the locker room without talking to someone first. I will always find someone to let me in, even if I know where I'm going (2nd season in this city, so I don't always know where the room is). The one time I showed up at the same time as a partner who knew the school and we didn't find a school official to let us in, it turned out we were an hour early and didn't know until we walked onto the empty court.

I get water 100% of the time. I ask the game manager who will be bringing us water at halftime. If they don't, I have no problem going to the concession stand and getting two bottles. It's important and I'm not bringing a cooler to my games.

In football season, we bring a cooler and we bring healthy snacks for halftime. I don't normally eat before a game and sometimes a cereal bar is a nice energy refresher at halftime.

We've got one school who provides a cooler of water in our room, but no cups. :rolleyes:

If I am that thirsty, I go wherever I am closest to and get a drink. In football teams come to us and offer drinks and it is usually who is there. I do not care which team does it. I will not refuse drinks unless I am really not thirsty. I do not think it is that big of a deal. The only consideration is maybe I will not go over to a bench when I have had a problem, but I am not that insecure where I cannot handle myself so it is not a problem.

Peace