Technical or no Technical?
 

I was working a spring tournament over this past weekend and had a discussion with my partner over a technical I issued to a coach. The situation goes like this...

Fairly close game with about 10 minutes or so left in the second half when a player from white drives to the basket in my primary and hits a layup. I'm L tableside and I observed some contact, but in my judgment not enough for a foul so play continues. As the other team inbounds the ball, white coach pops off the bench and starts yelling for an And 1. I don't acknowledge him at first as he is just offering comments, but as I run by he yells "Blow the whistle son, it's not that hard" WHACK! So we administer the technical foul and the whole time I'm administering them, the coach is telling my partner I need to have a thicker skin, etc. Partner doesn't ask me until after the game why I gave the T, and after explaining to him why, he suggests I need to have a longer leash with coaches.

My main issue is this. I'm 21 and have been officiating since I was 16 and am entering my 2nd season of a full Varsity schedule. However, based on my appearance you would never know it. I'm on the thin side and I have what you might politely call a "baby-face". As a result, coaches tend to target me as someone they think they can work over. This is an issue that I find many of my partners can't understand, and it's not their fault for not being able to. Because of this, I have developed a bit of a quick trigger finger with Ts. For comments like the one above, is a T warranted? Or would I be better off doing as my partner suggested and giving coaches a longer leash? Any thoughts/input are much appreciated.

Edit: In case it's not clear, the original T was for what I perceived to be the coach talking down to me and trying to intimidate me because of my age.

The only thing I would have done differently would have been to say to him, "You're right, coach. It's not that hard at all." following blowing my whistle.

With apologies to Maryam D'Abo, your partner is 'back end of horse'.

I had a similar situation this season, where I thought a coach was trying to get in my head because of my age. I'm 23, just finished my first year (though I did a couple seasons of intramurals at school), and I'm a pretty short guy. I probably should have T'd that particular coach but for some reason I didn't.

I think you were right on.

He crapped on you. Righteous "T". He's not questioning your call; he's questioning your ability. That's making it personal. And that, you don't have to put up with. Good job taking care of bidness imo.

Btw, your partner needs to grow some balls.

Actually, my partner that day is one of my all time favorite partners to work with. He still is too, despite our difference of opinion on this issue. To his credit, he backed me 100% to the coach. It was only after the game in private that he expressed his thoughts on the T.

Thanks for all the feedback so far too. Glad to know it was as automatic as I thought it was.

I fully agree. If the OP had been my partner, I would have patted him on the back.

As for the partner, he needs a nutcheck. http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...es/nutkick.gif

This is the problem I see from this case study. I don't have a problem with the T, but you and your partner need to get together (keeping an eye on the players while doing it) and discuss the T. This does several things: 1) informs the partner so he can go talk with the coach and explain the call if needed and if possible; 2) it slows everyone down and gets you thinking exactly what needs to be done, where, and with whom; run off too quickly and you go to the wrong basket, or something similar; 3) it gives everyone the second or two to calm down and get the emotions under control.

But you need to pregame this. I say something like, "we will get together on any T -- NOT TO TRY AND TAKE THE CALL AWAY or even discourage it -- but for the 3 reasons above. I can't emphasize, however, the need to keep an eye on the players.

While I'm all for answering coaches' questions, the coach needs no explanation in this one.

Kingsman, here's your black-and-white justification: The coach gave you an order. No more discussion required.

Kingsman- I am struggling with the same issue right now as well. I am a young pup who had developed a reputation for a quick trigger. I think I have a long leash but I think that due to my age coaches try to push the envelope longer and they think they can get away with saying whatever they want to me and that I wont whack them.

After I call a T, I will get together with my partner (or one of them if there are two) and inform him which individual was charged with the T. Also, we will discuss if there are any other calls on the play and how the game will resume. Lastly, we will make sure that we know which basket we are going to shoot at.

What we will not discuss is WHY the technical foul was assessed. That is not the partner's business. If the coach or captain wants an explanation, it needs to come from the calling official.

I disagree. I just need to know that a T was given and what kind of T was given. I do not need to know why the T was given. For one that slows down the process of administration and it is unnecessary to my job. We just need to get together so we can put the ball back in the proper place or make sure we are doing everything in the right order. Why a T is given is stuff for after the game. I do not need to know he called him a name or said something specific at the time we talk on the floor. But that is just me.

Peace

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SHUT DOWN THE FORUM!!!

Rut and I agree. :D

http://www.thepeoplescube.com/red/ri...ba58f20bbe.jpg

I strongly disagree. Part of my pregame is that a partner does NOT go talk to the coach that just got whacked by one of the other crew members. We need crew integrity at that point. I have had a partner do that to me twice in my career and I can remember both times VIVIDLY. It looked to everyone in the gym like my partner did not support me. Bad, bad, bad........... Those might be the only two times in my career when I had a very stern conversation with a partner after a game.

To answer Texas Aggie, there was no need for me to explain the T. My partner saw me give it out and moved where he needed to be according to our pre-game. Despite our disagreement over the T after the game, during the game I never felt like he undercut me at all.