I violated rule #1.....not THAT rule #1

[M&M Guy]

Judtech, as others have already mentioned, for the most part your behavior was not appropriate. I certainly understand playing, coaching, and officiating sports can be emotional, but if you notice, the better officials tend to not let their emotions get the better of them during a game. That might be a skill you can hone during your time as the AC. Truthfully, as an official, have you ever changed a call due to comments made by an AC? Also, wouldn't the tone of the comments, or the wording, make you less likely to change a call? Maybe it feels good to say those things, but what else does it accomplish other than provide an adversarial relationship? Have you ever known comments said from the bench during a game to ever improve the competency level of the officials? All things considered, it would provide a better example to the team to be quiet in those instances.

With regard to how you handled the FT issue - you were correct in that your team was able to stand where they were, provided they were standing outside the arc, not on it. However, your interaction with the official probably would've carried more weight had you not made any of the previous, unnecessary comments. You could've also asked him to confer with his partners to make sure he was correct. But were you willing to follow through with having your head coach ejected? What would it REALLY accomplish? (Other than you now get to coach the rest of the game?...How would that fly later on that evening?) What example does that really give the kids? How would that differ from sending a tape to the assignor, while not saying anything during the game itself?

Now, maybe you realize this - thus your attendance in the Officials' Confessional. But the real test is whether you actually learn from your mistakes, or if you continue to make the same mistakes going forward. Being professional applies to both officials and coaches, but even more so to ones who happen to be both.