"Give him one"

[JoeT]

I know this is nitpicky, but I'd like to hear your thoughts....

I ref an adult rec league some weekends. (This is not the only reffing I do, thank goodness.) As I've mentioned before, these guys (and ladies) tend to be both mouthy and ignorant of the rules.

Last weekend, one player was angry with a call, and the next time down the floor he said something inappropriate - "T"-worthy. I gave him the T, but before I could blow the whistle, I heard his opponent say (so others could hear as well), "give him one." I chose to ignore it, and just gave the original T.

Looking back, I almost wish I'd given both players a T. The timing of the opponent's comment makes it look as though I'm responding to his suggestion.

Thoughts? Is that sort of comment enough to T? I know, you'd have to be there, but in general?

[Brian Watson]

This is just a case of bad timing that happens evry now and then. Most of the time it should be obvious that one is coming, so no one should think you were influenced. You had good idea though, giving two T's, but only if the B1 did something to warrant it. If he was calm and not disrespecting, I move on and away.

On the other end had, I had a game where I reported the foul and was walking over to the lane to administer the throws. The A coach made a rather loud and inappropriate comment to me. Before I could turn and get the whistle up to my mouth, B coach was jumping up and down, toward me and yelling for me to give coach A a T. In a nutshell, Coach B lost it and made a spectacle of himself. . I hit them both.

Talking with the AD later in the year it turns out it was his first year as a coach, and learned a hard lesson. When an official turns back to the table, and is putting the whistle up, it's T time; no need to point it out or draw attention to yourself. His team went from possibly getting 7 points; to missing the front end and losing possession on the arrow.

[bsilliman]

I would turn and warn the other player to move away as it was none of his business whether or not I was giving the original player a 'T'.

Now, if I construed his actions as being 'taunting' then it would warrant an immediate 'T'.

I do not mess around when it comes to taunting. Bang, Bang, your dead!

[slow_whistle]

I take very little off of players. I ring up player 1 then call the opponent player over for a quick conference to remind him that his job is to play and mine is to officiate (basically a verbal warning to that player). Hopefully he will take the hint.