Why are we reluctant to call Ts?

stripes · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 11:57am

I worked a boys V game last night with a newer V official, he's pretty good and has a real future, IMO. The game was between the 1st and last place teams in the region. We talked about the coaches in our pregame. The last place team's coach wants to know what guys are made of. I have worked him several times so he leaves me alone, but I told my partner to be ready for him to attack. Partner makes a call in 2Q that V's coach doesn't like and he starts in on him. Partner does a preety good job of difusing the situation and, other than minor chirping we get to half.

At half we talk about V's coach (trailing 38-20) and what he has done and how to handle him. Partner says he's got it under control. I tell him I'll get the coach for doing something behind his back, etc. and partner assures me he will handle coach. As 3Q goes on, chirping gets worse. Coach gets really mad a couple of times in 2nd half and partner just tries to talk him down. finally with about 30 sec left in the game, partner makes a call against V, I get players lined up for 1+1 and look to table and V's coach is at the midcourt line yelling at partner. I put whistle in my mouth (to call T) and partner syas to me, "I've got it." I think good he'll T and we'll go on. Nope. Pushes the coach back to the bench, we shoot the shots and the game ends uneventfully.

When we get to the locker room, I asked him why no T? He told me that there were only 30 sec left and he didn't want to call it then. Why not? The coach clearly deserved one, was waaaayyyy out of the box and yelling at him. If there was ever a justified T, this was it. IMO, partner lost any credibility he might have had with both coaches by not pulling the trigger. I was amazed. I have heard this philosophy more than once, why do we perpetuate it?

Jurassic Referee · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 12:14pm

Agree completely with you,Stripes!After a coach is warned once,there is no reason NOT to T him if he persists.

Ref Daddy · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 12:18pm

You just gotta trust.

I've seen T's help, others hurt. I have some coach's that it just makes matters worse - others better.

I too would evaluate if at the point in the contest your partner needed the "ultimate" infraction (T) to correct the coach's behavior. Maybe so, maybe not. It's his call.

BTW - according to my theory you could have t'd too and expect the same "consideration" and support from the co-official. Why didn't you?

stripes · #4 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 12:25pm

You'll notice that I put my whistle in my mouth to call the T as my partner says he would handle it. Didn't think I could let my partner walk coach back to the bench and then I give him a T, IMO would further destroy what credibility my partner had left.

MO about Ts is that they are like any other call, if the criteria for calling them is met, call it.

dhodges007 · #5 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 12:48pm

Good question.

firedoc · #6 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 12:55pm

I called a T on a coach last week and immediately after the call he said, to no one in particular, "I get the message" and sat down.

RecRef · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 12:57pm

I have no answer but I do have a question for your partner. If this would have been a JV game would he have Td the coach?

Maybe he was a little gun-shy under the big lights???

LarryS · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 01:07pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Ref Daddy

I too would evaluate if at the point in the contest your partner needed the "ultimate" infraction (T) to correct the coach's behavior. Maybe so, maybe not. It's his call.

While I MAY evaluate the situation, this coach deserved the T. I have called a T on a coach with less than two minutes in the game and his team up by 35. Two reasons behind the call...the call needed to be made and I had both teams on my schedule later in the season. The coach now knows that I will work with him and answer questions, but there is a line he cannot cross.

Also, why do you, and many others, consider a technical the "ultimate infraction"? I have never given anyone a technical...everyone I have called has been earned by the player or coach. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck...QUACK...I mean WHACK.

ChuckElias · #9 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 01:15pm

Why don't we call the T?

1) Some guys are new and don't realize that they don't have to take the crap.

2) Some guys know they don't have to take it, but but think calling it will make them look bad, or trigger-happy (even when a T is clearly deserved).

3) Some guys intentionally withhold it b/c they don't want to "insert themselves" into the game.

4) Some guys think they will get ahead more easily if they can "buddy up" to the coaches.

5) Some guys just don't care if the coach goes nuts. It doesn't affect their calls, so they just ignore it.

6) Some guys have a different view of what's unsporting. (To a certain extent, some of these guys wear the label "thick-skinned".)

That's all I can think of for now.

Chuck

Nonstop · #10 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 01:18pm

I am young official that has moved up to the varsity level this season. I admit there are some situations I have a very difficult time determining when it is appropriate to call a T. Usually, this is the constant chirping that reaches yelling towards the end of the game. i.e., when the coach is in your ear multiple trips down the floor, but not acting outrageous.

I am not afraid to address a coach with a T during a sub-varsity game, but I get a little gun-shy during varsity games (less than ten under my belt). The importance placed on a T by the State and local commissioner is elevated at the varsity level (paperwork, phone calls, explanations etc.).

The simplified criteria I try to follow are: 1)Is the coach doing something inappropriate?, and 2)Is the coach taking me out of my game? If either of these criteria are met then I feel justified.

Can anyone else share their philosophy or lessons learned?

Man In Blue · #11 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 01:23pm

The reason most only call a T as a VERY VERY VERY last resort is the support we receive from evaluators and peers. It is not a very good reason but if you are a young ref you have to be so careful about the reputation you receive and the politics. No one ever remembers the T's you do not call they only remember the ones that are called.

You know the first thing people will say in a blow out game is "why did he call that with 30 seconds left. He should have called it sooner, etc."

Look at an earlier thread talking about granting a time out when the coach wanted a T called. I know there were many people who said to themselves that it was overboard. Infact there was at least one reply that said it.

Dan_ref · #12 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 01:28pm

OK, so I'll be different.

- Where were you during all this, partner? If you felt the guy desrved a T why didn't you give it to him? If you knew going in the guy was gonna give you sh1t then you should have taken care of busness right off the bat.

- If you took it for 31:30 into the game without a T then I really see no reason to change in the last 30 seconds.

stripes · #13 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 01:42pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Dan_ref
OK, so I'll be different.

- Where were you during all this, partner? If you felt the guy desrved a T why didn't you give it to him? If you knew going in the guy was gonna give you sh1t then you should have taken care of busness right off the bat.

- If you took it for 31:30 into the game without a T then I really see no reason to change in the last 30 seconds.

Fair enough question. After I shook the coach's hand, he said a total of 3 phrases to me the entire game. He didn't give me any crap during the game. He gave my partner some crap, butnothing out of the ordinary although it did escaltate during the game. Also, my partner told me he wanted to handle the coach when the coach was after him.

Honestly, in my estimation, he didn't do anything that warranted a T until the 30 sec mark (getting way out of the box and yelling at my partner), that's why I think it was justified. I was a milisecond from assessing the T when my partner told me he would handle it. I thought he was calling the T.

I was ready and willing to T him.

whistleone · #14 (**permalink**) Thu Jan 30, 2003, 03:11pm

The thing that sticks out to me about this situation is when you said that your partner pushed the coach back to his bench and the game ended uneventfully. I think most officials will agree that technical fouls should be called in order to make the game better. If this game ended uneventfully with no T issued, I don't think there was a need for one.

I don't think your partner loses credibility if he handles the situation how he feels appropriate and the game ends as it did. However, if you come in to save the day while your partner's trying to handle a situation, then I think you both lose a little credibility. Let the newbie earn his stripes. If the coach does something behind his back, then you've got the right to step in and handle business.