To T or not to T

[Toren]

I was at an IAABO camp this past weekend when the following play happened during a Boys Varsity Game.

I had a team control foul on team B (specifically B2, just to paint the picture) in reaction to the call player A2 curses at B2, so I give him a technical foul for unsporting behavior. The coach asks me what he said and I tell him and he says he will handle it.
During the game I think this is exactly the way to handle the situation.

I watched the game tape of the play and I'm questioning my technical foul call. The reason I'm second guessing it, an observer would never know why player A2 got a technical. He kind of said the curse words, he didn't yell it and his body language never revealed he did anything.

Is there a better way to handle the situation? Or should I stop second guessing?

[Adam]

Don't second guess this one; especially if it was said to an opponent. Not everything is going to show up on a tape, and if you need it to, you've got bigger problems.

[ontheway]

yes dont second guess yourself if profanity is being used asses the proper penalty

[deecee]

If you were there and you heard him say something that is an instigating or intimidating action who cares what his body language showed or if the fans can't hear it.

These are the T's THAT WE HAVE to get. It's the obvious ones that don't have much potential to lead to cluster f's later in the game. The missing of ninja T situations is what leads to escalations.

[twocentsworth]

i think you're right on both counts:

1) profanity towards an opponent is an automatic T....
2) be aware of what shows up on tape and what does not...know where the camera is and keep in mind what the assignor will see if he/she watches the tape after a coach calls to complain...

[tref]

Toren, what did Lopes & Co. say about it?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

i think you're right on both counts:

1) profanity towards an opponent is an automatic T....
2) be aware of what shows up on tape and what does not...know where the camera is and keep in mind what the assignor will see if he/she watches the tape after a coach calls to complain...

I'll go with "be aware", but not so far as to alter your calls based on what the tape will show. Be aware, I suppose, so you can be prepared to answer your assigner's questions accordingly.

[IowaMike]

I think you had a good T; I would always T up a player directing profanity towards an opponent. I've often regretted not giving a technical but have never regretted one that I have given. Most of the time we are our harshest critics so don't beat yourself up, you took care of business.

[dsqrddgd909]

Originally Posted by iowamike

i think you had a good t; i would always t up a player directing profanity towards an opponent. i've often regretted not giving a technical but have never regretted one that i have given. most of the time we are our harshest critics so don't beat yourself up, you took care of business.

+1

[Toren]

They didn't review tapes with us. So I have no way of knowing how they would have viewed it. But I'm thinking if a coach during regular season would have made a bigger deal of the play, he could have easily argued that the technical wasn't warranted. I had nothing on tape that would have defended why I gave a technical. But I know what I heard as I was really close since I closed down on the team control call.

[Toren]

Originally Posted by tref

Toren, what did Lopes & Co. say about it?

I'm fairly new...my reply is right above tref.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Toren

They didn't review tapes with us. So I have no way of knowing how they would have viewed it. But I'm thinking if a coach during regular season would have made a bigger deal of the play, he could have easily argued that the technical wasn't warranted. I had nothing on tape that would have defended why I gave a technical. But I know what I heard as I was really close since I closed down on the team control call.

It's not the coach's decision as to what warrants a technical foul, and if your supervisors aren't willing to accept you word regarding what was said, well, then there are bigger issues at play.

[tref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

It's not the coach's decision as to what warrants a technical foul, and if your supervisors aren't willing to accept you word regarding what was said, well, then there are bigger issues at play.

Amen!

[tref]

Originally Posted by Toren

I'm fairly new...my reply is right above tref.

Got it, thanks. Ts in a camp setting are usually discussed by the clinicians. I just thought they might've addressed it. At any rate, don't let what coaches think affect your decisions to penalize unsporting behavior. Nice job!!