Let's play the T-Worthy Game

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by fiasco

Was going through my mind some of the statements I've heard coaches say over the years. Was wondering whether, in and of themselves, you find them T-worthy.

TECHNICAL FOULS

Reasons To Not Give A Technical Foul
You can address a coach before it becomes a problem. A quiet word can go a long way in preventing a
technical foul.
When coaches complain, ask yourself, is the call questionable, is the call wrong. If they have a legitimate
gripe, then allow them some latitude. Be courteous. Do not argue. Be firm and fair
If you know a coach is upset then move away from him or her, even if it means that you and your partner
are not switching or rotating properly.
Warnings can be very effective in preventing situations from escalating. Don't tolerate a lot before a
warning.
Lend a reasonable ear. Coaches like to be heard. If you ignore them then they become more frustrated and are
more likely to lose control.
If an assistant is out of line, then you can speak to the head coach and ask them to help you out.
If a player is out of line then let the coach know. Tell them you've warned their player. That way if you
do give a technical foul, then the coach isn't surprised. Most good coaches will speak to the player first.
If you have had a rough day and know your fuse is short, keep that in mind before you do anything rash.
Ask yourself, does the situation come under one of the top reasons to give a technical foul.
If necessary, give an initial strong warning. Let your partner know about the warning.

Reasons To Give A Technical Foul
There are many different factors to consider when deciding to give a technical foul. Generally, there are
three areas of coach's behavior that need attention: when a coach makes it personal, when a coach draws
attention to himself or herself, and when a coach's complaints are persistent.

Some technical fouls are easy. They are black and white situations that leave little room for negotiation:
Using profanity or language that is abusive, vulgar, or obscene.
A coach questions your integrity.
Inciting an undesirable crowd reaction.
A coach is embarrassing an official.
A coach or player has been warned and has not heeded the warning.
Leaving the confines of the coaching box and complaining.
A coach demonstrates displeasure with your partner and their back is turned.

Other technical fouls are not as black and white. In some situations, a warning may be appropriate
before the technical foul is given:
A coach or player continually demonstrates signals or asks for calls.
If they have interfered with the game or your concentration, then they have usually gone too far.
If giving a technical will help give structure back to the game and if it will have a calming effect on things.

Ways To Give A Technical Foul
Calling a technical foul should be no different then calling any other foul. It is simply a rule that requires
a penalty. Maintain a calm attitude, have poise and presence. Don’t personalize it. Don't embarrass the
coach by being demonstrative.
Take your time. Don’t over react. Always sound the whistle and stop the clock with a foul signal. Signal
the technical foul. Take a deep breath to calm yourself. Proceed to the reporting area, report the technical
foul clearly to the table, and leave the area. Never look at a coach when you give a technical foul.
Confer with your partner. If the technical foul is charged to the head coach or bench personnel, have your
partner inform the coach of the loss of the coaching box.
Explanations, it needed should be done by partner. When asked, always explain technical fouls on players
to coaches.

Proceed with the administration of the penalty. After technical fouls, put the ball in play immediately.
The calling official may want to stay away from the coach for a few minutes, even if it means not making
a switch, or making an unneeded switch, after the administration of the technical foul penalty has been
completed.
Because a coach has been penalized with a technical foul does not mean that the coach is allowed
rebuttal time.
Make them earn the second technical foul. Don't be reluctant to give the second technical foul if it
is warranted.

Original Source: The Greater Philadelphia Basketball Official's Association

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Ways To Give A Technical Foul
Calling a technical foul should be no different then calling any other foul. It is simply a rule that requires
a penalty. Maintain a calm attitude, have poise and presence. Don’t personalize it. Don't embarrass the
coach by being demonstrative.
Take your time. Don’t over react. Always sound the whistle and stop the clock with a foul signal. Signal
the technical foul. Take a deep breath to calm yourself. Proceed to the reporting area, report the technical
foul clearly to the table, and leave the area. Never look at a coach when you give a technical foul.
Confer with your partner. If the technical foul is charged to the head coach or bench personnel, have your
partner inform the coach of the loss of the coaching box.
Explanations, it needed should be done by partner. When asked, always explain technical fouls on players
to coaches.

Proceed with the administration of the penalty. After technical fouls, put the ball in play immediately.
The calling official may want to stay away from the coach for a few minutes, even if it means not making
a switch, or making an unneeded switch, after the administration of the technical foul penalty has been
completed.
Because a coach has been penalized with a technical foul does not mean that the coach is allowed
rebuttal time.
Make them earn the second technical foul. Don't be reluctant to give the second technical foul if it
is warranted.

Mmmm...

1. In theory a technical foul is no different than any other call. However, in reality we are human and it isn't always the same as any other call.
2. I have never heard of stopping the clock for a technical with a foul signal.
3. I do not need anyone to explain something for me. In my little corner of the silver state I pre-game with my partners that the calling official will be the next one to engage a coach after calling a direct technical on a coach. This way, there is no "shoulder to cry on" from the other official(s).
4. I will submit this for thought: if a coach receives a technical foul and the situation is such that a crew of officials cannot rotate/switch as they normally do for fear (how I look at it) of something else happening with the coach, maybe the coach should have been ejected in the first place.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by tomegun

I will submit this for thought: if a coach receives a technical foul and the situation is such that a crew of officials cannot rotate/switch as they normally do for fear (how I look at it) of something else happening with the coach, maybe the coach should have been ejected in the first place.

The original source is The Greater Philadelphia Basketball Official's Association. Here, in my little corner of Connecticut, we follow many, but not all, of these principles. We will often have the noncalling official remind the coach that he has lost his coaching box privilege. Tempers can sometimes escalate after a technical foul is charged, tempers by both the coach, and occasionally, the official, so it is sometimes conducive to separate them as soon as possible, even if it's just for a few minutes.

[fiasco]

Ok I got a new one for ya:

"Call the damn foul!"

[fiasco]

Originally Posted by fiasco

Ok I got a new one for ya:

"Call the damn foul!"

Okay, no one is going to bite on this, so I'll take it.

This one's an automatic T for me, happened last night.

Visiting coach hasn't said a peep all night. Not one thing to me or my partner other than to request a time out. Then with 1 minute left in the game, and his team down only by 4 points, there's a little scrum in front of his bench. Ball is loose, incidental contact, I have nothing. He says something about his player being put at a disadvantage, I ignore the comment. Then comes "Call the damn foul!"

Whack!

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by fiasco

Okay, no one is going to bite on this, so I'll take it.

This one's an automatic T for me, happened last night.

Visiting coach hasn't said a peep all night. Not one thing to me or my partner other than to request a time out. Then with 1 minute left in the game, and his team down only by 4 points, there's a little scrum in front of his bench. Ball is loose, incidental contact, I have nothing. He says something about his player being put at a disadvantage, I ignore the comment. Then comes "Call the damn foul!"

Whack!

Options:

1) Ignore
2) Address: "When there is a foul, I'll get it"
2) Address: "I saw xxxxx."


For me, a T is way down the list of options on this statement, especially in the situation you mentioned (nothing out of the coach until now).

The statement is a heavy straw to add to the camel's back, though.

[fiasco]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Options:

1) Ignore
2) Address: "When there is a foul, I'll get it"
2) Address: "I saw xxxxx."


For me, a T is way down the list of options on this statement, especially in the situation you mentioned (nothing out of the coach until now).

The statement is a heavy straw to add to the camel's back, though.

Hm...here's where we're just going to have to agree to disagree. I consider profanity directed at an official in this manner an automatic T. Unsportsmanlike in HS.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Options:

1) Ignore
2) Address: "When there is a foul, I'll get it"
2) Address: "I saw xxxxx."


For me, a T is way down the list of options on this statement, especially in the situation you mentioned (nothing out of the coach until now).

The statement is a heavy straw to add to the camel's back, though.

Me too. D@mn is an adjective for foul, not something directed at me, the official. Besides, that word (and few words) really bother me. It's the actions that go with the words that get the response.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by fiasco

Okay, no one is going to bite on this, so I'll take it.

This one's an automatic T for me, happened last night.

Visiting coach hasn't said a peep all night. Not one thing to me or my partner other than to request a time out. Then with 1 minute left in the game, and his team down only by 4 points, there's a little scrum in front of his bench. Ball is loose, incidental contact, I have nothing. He says something about his player being put at a disadvantage, I ignore the comment. Then comes "Call the damn foul!"

Whack!

Actually, I touched on this one earlier, fiasco, and I completely agree with you.

Aside to Bob & Rich: Even if you took out the word "damn," you still have an imperative sentence. Since when is that tolerable?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Aside to Bob & Rich: Even if you took out the word "damn," you still have an imperative sentence. Since when is that tolerable?

Since 1865 (or whenver Naismith wrote the first rules).

You're going to T for "Let 'em play" when a coach thinks you're calling it too tight(ly)?

It's both a "when in Rome" thing, a "level of play" thing, and a George Carlin "idiots and maniacs" (or whatever he used) thing.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Actually, I touched on this one earlier, fiasco, and I completely agree with you.

Aside to Bob & Rich: Even if you took out the word "damn," you still have an imperative sentence. Since when is that tolerable?

It's a big fat ignore for me. Answer questions, ignore statements. He says "Call the damned foul" and I don't even look in his direction and keep officiating. If he repeated it or continues, I deal with it -- maybe by simply giving him a look or saying, "I heard you the first [N] times."

If it's loud, prolonged, or personal, deal with it. That can include many things and may or may not include a technical foul.

But a technical foul for a head coach is likely not going to come this easily. Not varsity and up anyway.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by fiasco

Ok I got a new one for ya:

"Call the damn foul!"

Depends on context and volume for me.

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The original source is The Greater Philadelphia Basketball Official's Association. Here, in my little corner of Connecticut, we follow many, but not all, of these principles. We will often have the noncalling official remind the coach that he has lost his coaching box privilege. Tempers can sometimes escalate after a technical foul is charged, tempers by both the coach, and occasionally, the official, so it is sometimes conducive to separate them as soon as possible, even if it's just for a few minutes.

Here in my little corner of the silver state , the instructional chair - who is wonderful gentleman - put together a list of "10 things" we will all do for consistency. Included in that list is the calling official will take a position away from the coach following a direct technical foul on the coach. What that means is the calling official is away during the technical foul shots and when the game resumes the crew will use normal mechanics. What you posted said, "...even if it means not making a switch...". I do not agree with that philosophy at all. Again, if a situation with a coach is so bad that your crew does not rotate for fear of something else happening, maybe the coach should have been ejected in the first place. Also, if the calling official cannot be next to the coach following the technical free throws and subsequent action, maybe officiating isn't for him or her.

It is your little corner of whatever so those are the guidelines you follow. I just think that both the coach and the official should be able to be near each other following technical free throws and live action (which would put the official back near the coach). If they cannot, one of both of them shouldn't be there. If this happened I doubt it would be the first time for either of them so the guilty party should be removed from this beautiful game I love.

That is just how we think in my little corner of the silver state.