How much do you talk to coaches?

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Silence can't be misquoted. If you can't think of an appropriate response, don't say anything.

Answer questions only.

Ignore comments (unless they rise to the level of a Technical Foul, then take care of business).

Only talk to the coach during a dead ball.

Keep your voice calm. Use a normal conversational tone.

Body language is important. When taking to the coach, have your arms at your sides or behind your back. Never fold your arms in front of you, this makes you look unapproachable.

You get a maximum of one "you're right coach, I kicked that call" per game. Use it wisely.

If they're questioning a charge/block call/no-call, I've found that it can help to include the phrase "legal guarding position" into your response. "Coach, the defender established legal guarding position and your player initiated the contact"

You can initiate conversation, but only to give factual information (Coach, you have 3 timeouts remaining), or to request their help with a situation (Coach, please stay in your coaching box).

Yikes!!!!! Why would you do that? Unsolicited to boot. That's what ACs are for. It can only hurt you, should your info be wrong. When he's out,yes, as preventative medicine, I'll tell AC.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Yikes!!!!! Why would you do that? Unsolicited to boot. That's what ACs are for. It can only hurt you, should your info be wrong. When he's out,yes, as preventative medicine, I'll tell AC.

I check with the official scorebook during the timeout, and tell the HC after the timeout has ended. That way I know I'm not wrong. If the coach asks me when at some other point (during a FT, for example), I'll say "Coach, you need to ask the scorekeeper".

I also will let my partner know how many TOs each team has as the game's winding down.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

I check with the official scorebook during the timeout, and tell the HC after the timeout has ended. That way I know I'm not wrong. If the coach asks me when at some other point (during a FT, for example), I'll say "Coach, you need to ask the scorekeeper".

I also will let my partner know how many TOs each team has as the game's winding down.

Why do you feel the need to check with scorekeeper to keep coach informed if he has 2,3,4 timeouts left.

The whole point is table tells you he has one left...YOU tell coach, table then finds mistake later in game and guess who gets blamed when he calls a TO and there isn't one left? You're right, not the table. Why act as his concierge?

Personally, I could care less when officials tell me how many TOs a team has left unless he's out. That said can't remember any Varsity partners telling me TO situation unless out. Just useless stuff.

I also don't want to train coaches to ask me how many TO they have which you mentioned(can't ever recall a varsity coach asking me how many they have left).

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Personally, I could care less when officials tell me how many TOs a team has left unless he's out. That said can't remember any Varsity partners telling me TO situation unless out. Just useless stuff.

If you know a coach only has 30s (or fulls), then you can just grant and report the TO. You won't need to ask a question with an obvious (to the coach) answer. More than one coach has become iritated at that question. Perhaps they shouldn't, but why even give them the chance?

[VaTerp]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

If you know a coach only has 30s (or fulls), then you can just grant and report the TO. You won't need to ask a question with an obvious (to the coach) answer. More than one coach has become iritated at that question. Perhaps they shouldn't, but why even give them the chance?

I've had several coaches respond with an irritated "That's all I've got left." Ok, great. I don't know that for sure and it's not my responsibility to know that. That's what the table and the 5 clowns you have dressed up on your bench are for.

I get it. The coach's irritation is from the game and the pressure to win...whatever. And then you ask them a question that to them is obvious. But good staffs have an asst tell you what the coach wants or a coach can give u the full or 30 signal or just flippin say what they want. It takes a nano second.

Sometimes it works out that I do know what they have left but it's not a conscious effort.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by VaTerp

I've had several coaches respond with an irritated "That's all I've got left." Ok, great. I don't know that for sure and it's not my responsibility to know that. That's what the table and the 5 clowns you have dressed up on your bench are for.

I get it. The coach's irritation is from the game and the pressure to win...whatever. And then you ask them a question that to them is obvious. But good staffs have an asst tell you what the coach wants or a coach can give u the full or 30 signal or just flippin say what they want. It takes a nano second.

Sometimes it works out that I do know what they have left but it's not a conscious effort.

That is exactly how I feel. Well said - made me chuckle because it is dead on...

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

If you know a coach only has 30s (or fulls), then you can just grant and report the TO. You won't need to ask a question with an obvious (to the coach) answer. More than one coach has become iritated at that question. Perhaps they shouldn't, but why even give them the chance?

I have a general idea, as a good table may tell me previously where we are. If a coach becomes aggravated because he didn't indicate what kind of TO and I have to ask, I'm really not worried how that effects my rating from him, much like I'm not concerned what he thinks of a call I made. Never had someone gripe yet. I ask respectfully and most coaches indicate prior to having to ask what they want.

That said again, if I know for certain, of course I proceed without asking.

After all, I am fullor30.................can't change to coachuhave2

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by fullor30

I'm really not worried how that effect my rating from him,

Me, neither. It's just one more (minor but they all add up) game management technique.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Me, neither. It's just one more (minor but they all add up) game management technique.

I guess, maybe I'll try it.

[tomegun]

I had a conversation about this about an hour ago with one of my friends who is a rookie in the NBA this season. He told me that the "rule" has been to answer questions and not comments. He went on to say that isn't necessarily what we have to do because some comments must be addressed.

What brought this up was a game he was at today where one coach was an irritant and the other coach followed suit - the just kept making comments and calling out "ref". He said it was to the point where it was getting on his nerves in the stands. I can imagine he is more in tune with this than the regular fan since officiating is what he does for a living. The point is, the officials on the game didn't address the comments. Another reason he said they should have addressed it is because they were one 50/50 play away from either of the coaches going off. He said when that happens we often wonder why and it could have been prevented by addressing - through conflict resolution skills - the coaches earlier.