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  #1 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 05:29pm
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Lotsa T's for Some, Not Very Many for Others?

The recent thread on "Technical Fouls", combined with several crew and individual observations this past week, prompted the question, "Why is it that some officials, and in some cases crews, in the same geographical area, dish out a lot of technicals, while for others it's quite rare?" Here's some thoughts on possible reasons for the disparity. Comments and/or other perspectives would be welcomed.

It could be that...
...some rightfully have less tolerance for unsporting behavior on the parts of players and coaches than other officials. They, utilizing the unsporting technical foul for its intended purpose as a valid tool, are properly “taking care of business” and not passing off problems to other crews through shyness and neglect.
...they, due to their level of experience and expertise, are the ones assigned to the tough games with the teams that are tougher to handle. Those teams that deserve technical fouls are getting them from officials and crews that were given that game because of their ability as effective lion-tamers.
...other officials, due to shyness, lack of confidence, or a simple “chicken-hearted” attitude, are not properly "taking care of business" and, in passing up opportunities for justified T’s, are wrongly passing on unsportsmanlike behavior, and passing it along, unaddressed, to other officials who have the fortitude to take care of it as necessary.
...their communication skills are lacking, and little fires which otherwise never would have started all-too-quickly ignite into raging conflagrations which can only be put out by a member of the officiating crew having “the last act.”
...their play-calling is truly questionable and they bring upon themselves more anger and objections from players and coaches because of it, therefore T's are used as a sort of defense mechanism.
...they are too “thin skinned”. Due to personality or character, they, unlike others, perceive a strongly stated comment as a personal attack, or consider a standard, garden-variety complaint in the heat of the moment as a reason to pull the trigger.
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Last edited by Freddy; Mon Jan 16, 2012 at 05:57pm.
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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 05:38pm
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Yup looks about right.
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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 05:53pm
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I think being at either extreme is not a good place to be. Technicals are not something to brag about. You don't win a Most Technicals Assessed Award. And you don't get a Perfect Attendance Award for having a T-free season, either.
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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 06:36pm
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The coaches know me. I've been to the rodeo many, many, many times, in thirty-one years. They know that I will work my butt off for them, and their players. They know that when I make an occasional mistake, that I will allow them to question me, and that I will own up to my mistake. But they also know that I will not allow myself, or my partner, to be abused. No technical fouls so far this year, only a few last year. Reputation. Familiarity.
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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 07:00pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap View Post
I think being at either extreme is not a good place to be. Technicals are not something to brag about. You don't win a Most Technicals Assessed Award. And you don't get a Perfect Attendance Award for having a T-free season, either.
Yep.

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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 07:23pm
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You're forgetting one:

... it's just random coincidence, in that sometimes you get a string of games or a string of situations that require technical fouls, and sometimes you can go an entire month without a T-worthy situation.

Like my situation, for example: 4 Ts this season, 3 of which came in a single 8th grade game (one 'slam-the-ball-down-and-almost-hit-the-official-with-it-as-a-show-of-disgust' whacking, one T for yelling "get out of my face" at an opponent who was just guarding her in the post, and one "you gotta be f-cking kidding me" directed at the officials immediately after the second T).

The 4th T was an administrative T for adding a number to the book.

Other then that, I've been lucky thus far that I've had teams (and coaches) who are more interested in playing and coaching the game than they are in trying to work the officials.
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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 08:24pm
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It also seems (from the aforementioned thread) that most of the T's are coming in lower level games - Jr. High, rec. league, sub-varsity, etc. So someone who works a steady diet of those games - and the less experienced coaches who are on the bench - will probably have more T's than someone working strictly Varsity or College ball.
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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 08:51pm
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I haven't been doing this for too long (second year HS) but I think good control early on prevents a lot of garbage plays later. If you can make it through your game with out the coaches being disgusted and the crowd not booing the entire time, you are probably doing a decent job. If you don't have to dish out a lot of technical fouls AND aren't putting up with a bunch of garbage from the players and coaches, this seems like pretty good balance.
I have only had to call a couple of intentional fouls and one girl for swearing. She was from an inner city school which has some of the rougher crowd. The coach came up to us before the start of the game and said, "Don't hesitate to give my players a T for swearing or anything else." Made me kinda chuckle. It didn't get out of control though.
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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 10:35pm
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First of all, I try not to think about "dishing out" technical fouls. A T is just another foul in the game of basketball. We don't give them out, we assess them when earned.

As far as finding rhyme or reason to why some call more than others, I think there are too many variables to come up with an answer. Some of it has to do with the schedule you work, a lot has to do with your experience level, and let's face it, some nights coaches and players just don't want to act in a sportsmanlike manner, and some nights we don't want to put up with it.
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Old Mon Jan 16, 2012, 11:09pm
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I know several guys who have no problem whacking a player but will take a lot of abuse from coaches without addressing their behavior. It's kind of weird really.

I agree with the OP. Most officials fall into those categories. As for myself, I have had fewer coach technicals last year and this year. That probably has something to do with me being better than I was a few years ago and seeing the same coaches/teams multiple times per season. Not saying I'm great, but I'm sure as we improve over the years, there are fewer objectionable calls.
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Old Tue Jan 17, 2012, 07:12am
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Originally Posted by rockyroad View Post
It also seems (from the aforementioned thread) that most of the T's are coming in lower level games - Jr. High, rec. league, sub-varsity, etc. So someone who works a steady diet of those games - and the less experienced coaches who are on the bench - will probably have more T's than someone working strictly Varsity or College ball.
+1. Had an 8th grade girls game last night. We should have whacked both coaches for ABS after warning both, and my partner had to go to game management about a fan.
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Old Tue Jan 17, 2012, 07:32am
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Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap View Post
I think being at either extreme is not a good place to be. Technicals are not something to brag about. You don't win a Most Technicals Assessed Award. And you don't get a Perfect Attendance Award for having a T-free season, either.
I could go an entire season without a technical. I could have 3 in a week. After 25 years, I've learned one thing -- it has very little to do with me and everything to do with how "in control" players and coaches are. My line doesn't move much, if at all.
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Old Tue Jan 17, 2012, 10:18am
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I don't have real thick skin but call few technicals. I think Billy put it well--I have a lot of gray hair and these games are not my first rodeo either. I think I communicate well, both verbally and non-verbally. My kids, who are grown up, always comment on my glare. It works in officiating as well as parenting.
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Old Tue Jan 17, 2012, 10:38am
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Originally Posted by jTheUmp View Post
one "you gotta be f-cking kidding me" directed at the officials...
From a middle schooler?

That would likely result in a flagrant T in these parts.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RichMSN
After 25 years, I've learned one thing -- it has very little to do with me and everything to do with how "in control" players and coaches are.
Would it be a fair statement to say, it can have much to do with how "in control" you are?
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Old Tue Jan 17, 2012, 10:44am
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Originally Posted by bainsey View Post
From a middle schooler?

That would likely result in a flagrant T in these parts.


Would it be a fair statement to say, it can have much to do with how "in control" you are?
No, I don't think so. Of course I feel I'm always in control. It's our job to be.

I've had 3 technicals this season and all were because of poor choices made by the coaches involved. Other seasons I'd go the whole season without a technical. It's a pretty meaningless statistic *unless* you say you've never called one in XX years or you say you've called 45 in a season in which case I'd probably wonder why.
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