Bench Decorum

[The_Rookie]

Bench Decorum has been a POE.. Normally, its about the interaction with the officials. But how do we handle a coach who is frustrated with his TEAM's PERFOMANCE who for example is ranting and stomping his feet and even throwing a towel at the bench area.

Do we concern ourselves with this since not directed at the officials??

[Adam]

Originally Posted by The_Rookie

Bench Decorum has been a POE.. Normally, its about the interaction with the officials. But how do we handle a coach who is frustrated with his TEAM's PERFOMANCE who for example is ranting and stomping his feet and even throwing a towel at the bench area.

Do we concern ourselves with this since not directed at the officials??

There are lines he can cross that could get us involved, but they mainly involve profanity. I wouldn't even address any of these.

[JRutledge]

I do not care hardly at all what a coach does when they are not yelling at me or not using profanity directed at me or an opponent. Coaches get excited and that is OK just like it is OK for a player to get excited sometimes. It is really a case by case situation too. I cannot ever think of a time I really said much to a coach that was simply coaching.

Peace

[tref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not care hardly at all what a coach does when they are not yelling at me or not using profanity directed at me or an opponent. Coaches get excited and that is OK just like it is OK for a player to get excited sometimes. It is really a case by case situation too. I cannot ever think of a time I really said much to a coach that was simply coaching.

Peace

True story! But stomping & throwing things on the sideline could be considered unsporting behavior whether he's directing it towards his team or our team.

[BLydic]

I'm sure there's a level of antics that could be reached by a coach where it needs to be addressed.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by tref

True story! But stomping & throwing things on the sideline could be considered unsporting behavior whether he's directing it towards his team or our team.

People can consider any number of things unsporting, but that does not mean it is right or using good common sense.

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

People can consider any number of things unsporting, but that does not mean it is right or using good common sense.

Peace

If he's behaving like a d1ck, I'm less likely to give him the benefit of the doubt if I can't tell whether he's addressing me or his players.
Simple report for me, too:

"I called A1 for traveling, and Coach threw his clipboard against the bench."

[SNIPERBBB]

Originally Posted by tref

True story! But stomping & throwing things on the sideline could be considered unsporting behavior whether he's directing it towards his team or our team.

I can't imagine a case where stomping would be a T worthy offense unless my foot was in the landing area.

Throwing things at the bench is a
HTBT case.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by SNIPERBBB

I can't imagine a case where stomping would be a T worthy offense unless my foot was in the landing area.

Throwing things at the bench is a
HTBT case.

Are you talking in general, or when you know the coach is addressing his team? I can't imagine letting either of these go if they're directed at me.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not care hardly at all what a coach does when they are not yelling at me or not using profanity directed at me or an opponent. Coaches get excited and that is OK just like it is OK for a player to get excited sometimes. It is really a case by case situation too. I cannot ever think of a time I really said much to a coach that was simply coaching.

Peace

NFHS 10-4-1c says coaches/bench personnel shall not use profanity or inappropriate language or obscene gestures.

In other words, by rule it doesn't matter if they say it to us, the other team or their own players.

I work the majority of my H.S. games for the NYC Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL). For the 2010-11 season the PSAL adopted a no tolerance policy on profanity...esssentially, telling us to enforce 10-3-6b and 10-4-1c to the letter. I rang up a coach this season who dropped an F-bomb during OT after his team turned the ball over...and he said it loud enough that players on the other team heard him. He was more embarrassed than upset...and relieved because his team won.

One thing I will say is it has cut down on a lot of player/player nonsense as well as stuff directed towards us.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

NFHS 10-4-1c says coaches/bench personnel shall not use profanity or inappropriate language or obscene gestures.

In other words, by rule it doesn't matter if they say it to us, the other team or their own players.

You obviously did not read or understand what I said if you are referencing the rules on profanity. And in the real world people use profanity and many people cannot agree what is profane or what is out of line. And since language and meaning changes all the time, what one person finds offensive or profane, another person finds just acceptable.

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

I work the majority of my H.S. games for the NYC Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL). For the 2010-11 season the PSAL adopted a no tolerance policy on profanity...esssentially, telling us to enforce 10-3-6b and 10-4-1c to the letter. I rang up a coach this season who dropped an F-bomb during OT after his team turned the ball over...and he said it loud enough that players on the other team heard him. He was more embarrassed than upset...and relieved because his team won.

One thing I will say is it has cut down on a lot of player/player nonsense as well as stuff directed towards us.

That is wonderful where you live and that they have a policy, but I can imagine that many places do not have a specific policy on what specific language is considered profane and then it is up to the judgment of the officials to decide what they will tolerate and what to penalize. I work in many places that if I penalized every bad word I would have multiple Ts a game. Often all you have to do is have a little word and it amazingly stops. But again unsporting behavior is not only about bad words and this is what the OP was asking, not about profanity. I do not see stomping as an illegal act in the rulebook, but if done in the right context it would be considered illegal.

Peace

[SNIPERBBB]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Are you talking in general, or when you know the coach is addressing his team? I can't imagine letting either of these go if they're directed at me.

For throwing things it better not be because of a call. Now if its a hard object I will not likely care what the reason was.

For the stomping that is in general. We have a few stoppers around here and its an amusement to us and not a conduct issue.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by SNIPERBBB

For throwing things it better not be because of a call. Now if its a hard object I will not likely care what the reason was.

For the stomping that is in general. We have a few stoppers around here and its an amusement to us and not a conduct issue.

Stomping, I have no issue with. I whacked a coach a few years ago for winding up and kicking a bleacher after a call didn't go his way, though.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You obviously did not read or understand what I said if you are referencing the rules on profanity. And in the real world people use profanity and many people cannot agree what is profane or what is out of line. And since language and meaning changes all the time, what one person finds offensive or profane, another person finds just acceptable.



That is wonderful where you live and that they have a policy, but I can imagine that many places do not have a specific policy on what specific language is considered profane and then it is up to the judgment of the officials to decide what they will tolerate and what to penalize. I work in many places that if I penalized every bad word I would have multiple Ts a game. Often all you have to do is have a little word and it amazingly stops. But again unsporting behavior is not only about bad words and this is what the OP was asking, not about profanity. I do not see stomping as an illegal act in the rulebook, but if done in the right context it would be considered illegal.

Peace

JR, I believe understood what you said which is why I referenced profanity as opposed to the OP. If a coach is using profanity with/at his/her kids we can deal with it and we should. As to what constitutes profanity, I'm sure there are basic words most people would lump into that category.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

JR, I believe understood what you said which is why I referenced profanity as opposed to the OP. If a coach is using profanity with/at his/her kids we can deal with it and we should. As to what constitutes profanity, I'm sure there are basic words most people would lump into that category.

I will say this again, many words people different people will react differently to certain words. And if a coach is basically talking to their team in a private moment, I am pretty much going to let that happen as long as the entire gym cannot hear them. And if you want to address that in your games go right ahead. And an example is some people get offended if someone says, "God Dammit!" And there are others that would not take their religious affliction into that situation. So there are a lot disagreement if you even read this board often to see what kinds of things qualify as "profanity." Not every word starts with an "F" and not every word ends with a "K" either.

Peace