Well, we've had an ongoing discussion about whether or not an official should inform a coach when that coach has used his/her last time out.

So, while I was at camp this weekend, I managed to ask every single observer about it. (I didn't ask them as a group. I sought them out one-by-one.) I simply asked if the official should inform the coach, or stay away (so as to avoid any unpleasantness) and let the coach's assistants inform him.

Hank Nichols (coordinator of NCAA officials), Bob D'Amato (I'm sure I spelled it wrong, but he works the ACC and Big East, among others), Marty Shapiro, Don Shea (NBA and SEC), Tom Lopes (2003 Final Four official), and Jeff Nichols all said that you tell the coach, or at least tell an assistant. They said that there's simply no good reason not to, and it prevents a coach from trying to blame you later if he takes an excessive TO.

The dissenter of the group was Edgar Cartotto. He said the official should "NEVER" go to the team's huddle. His reason was not to avoid trouble, however. He was more concerned that it makes the official look like he's trying to shmooze with the coach.

I just thought I'd share the views of several D1 officials, as well as a couple assignors (not to mention the coordinator of NCAA officials). Obviously, this does not close any debate about the subject, b/c even the observers weren't unanimous. However, I think it's helpful to know how some of the best in the country feel about it.

It's in the NFHS rules to do so. Why wouldn't you?

My 2 Cents!
 

If you tell the one Coach its the last, I think you should tell the other Coach how many s/he has remaining, if any.

Re: My 2 Cents!
 

Uh-uh.

Re: Re: My 2 Cents!
 

Whats up Mark?

Re: Re: Re: My 2 Cents!
 

Not a rule, Woodee.

If you tell the other coach that he has two time-outs, then the guy that just ran out will wonder why you didn't tell him when he had two time-outs left.

mick

Thanks, Chuck.
Good post.
How'd it go?
mick

Re: Re: Re: Re: My 2 Cents!
 

I find i tell both coaches how many time outs they have left-late in the game--either the coach or assistant--i think in the long run they appreciate it

Letting a coach know how many TO they have left to REQUEST is a situational thing for me. It all depends on a few factors, the first being, did the table tell me how many are left? If the table didn't tell me I am not going to ask because I have enough to worry about in an 84'x50' box. Secondly, what has been the coach’s attitude throughout the game? Most important though, just like it is the assistant coaches responsibility to make sure the official knows what type of TO was requested it also their responsibility to inform their head coach of how many TO they have left, after all, he is just sitting there on his a** doing much of nothing anyway.

Edgar is correct. I have heard him say many times do not go sticking your nose into a team's huddle. Both NFHS and NCAA Men's/Women's rules state that a game official is to notify the coach when his/her team has used its last timeout.

I was told at a camp once to "only tell a coach when he/she is out of time outs"...if you tell the coach there is one TO left, and then come to find out the scorer screwed up when he/she informed you of time outs remaining, and the team is really OUT of timeouts, you'll have one pi$$ed coach

Mark, I'm not clear on what you're getting at. Are you saying that you shouldn't tell the coach s/he's out of TO's even tho the rules say that you should?

Or are you merely saying that, like me, you've heard Edgar state his position?

I can understand staying away from the bench area most of the time, but it has been my experience that coaches always say "thank you" and appreciate it when you inform them that they are out of time-outs. Rather than cause a problem, it improves things. Just don't interrupt a huddle...catch them when they are breaking up.

Z

I am going blind in one eye and cannot see out of the other one. I misread the original posting by Chuck. I have heard Edgar on many occasions that you do not want to go into a team's unless it is absolutely necessary. Informing a team that is has used its last timeout is required by rule. But an official must pick the right moment when to notify the coach and going into a huddle is not the best time to do it.