Coaching Box

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Can anyone tell me why coaches get upset when we tell them to stay in the box? Wouldn't the alternative be worse for them? I have had to tell coaches simply to stand in the box and you would think I was asking them to have a colonoscopy instead of moving one step in a direction.

Peace

Some give the following reasons coaches "get upset" when politely, tactfully, and respectfully prompted back into the kennel:
1) They're wrapped up in the game and just plain "lose track of where they are".
2) They're thinking about "more important things." Staying in the box has become a low priority for them and they get annoyed when that low priority is taken as a ridiculous high priority by an official.
3) They're "pushing the boundaries", seeing what s/he can get away with, trying to get under the skin of the officials whom he perceives as adversaries. Doesn't really know it is counterproductive. Just wants to be annoying to those he thinks are out to get him/her.
4) They're "asserting dominance", showing the officials s/he is in charge around here and will do darn well what s/he wants, further using the prompting to push back against that perceived expression of dominance itself, and so it escalates.
5) They use it as a "lure"--want to get called on it in order to use the conversation following to complain about other things.
6) They think they're getting some sort of "upper hand" on the other coach who, for the time being anyway, is staying in his box.
7) I never, ever did any of these things when I was a coach.

Any other reasons?