+1

Indeed.

MDLonghorn- Curious as to your reasoning for NOT mentioning this.

Exactly. A better and more descriptive version of the point I was making earlier.

Update:

Pre-game handshake- I look directly at HC as I'm shaking his hand and he kind of gave me a look like, "Oh $#!%, this guy." He was under the basket with his team for almost the entire warm up period so I don't think he realized who I was until that time.

Game was fairly close and competitive until about mid-way through of 4th quarter. Coach was fine. Very animated with his players but did not say a word to me the entire game. I think he asked one of my partners for a quick explanation after one play but other than that I did not see/hear a single thing directed toward us.

I should have whacked one of his kids with about a minute left but passed. Turned out to be much ado.....

But you and your partners were prepared, just in case...it's those times when we are not prepared for something when the sh!t hits the fan! Glad things went well.

First a war story. Years ago when I was officiating women's in the Ohio Comm. Coll. Conf. I officiated a certain school from the OCCC in the NJCAA Regionals and the team got blown out and naturally, according the the HC, it was my fault that her team got blown out. And she made it a point to let me know that I would never work in her conference again. I let the league assignor know what she said. The next year I had her three times at home and three times on the road, :p.

When young officials come to me with questions about having a history with a coach, I tell them the same thing that many other posters in the thread have already said, officials forget the game as soon as it is over (and some of us forget the game before it is over, :D). The problem is that many coaches think that we are always out to get them and never ever forgot. Ask any old timer and he will tell you of coaches that complain about a call he made against them from five years before. It is just part of the job.

MTD, Sr.

Official: Are we going to have any problems like last game?
Coach: If you call it as poorly as you did last time.

Can't get in trouble for something you didn't say. Glad you were prepped and it went well.

Suff happens but it's always good that your partners know if there's a history.

Three seasons ago I have a BV coach who can be a bit noisy. I called a couple of travels against his team in the first qtr. He wasn't thrilled with one of them and started yelling "that's a horrible call!" Repeatedly. While three feet out of his coaching box. While I'm standing at the division line across from the table. Bang... He and his assistant catch me at halftime and ask why I have him a T since he didn't swear (really?) and why he didn't get a warning.

Ten days later I have the same guy (both were road games). I tell my partner about the previous situation, including the stuff they said about no warning. My partner tells me, "Fine. If you have to warn him, I'll take care of the rest." Midway trough the 2nd qtr. I warn the HC. Two minutes later, my partner finishes the job. That's why we're a team out there.

BTW, that HC and I have gotten along just fine since then to the point where we actually joke with each other during games.

I think you hit it on the head... be professional.

It is a new day and a new game, but given the last interaction, I would not go out of my way to initiate any dialog.

As for the last game... I think you reacted correctly... my only comment would be once a coach proves to be "sideways," we need to stay away. Teching a coach for muttering you or staring you down is never validated on tape. Just stay away and if he wants to say something let him yell it across the court where everyone hears it... then you have a free license to whack/toss.

1. You can't always stay away.

2. You shouldn't let a coach dictate your positioning like that.

3. If you're worried about the tape, your assignors don't trust you enough.

I agree on 1 and 2. The point was not to linger or initiate any dialog.

On 3, I disagree. I work in a variety of conferences some of which the coaches have tremendous influence over the assignors. I do not personally agree with allowing coaches that much power, but it is the way it is. If the tape backs you up, it is always easy for your supervisor to defend the call. If the tape does not, then becomes more difficult.

Same here. I know for a fact my assignor will look at tape if there is controversy - whether it be initiated by a coach complaining or an official reporting that there was a flagrant foul. I'm fine with it and it backed me up on a flagrant foul I called last season where I was the only one who saw the action - both my partner and the head coach of the kid who was tossed were blocked from the view of it.

I still think your assignors need to trust you more, otherwise a coach gets to mutter anything he wants, especially if he smiles for the camera while doing it.

Agree about #3. I have one supervisor who wants T's on coaches to be very obvious.

Curious, what would have happened if the camera was also blocked?

One other point... Make sure you tell your partners in the pregame that you teched the coach last week! I had a coach ready to kill my partner in a game last year and had no idea... playcalling was good and it was early in the game. I asked the coach why he was mad and he said he was still mad at the U1 for teching him earlier in the season!

Look... none of us are trying to be argumentative.... Usually the tape tells the story. I don't like the fact that we don't have more trust, but that is the reality when every fan has a camera phone, both teams tape the game, etc.

The assignor in many cases is hired and paid by the schools in the conference and their ability to be successful does require that they serve as the liason between the officials and coaches in the conference.