Where is the line for parents?

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Terrapins Fan

I had a parent invite me outside after the game...

"Not a problem, buddy. Just let me stop at my car first to get my gun."

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

I did, once, explain to a group of "Three seconds" parents why I wasn't calling 3-second violations, it was an 11U game, and these parents were yelling for 3 second violations when the ball was still in the backcourt, during a throw-in, and in the shot-miss-rebound-shot-miss-rebound-shot-rinse-repeat sequences we all know and love. During a timeout, when I was standing right in front of them at the throw-in spot, I calmly turned around and asked "would you like to know why I'm not calling 3 seconds?"... I quickly explained to them the rule, and nobody said anything the rest of the game.

My partner did the exact same thing once in a rec league game, though his line was, "All right! Who needs a rules clinic?!"

Not only was it effective, when he had an actual three-seconds violation (from the trail) instead of signalling, he whistled, pointed to the crowd and said, "What's the call?"

The small crowd exclaimed gleefully, "THREE SECONDS!!!"

[MD Longhorn]

What fans? What parents? I see no fans or parents...

(Except that one time on walked on the court...)

[Indianaref]

I remember asking a similar question about fan interaction when I first started out...this one below stuck out for me:

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

You can generally lump interactions with fans into two categories. There are those situations where the answer to the question of whether to talk to fans is definitely No. On the other hand, there are those times when the answer is Hell No! Knowing the difference is important

[#olderthanilook]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

"Not a problem, buddy. Just let me stop at my car first to get my gun."

Unless she was hot, right?

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by #olderthanilook

Unless she was hot, right?

If that was the case, I'd be getting something else out of my car. Then - I'd be putting something (or someone) else into my car.

[archangel]

Had scheduled 3 games in an 8th Gr boys Holiday tourney in a "pit" type gym. When I arrived in street clothes, I heard/saw the fans of both teams (of the game before mine) yelling at both officials- coaches were doing same.
I sat to watch the "fun", and eventually 1 coach was T'd, then the other teams coach a few minutes later, and I'm thinking, OK -they're taking care of business.

During the next qtr, one ref blows his whistle, points into the stands and does the baseball ump "You, Yer outa here!" thing. Fan grabs coat and walks toward the door, game continues, until the ref sees that fan still watching the game from the other side- stops game again, yells that the game wont start until fan leaves.

I go get dressed, call my (never met before) partner, leaving a where are you voicemail, walk down to floor as players shaking hands, 10 min clock running till my game starts, and approach refs from the game just finished, with me commenting on their "interesting" game and hoping that mine go smoother-if partner arrives on time.

Yep, the ref that tossed the fan is staying for 1 more game (with me). He mentions being a rookie, so I take him aside, telling him to ignore fans, never doing what he did, but use GM if necessary. He agrees.

Fans were "excited" in our losers bracket tourney game, and at game end after teams have shook, and fans are leaving, again 10 min till next game, I ask partner sitting by the scoretable if he wants a water, cause I do. Concessions are around a corner, and when I come back in view of the floor I see 4 fans have him surrounded, up against the endline wall, all pointing and yelling. I drop the waters, run over, arriving at the same time as GM, get in between and finally shoo those fans away.

Back at the table, I apologize for leaving him alone, and ask what happened. He says a fan gave him a dirty look, so he pointed and yelled a warning to that fan.
All I thought at that point, was I had a new partner walking in then, and I was done with that guy...

[letemplay]

...your new partner is the parent that was thrown out of previous game, right?