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[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

What if a player has had an ongoing dialog with someone on the other team. It is a tight game in crunch time...that player gets fouled fairly hard but clean (doesn't merit intentional). Standing right next to you he says so softly that you barely understand it about the other player "F'ing jerk".

Just to clarify: Is A1 making the comment at B1 or about B1?

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

Just to clarify: Is A1 making the comment at B1 or about B1?

Why does that matter?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Why does that matter?

I'm with Nevada on this issue: "f-ing jerk" gets an easy T. If it's "about" the other player, it's a T. If it's "at" the other player, it's possibly flagrant.

I won't lose sleep either way.

And in most cases, that dialogue should have been nipped early for just this reason.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Why does that matter?

Just curious because some might argue if it's said about the player while the person who made the comment is facing away from the opponent and only an official can hear that they could talk the player down. I'm not part of "some" but again, I was curious.

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

Are you going to whack him or just say something along the lines of "I know you're frustrated but I heard that. If someone else in the gym hears you say something like that you will leave me no option."

Now...if you fall into the "talk them down" camp, this is way the heck too much dialogue to have with the kid.

[BatteryPowered]

JetMetFan...that isn't what I said. It was a long time ago but I think I just said "Watch it, controll yourself." I was lead and he was facing the wall. Being right next to him I barely heard it.

The dialog I mentioned wasn't constant the entire game and they always were looking at teammates. You know the type of stuff...one would make a shot over the other and say something like "All day long" as they ran to the other end. One blocked the others shot and when he teammates came up to him he said "Not today". Stuff like that...they never looked at each other when they were talking but you knew it was directed at the other. Like a pro coach sending a message to his players through the media at a press conference...not said directly to them but the message was sent.

The player in question's team was seeing their lead shrink rather quickly and I thought it was mostly frustration. Now if someone else would have heard it or he had been facing the player...whole different story and significantly different result.

[BatteryPowered]

Just to add...

I viewed this a lot like an incident that happened the week before. An official I knew was calling a game at a school where the head coach rarely said ANYTHING to officials. That night, right from the start he was carping about everything and almost stomping around in the bench area. A player for the other team slipped and banged his head on the floor and while his coaches tended to him this official asked the coach if there was a problem because he was acting so out of character. The coach told him he had received a call that his father passed away earlier that afternoon, then added "Dad would have wanted me to coach tonight." He told the coach they would work with him, but he needed to try to control his emotions as best he could. They managed to get through the game without having to stick him.

[Travelling Man]

I admire the way you'all handle these "un-anticipated" and problematic issues on the fly. As refs you are tasked with making split second decisions that must be correct 99.5% of the time--in the heat of the moment of competition and against the backdrop of heckling rawdy fans, frustrated players, and all manner of distractions. Small wonder

[justacoach]

Travelin Man:
Has anyone welcomed you to the forum?
If not, let me be the first. I am sure you will find it to be a worthhwhile learning experience

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

JetMetFan...that isn't what I said. It was a long time ago but I think I just said "Watch it, controll yourself." I was lead and he was facing the wall. Being right next to him I barely heard it.

The dialog I mentioned wasn't constant the entire game and they always were looking at teammates. You know the type of stuff...one would make a shot over the other and say something like "All day long" as they ran to the other end. One blocked the others shot and when he teammates came up to him he said "Not today". Stuff like that...they never looked at each other when they were talking but you knew it was directed at the other. Like a pro coach sending a message to his players through the media at a press conference...not said directly to them but the message was sent.

The player in question's team was seeing their lead shrink rather quickly and I thought it was mostly frustration. Now if someone else would have heard it or he had been facing the player...whole different story and significantly different result.

That's cool. As for the way they were saying it, i.e. indirectly, at some point telling them to knock it off would be appropriate.