Stayed out of this discussion until now.

Youth tournament last winter, Boys, 6th grade I think.

Large gym, not many people. Two average teams. 1st half (18 minute running clock) visiting team bench suddenly gets coughing / sneezing fits at the exact moment Home team free thrower starts to shoot. I ignored it at first, then warned coach, then for whatever reason just ignored it after that. :confused: They kept it up the rest of the game.

End of the game, Home team will not shake hands with visitors. Coach said "I will not reward poor sportsmanship."

No hand shakes between teams becomes issue with the fans after the game, leading to yelling, finger pointing and me watching to see if it would escalate. No game management present as this is a multi-facility tournament and we are one of the satellite gyms.

I had to submit a report to tournament director.

All of this because I would not enforce the rule. :o

The only times it's happened to me (taken care of with a comment to the bench) have been boys games.

There's your second problem. :)

I won't work those anymore.

I've stayed out of the conversation, since I posted the scenario that has fueled so much of this discussion:
The reason that my partner and I talked with the coach was not so much because of possible disconcertion of the shooter. We have an obligation to the entire organization - high schools' athletic assn, officials assn, NFHS - to be cognizant of the sportsmanship aspect. (I'm the strange guy who actually memorized and repeats the NFHS Sportsmanship statement at captains meetings, before games).
The actions we addressed, in another setting - wreck league, pick-up game, etc. - might not be anything except comic relief. However, being responsible, as I understand it, to do our part on behalf of all who we, as officials represent and to whom we report, I'm comfortable with how my partner and I addressed the situation.

For the record, I would tell the coach to have his bench stop...but I would never tell another official to get out of officiating over this minor of an issue.

I think we as officials spend too much time worrying about what others do or do not do. Officiating is a personal event where you are assigned a game and have to do what your bosses tell you. If someone else does not follow a procedure, ultimately that is not our problem. And just like everything in life, one situation is not like another situation. I do not see this situation as a big deal and I have never seen a situation where a bench was so over the top that I could not tell them to stop and then they stop. And I cannot remember the last time something like this even happened in a game because I believe most coaches would think it was bush league and not advocate such a thing. And if the crew before me let it go and I do not in the next game, I do not really care. My concern is what we do as a crew that night.

Peace

Apology
 

I will be 62 years young in November 2013, and after 42 years of officiating basketball every once in awhile I get riled up over something that really can burn my tuchus, and I let Stripes' position and attitude of Bench Personnel in this situation get the better of my good judgement. My response was over the top and was not appropriate from an official of my background and as an Administrator of this Forum.

I apologize to everyone who read it and was offended by it.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. The chosen font size is to to emphasis the important parts and the not important parts of my post.

Agree...my response wasn't so much to you, more in general. Yours was just a convenient place to jump in.

Apology accepted.

As I re-read the thread, I did not express my thoughts very well. I should not have said to ignore the actions, but I would not call disconcertion. Much like JRut, I would give the coach a quick word and get it handled. Don't make the bench's actions a bigger deal than it is.

Ahhh, how precious.


Now everybody shut up.

That's more like it!!

Well, That's Over
 

A warm and fuzzy "Qum Ba Ya" moment to enter the holiday weekend. Nice. :)

Campfire, Smores, Ghost Stories ...
 

How come I didn't get to sing "Qum Ba Ya" the past two weekends?

I could post a video here but I want to stay on the good side of the moderators, so I won't.

I never allow opponents to stomp feet, chant or make other noise during a foul shot. When I hear it I warn the coach. That's all it takes and they stop. Only seen it at grade or junior high games. Sometimes I question though when I hear the coach or players shout to their teammates, "Who's got shooter!?!" right when the shooter is taking the shot. But I ignore it. I don't see it as disconcertion from the bench. I always ignore cheerleaders and fans who make noise during free throws.

If the defense is loudly asking "who's got shooter" just prior to a shot, before I bounce the ball for the next shot, I'll ask, "Who's got shooter?"
The one who has the shooter will identify himself, and the kids get my point.