Use of Cell Phone at Courtside.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Mark, Jr., and I had an unusual thing happen in our boys' H.S. jr. varsity game tonight (Tuesday, December 17, 2013). Team A is the Home Team and Team B is the Visiting Team.

The Second Quarter ends with the B-(JV)HC complaining that A1 had traveled just before the horns sounds to end the period. B-HC's complaining is such that he receives an UTF (from me, ).

Team B has the AP Arrow to start the Third Quarter. B-(JV)HC is informed that he has lost the Coaching Box for the remainder that game and that the Third Quarter will start with the assessing of the penalty for the TF.

At this point Team B's VAR-HC (who had been sitting on the Bench) makes his presence known and states that Team A has to shoot the FTs right now because the TF is part of the 2nd QT because the teams had not yet left the floor at the time of the TF, . I informed him that he was an Assistant Coach for this game and we (the Game Officials) would only converse with the JV Head Coach.

I then proceeded to inform the Scorer of what I had and how we would proceed. While I was doing this Mark, Jr., informed A-(JV)HC how the 3rd QT would start and both Teams left the court.

The unusual thing that happened was that while I was talking with the Scorer with regard to the Second Half Team Fouls and the AP Arrow, B-(VAR)HC stood behind the Scorer's Table, pulled out his cell phone and proceeded to make a telephone call. I really didn't pay much attention to him and what he was doing because my conversation with the Scorer was more important than his ordering pizza for all of the Game Officials for after the game, . Mark and I then proceeded to the Officials' Dressing Room.

When we left the Dressing Room for the start of the Second Half, Team B's VAR-HC was waiting for us at the entrance to the gym with the Home AD. He just wanted to tell me that he had spoken with OhioHSAA Asst. Comm. XYZ, a friend of his for more that thirty hears, and XYZ had told him that we were correct.

I too, know XYZ from his days as a H.S. AD and basketball coach at various schools in NW Ohio. XYZ is a nice guy and is one of the Asst. Comm. who oversee boys' and girls' basketball. But he is not one of the State Basketball Rules Interpreters and is not the first person at the OhioHSAA one would go to for a rules interpretation.

None-the-less, if I had known he was calling XYZ when he was standing behind the Scorer's Table, I think I would have "whacked" him, .

MTD, Sr.

[JetMetFan]

Forgive them, MTDS, for they know not what they do

I'll give the guy credit for having cojones. Sense, not so much, but cojones.

[BryanV21]

Due to his actions, I'd make sure the officials for the varsity game knew about it, and thus give him a very short leash. He should know better than to be like that as an assistant during the JV game.

Good work getting the call right.

[ballgame99]

Wow, he actually bothered to tell you that you were right? You have to give him credit there.

Now on to a JV coach arguing so vehemently about a travel call at the buzzer (on a shot that didn't go in I assume?) that he gets popped with a T... someone needs to learn to pick their battle and switch to decaf, or both.

Good work.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by ballgame99

Wow, he actually bothered to tell you that you were right? You have to give him credit there.

I think he was telling Mark that he was right and that Mark was wrong.

Mark - would you let Joe Average JV Assistant Coach intercept you as you tried to enter the court after halftime? Surprised you didn't T him then.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I think he was telling Mark that he was right and that Mark was wrong.

Mark - would you let Joe Average JV Assistant Coach intercept you as you tried to enter the court after halftime? Surprised you didn't T him then.

He was with the Home School AD and was very polite. But had I known he was calling an OhioHSAA Asst. Comm. instead of ordering pizza for the officials after the game I would have whacked him at the Scorer's Table, .

MTD, Sr.

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I think he was telling Mark that he was right and that Mark was wrong.

I read it as him (the Varsity Head Coach) telling Mark that the crew (MTD Jr. and Sr.) got it right.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

He just wanted to tell me that he (the Var HC) had spoken with OhioHSAA Asst. Comm. XYZ, a friend of his for more that thirty hears, and XYZ had told him (the Var HC again) that we (the crew, MTD Jr. and Sr.) were correct.

The confusing thing that Mark wrote is this section, which makes it seem like the opposite.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

XYZ is a nice guy and is one of the Asst. Comm. who oversee boys' and girls' basketball. But he is not one of the State Basketball Rules Interpreters and is not the first person at the OhioHSAA one would go to for a rules interpretation.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I read it as him (the Varsity Head Coach) telling Mark that the crew (MTD Jr. and Sr.) got it right.



The confusing thing that Mark wrote is this section, which makes it seem like the opposite.

Oh heck, it was late and night and I was sober when I started this thread, . It was a wonder I was able to write anything halfway coherent. LOL

The VAR coach wanted to let me and MTD, Jr., that after consulting XYZ, that Junior and I were correct, but we knew that anyway, .

MTD, Sr.


P.S. I just wish his phone call was really to order pizza for the JV and VAR officials for after the game, .