There's no honor in throwing gasoline on an already-established fire.

Just sayin'.

Fire, Let Me Introduce You To Gasoline ...
 

IAABO mechanics (can't speak for NFHS mechanics) give us the option of having the noncalling official tell the coach about the fifth foul, and to start the replacement clock. I've never had to opportunity to use this option, but IAABO probably has this option in place for a good reason.

I have no problem dealing with a coach that's upset, but I'm not going to get in pissing contest with him if it's unavoidable, and allowed by the mechanics set that I utilize. Sometimes it's not about being macho. If all it takes is an extra switch, or a no switch (in lots of situations, not just this specific one), to avoid escalating problems, than I'm all for it. I seldom use it, but I'm all for it.

There is nothing that requires us to go over to the Coach and inform him that it is the player's 5th foul...like Rich, I do it all from the same position. Report the foul - they tell me it is #5, I turn and inform the Coach from right there. Start the clock from right there. Tell partners from right there. The only times I have ever seen any problems is when a partner has gone over to the bench area to tell the Coach.

Excellent point. No reason to stick around after starting the clock, either. We can beckon the replacement from anywhere.

I don't get this sentiment. We inform the coach as we need to. Why do we have to censor ourselves because the coach can't control his emotions? This is not adding gasoline. Adding gasoline would be going over and saying something dumb to the coach.

I don't really care about how much money I look like. I care about doing my job. Perception is different from the vantage point of who is doing the perceiving. I believe in facts and repercussions. I'm not a teenager that needs my partner to step in to handle the big scary coach. The coach's actions are what determines punishment, not mine. I will not run from my responsibility and I will not placate a coach simply to "avoid" a confrontation. Half the onus is on him too, and this is not "avoiding the unmanageable" this is just doing your job.

If I bait the coach, then shame on me. If the coach wants to say something stupid that may or may not earn him a T, then that's on him. Perception and facts are two very different things, and I hope your assignor knows the difference.

I have been told two things involving this procedure. First, instruct the timer in the pregame to give you a signal for 20 seconds, but not buzz the horn. That gives you freedom to avoid a technical, at least for a bit. Second, don't approach the coach. If he wants to come to you and he has to come out of the coaching box. Both things give an extra layer of insulation.

This contradicts the rules.

That's a really bad idea.

First, as deecee already said, it goes against what the rule book says.

Second, the Coach knows (or should) that he has 20 seconds and will be listening for that horn.

And I really don't get the whole "avoid the technical" thinking here...

I am with you, I do not get this attitude. We have the right to do our job and the coach is in control of their attitude or what they say.

And I do not think telling a coach they have a player with 5 fouls does anything either way if a coach wants to get at you. They could yell across the court and that behavior has to be addressed too.

And telling a coach that a player has 5 fouls does not mean you have to get in their fact. I stay at the table for the most part and make sure the sub comes. I am often 20 feet away from a coach when this takes place. Often the coach already knows they fouled out and they are trying to call their players over to take advantage of the 20 seconds.

Peace

Smarter Than The Average Bear ...
 

Which, in some cases might be, "That's 25's fifth foul coach".

If the official knows, for sure, that saying this will further exacerbate this situation, based on some previous comments by the coach, why "push it" if the mechanics set that one works under allows an option that may avoid a technical foul, or an ejection.

If you have this tool in your toolbelt (some might not), and don't use it, that's the same as saying "something dumb", maybe, at its absolute worst, a form of baiting.

We're smarter than coaches. Let's prove it.

I can't speak about NFHS mechanics, but IAABO offers an option for a reason. If there was not reason for the option, IAABO wouldn't offer it.

As I've said in the past, I've never used this option in my thirty-three years, but I like to have it in my "game management" toolbelt, because I may want to use it tomorrow night.

Along similar lines, this (following) is always part of my pregame, and, unlike the fifth foul situation, I use this one: If one of us calls a technical foul on a coach, the noncalling official will remind the coach that he must sit down.

Thirty Seconds ???
 

rockyroad: You give coaches way too much credit. A few weeks ago, I had a coach ask for his thirty seconds to replace a disqualified player. Silly monkey.

If this is what sets the coach off then that is on him 100%. This is not a dumb statement, but one of fact. As long as we implement mechanics to acquiesce to coaches who are upset we have no business complaining about coaches behavior. We either choose to deal with it or we don't.

I've Got To Be, A Macho Man ...
 

It might be a dumb statement if you know, 100% for sure, that it's going to "set him off". Why not avoid it, why bait him into a technical foul, when it can be avoided? I hope that you're not of those officials who puts notches on his pistol grip.

I know that there are not a lot of IAABO-philes out there, even among IAABO members, but there has to be a reason why this option is in the book. What's the NFHS say?

I don't find myself agreeing with you on this part of the game very often ... but I sure do here. We don't need to put as much effort in deciding what will or will not set off a coach as some seem to be intimating. If a coach just HAS to get that T, he will do so. Preventative officating here (as everywhere) is fine, but it seems some are advocating bending over backward to avoid having to issue a technical foul. I don't see that. If the guy's that borderline, let him have his T - sometimes that's the most efficient way to cool a hothead anyway.