Wanted to give a T

[gojeremy]

Red team down by 9 and player hits a 3 point shot. Red now down 6 pts. I was trail on tableside and I didn't immediately hear the red coach yell for a timeout because crowd was cheering and announcer was commenting on the basket. I grant the red team timeout but after about 2 seconds ran off the clock. There is now 5.1 seconds on the clock. He does a slight stare down on me, flips his clipboard back on one of the chairs and says "Jesus" very sarcastically. I know that isn't considered swearing in this day and age but I still consider that inappropriate. I wanted to give a T for the stare and the clipboard flip but I just reported the timeout because I didn't want a T to decide the game. Did I do the right thing?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by gojeremy

Red team down by 9 and player hits a 3 point shot. Red now down 6 pts. I was trail on tableside and I didn't immediately hear the red coach yell for a timeout because crowd was cheering and announcer was commenting on the basket. I grant the red team timeout but after about 2 seconds ran off the clock. There is now 5.1 seconds on the clock. He does a slight stare down on me, flips his clipboard back on one of the chairs and says "Jesus" very sarcastically. I know that isn't considered swearing in this day and age but I still consider that inappropriate. I wanted to give a T for the stare and the clipboard flip but I just reported the timeout because I didn't want a T to decide the game. Did I do the right thing?

IMHO ... you "want" too much. You should not "want" a T to decide (or not to decide) a game. Too many people consider calling a T as a different act from calling a foul. It's not. Call the game. If his stare-down warranted a T (I doubt it did ... but this is your call, not mine) - then call it. If his flipping of a clipboard in anger warranted a T (after the stare - I'm thinking it did, but again, it's your call) - then call it. If him giving you the name of his favorite deity warranted a T (especially in addition to the other two acts), call it.

Don't fail to call it because you didn't want it to decide the game any more than you would fail to call a travel because you didn't want it to decide the game.

If coach decides to get a T with his team down 6 and 5.1 seconds remaining - that's on him. HE cost his team the opportunity to somehow finish this miracle comeback --- not you.

PS - it's not the swear word (usually) that warrants a T (imho) - it's the manner, the attitude, etc - and it's who it's directed at.

[gojeremy]

I should rephrase. I don’t "want" to give technicals. I call the game as I see it and I feel his vocabulary and his gestures were all directed towards me. I'm a first year official and I have never been in this situation, and just looking for the feedback. You're right, I should be careful about the "want".

[JetMetFan]

First, Ts generally call themselves. If he's going to get one for unsporting behavior - regardless of time or score - let it be one that Stevie Wonder would've been able to call from the last row (as my mentors would say).

Second, it's on us to remember time and score in that spot. His team is trying to make a comeback and scores. A glance to his bench after the ball goes through the hoop to see whether he's requesting TO solves the issue. We all miss TO requests at times due to noise but the noise itself isn't the reason. I doubt it's because the gym was quiet and all of a sudden the noise level went to 110 decibels. If we glance and he's not making the TO request immediately then it's on him.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by gojeremy

Red team down by 9 and player hits a 3 point shot. Red now down 6 pts. I was trail on tableside and I didn't immediately hear the red coach yell for a timeout because crowd was cheering and announcer was commenting on the basket. I grant the red team timeout but after about 2 seconds ran off the clock. There is now 5.1 seconds on the clock. He does a slight stare down on me, flips his clipboard back on one of the chairs and says "Jesus" very sarcastically. I know that isn't considered swearing in this day and age but I still consider that inappropriate. I wanted to give a T for the stare and the clipboard flip but I just reported the timeout because I didn't want a T to decide the game. Did I do the right thing?

Learning experience for you -- did you look immediately at the coach when the 3 went through the hoop? No? Why not?

Situation awareness is important.

If I were that coach, I'd be frustrated, too, BTW.

[gojeremy]

I watched the video and he is standing with his hands in his pockets, in the middle of the bench, calling for a timeout. It looks like he is calling towards his players. He then looks at me and signals for a 30 second timeout. Yes, the crowd and the announcer drowned out his voice and he made no gestures immediately after the basket.

[gojeremy]

I do admit I should have looked towards the bench and I didn't. Rookie mistake. After watching the video I still don't know if I would have immediately granted a timeout because I couldn't hear him or see him make any signal that he wanted a timeout.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by gojeremy

I watched the video and he is standing with his hands in his pockets, in the middle of the bench, calling for a timeout. It looks like he is calling towards his players. He then looks at me and signals for a 30 second timeout. Yes, the crowd and the announcer drowned out his voice and he made no gestures immediately after the basket.

If he's not getting your attention, it's on him. But you shouldn't have to have watched the video to tell us that -- tells me you weren't looking there when it happened in real time. Or your partner -- this is one situation where ALL officials need to be looking at the bench.

We had a game winning shot go through with 1.5 seconds left last night. ALL officials had the timeout after the basket, we were all expecting it. We had to put time back on the clock, though, since the timer let the clock run out.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by gojeremy

I watched the video and he is standing with his hands in his pockets, in the middle of the bench, calling for a timeout. It looks like he is calling towards his players. He then looks at me and signals for a 30 second timeout. Yes, the crowd and the announcer drowned out his voice and he made no gestures immediately after the basket.

Then the second part of my last post applies: that's on him.

Something else to consider: I'm assuming this is a 2-person game. One of you has to be standing tableside and either near (the L) or in front of (the T) his bench. As Rich said, be ready for it.

Another point regarding his actions: I'm not saying if he questions your birth or heritage quietly while you're standing next to him that he shouldn't get whacked but if he's being "visual" let it call itself.

[JugglingReferee]

Years ago we had coach who was in a similar situation. Luckily, I'm on a first-name basis with this coach and my explanation was "tell the refs ahead of time that you're going to request a TO {in certain situations}". This will remind them to look at you when you want the TO.

Yes, in the OP it would have been nice to look at the coach. If the coach owns the situation, (s)he can have the refs understanding end of game scenarios to his/her liking.

[Toren]

Originally Posted by gojeremy

I watched the video and he is standing with his hands in his pockets, in the middle of the bench, calling for a timeout. It looks like he is calling towards his players. He then looks at me and signals for a 30 second timeout. Yes, the crowd and the announcer drowned out his voice and he made no gestures immediately after the basket.

I don't doubt any of what you're saying. I'm sure your partners also didn't see or hear the coach requesting a timeout.

When the huddle broke, I would have said something to the effect "Coach, I know you are looking for a timeout, help us out by being more vocal or visual so it's easier for us to see and hear you." And then I would have gotten out of there.

[gojeremy]

I definitely learned to look towards the bench from now on. I remember thinking to watch for a foul after inbound pass and I never thought to look or listen for the coach.

[jTheUmp]

After awhile, you get a feel for when a coach might want to call a timeout (late in a close game, a-la your situation; when the opponent is in the middle of a run; etc)... in those situations, take a quick glance over at the bench after a made basket. Don't make it more than a quick glance though... if the coach isn't immediately motioning/calling for a timeout, get back to watching the playing action.

Like others have said, if the coach doesn't get our attention quickly/sufficiently enough; that's on the coach.

[MD Longhorn]

Kind of related funny. Was refereeing a volleyball match a couple of weeks ago. Had a better team suddenly give up a 6 point lead. I glanced over - nothing. Next point, they are down 1. I glance over, nothing. Next point, they are now down 2. I glance over and the coach happens to be looking my way - we make eye contact and you could see her brain go from "Why are you looking at me?" to "Oh crap, I should be calling a timeout here." And she called a time out.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by gojeremy

He does a slight stare down on me, flips his clipboard back on one of the chairs and says "Jesus" very sarcastically. I know that isn't considered swearing in this day and age...

I know a lot of people, myself included, who consider THAT swearing, without question. For basketball purposes, though, I'd consider that a Roman Law thing.

Then again, the Romans killed Jesus, but I digress.