Probably regional, but this doesn't happen around here. I'm normally in the locker room before the teams have left the court.

Do you at least wait until the final horn? :)

Although I'm sure it's happened, I can't think of an example. I'm normally headed to the locker room as soon as the final buzzer goes off, so it probably happened either due to the locker room entrance being close to the benches, or I was by the benches when the game ended.

It may have happened to me once or twice, but not "plenty of times." :D Not enough that I remember it happening at all.

But most of the time, like about 99%, they're still starting their handshake as I'm leaving the court.

Summer ball is different, as my bag is normally behind the table.

I would also never suggest I have never shaken the hand of a coach after the game. But as stated, it is on the way to the locker room and maybe, just maybe we have to go by the benches. Usually that is not the case and I certainly do not seek it. If they stick out their hand and everything is good, I might do this, but it is not something I want to do or try to do. After the game so much wrong can happen if you talk to them.

Peace

Agree 100% with the first statement. In rec leagues and summer ball too many parent/part-time coaches act as if their auditioning for the NBA. They would win more games if they worked their pkayers as hard as they work the refs.

I've seen this backfire on a coach who yelled at a young ref to watch for three seconds and he went down the court and called one against the coach's team. As a newby there was only so much he could concentrate on but once that seed was planted he got it right away!

1, 2, 3, 4, 8, & 9 will have no influence on how I call a game.

5, 6, & 7 will only allow me not to call things because your team is not doing anything wrong. If coaches and players act correctly then they will avoid earning a tech and if your team adjusts to how we are calling a game (compared to other crews or certain game flow) then you will be whistled less because of it. But it has nothing to do with you buttering me up and everything to do with good coaching.

I have only seen a few situations where a ref caused a team to lose a game but even then, as I used to tell my players, if they had taken care of business earlier then that questionable late call wouldn't have mattered.

He missed the most important one!
 

For me, the easiest way to influence my calls is to have a nice hospitality area, with good food and plenty of drinks. The route to a man's heart is through his stomach. You want a call...there better be a BBQ sandwich waiting on me. No wings, no travel. No dressing room water, I might send you to the showers before halftime!

Clearly, the author hasn't experience life on our side of the ball. He doesn't understand what's important to us!

The way I call a game depends on whether or not either of the coaches bought foul insurance. :p