Unsportsmanlike question.
 

Do you have to assign an Unsportsmanlike penalty to a specific person? For example let's say your working a wing and a coach cusses you out such that everyone heard it for several yards around. But you were facing away from him and when you turn you see three assistants in the vicinity. Would you just assign it to one of them? To no one in particular? Would you no-call it? How would you handle it?

Canadian Philosophy
 

For some actions, yes; and others, no.

CANADIAN PHILOSOPHY:

I will assign it to the bench if I cannot identify the culprit.

I would not call it unless I knew who said it. If the ball were dead or at the next dead ball, I'd stop the clock and talk to the head coach and advise him that such language will not be tolerated, etc. etc. This will serve a couple of purposes - it will gives whoever had the problem a chance to continue the arguement (and let me know who it was for future reference) and say what he wants to my face; it will let the staff know I won't put up with this, and possibly it will allow everyone a chance to calm down.

if it's loud enough that everybody can hear it and the asst coaches won't own up to it then the USC gets charged to the head coach. He is responsible for his sideline and his staff.

I won't be able to get to a rule book till late tonight. Is there a specific rule which states this? It's true for basketball but I can't think of where it might be stated for football. Respectfully.

A wise old official once told me about USC. If it warrants a warning, it warrants a flag. Warning are to keep USCs from happening, not responding to them.

I've also heard that it's sometimes good to react to a comment that you overheard by giving a coach the chance to say it directly to your face. Sort of a - "Do have something to say to me, coach?" opportunity. I'd be more inclined to go that route here since SJ didn't know who made the comment.

SJ

The first R I worked with was also a BB official so maybe that where I got that line of thinking from.

Note that there is a near zero-tolerance in language in our HS leagues. If I player cusses himself out, to himself, then we can let it go. But out loud for others to hear, especially directed right at an official.

How is that not a flag in high school? :confused:

JimD, in my book that is baiting! I am a coach so you can see why I might say that but JMHO. If you don't like it flag it, if not ignore it. :mad:

The problem in this whole deal is that the wing wasn't sure who said it. It could have come from a coach, but it could have been the chain crew, a photographer or anyone. Most likely it was a coach, but I'd want to be sure before I hit a team for 15. Secondarily, it's going to sound dumb when I have to write up a report to the state and I have to admit I don't know who did the cursing - that it was just a voice behind me.

i don't think asking a coach to repeat a comment to my face ist baiting - it's more of a chance for a retraction.

Again, if I knew who said it in the first place, I'd flag it.

Just to make sure that I understand...

So some player from the bench keeps yelling out profanities about you directly but you don't flag it because you can't tell who it was?

You go over to try to get them to retract their statements, to no avail.

When you walk away, they start up again. You still can't flag it because why would you change your policy part way through?

No you don't understand.

I was responding to the original post where the wing heard a curse word but was not sure who said it.

Now you are presenting a different scenario and I would handle that situation differently than the original. I do change my response depending on the situation.

What if it's in French at an away game before an Anglophone crowd?

Je parle français.