Conference with head coach

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by trocared

the head coach needs to request a time-out for a conference. If there was a misaplication of a rule, procedure, etc, and is corrected, the coach does not lose a timeout. If there was not a misaplication, the coach is charged with a time-out, and, if he was out of timeouts, is penalized for delay of game.
cheers,
tro


added wow, you guys are fast

Rut is fast.... like a gazelle.

[Rich]

Rules interpretation, right.

We had a coach who wanted a conference because the umpire wasn't born with eyes in the back of his head and didn't throw a pass interference flag on a quick slant that almost took his head off.

The HC kept telling me I had to go talk to him. I did a great imitation of a referee with his back to the coach. Of course, the coach was so off base, I wouldn't have known where to start with him, so probably best I just didn't pay attention to him.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: When a coach asks for this conference, a time-out is immediately charged to the requesting coach’s team. You don't wait to see what the outcome of the discussion is to determine what kind of time-out to charge. Note: It’s a charged time-out. This means that three attendants are allowed to enter the field and either of the two authorized conferences is allowed to commence. If the coach/referee conference ends quickly and the referee’s ruling is upheld, the charged time-out stays charged and will continue to its conclusion (not more than one minute). If the coach’s position prevails and the referee concurs that a mistake was made, the charged time-out reverts to an official’s time-out and ends immediately. All attendants leave the field and play is resumed after the required correction is made.

If the discussion takes longer than the one-minute allocated to the charged time-out, the extension is considered an official’s time-out, since a charged time out may not exceed one minute in length.

The big myth that exists here is that an official’s time-out is taken to discuss the rule with the requesting coach, and then it turns into a charged time-out if the referee’s ruling prevails, when in fact, it’s just the opposite. The charged time-out always occurs first and is then rescinded if the coach’s appeal is proven to be correct.

[Blue37]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Rules interpretation, right.

We had a coach who wanted a conference because the umpire wasn't born with eyes in the back of his head and didn't throw a pass interference flag on a quick slant that almost took his head off.

The HC kept telling me I had to go talk to him. I did a great imitation of a referee with his back to the coach. Of course, the coach was so off base, I wouldn't have known where to start with him, so probably best I just didn't pay attention to him.

Rich,

In our association, when a coach requests a coach/referee conference, the end man stops the clock and lets the R know about the request. If the coach is yelling loud enough for the R to hear him, and the end man has not reacted, the R stops the clock. If, once the R gets to the sideline, the coach wants to discuss something other than the possible misapplication/misinterpretation of a rule, the coach/referee conference is immediately over and the R returns to his position. The coach has the remaining time to talk to his team.

Personally, even if the issue is something other than a rule misapplication/misinterpretation, I will stick around and let the coach vent on me a little. Usually, letting him get it out of his system calms him down and makes the rest of the game go smoother. Ignoring him only seems to fan the flames.

[bisonlj]

I assume you all don't use this logic if there was a strange play that just needs an explanation to the coach. For example, the first time we had a personal foul on the defense during a touchdown and the offense chose to enforce it on the kickoff, I took 20 seconds to explain what happened to the coach. It wasn't a question of penalty enforcement or rule interpretation but I felt a brief explanation was warranted. Situations like this seem to happen about every other game and I think are warranted to help with official-coach communication.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

I assume you all don't use this logic if there was a strange play that just needs an explanation to the coach. For example, the first time we had a personal foul on the defense during a touchdown and the offense chose to enforce it on the kickoff, I took 20 seconds to explain what happened to the coach. It wasn't a question of penalty enforcement or rule interpretation but I felt a brief explanation was warranted. Situations like this seem to happen about every other game and I think are warranted to help with official-coach communication.

And as a coach, we greatly appreciate that! Our "rule" is that if an official explains a call like that, we thank them and absolutely do not try to prolong the conversation or pull the "Yeah, well what about..." crap. A quick explanation gets a quick thank you and away we go. That kind of communication is a wonderful thing for the game.

[parepat]

On a few occassions a coach has called a time out. On the way out to the huddle he takes a detour over to me and starts asking questions. At that point I need to determine whether he wants a conference or is just taking a quick shot on the way to his team. WHen you ask a coach if they want a conference they usually look at you with complete confusion. I am suprised that so very few coaches take advantage of this rule. I have 2 brothers who are head coaches (the gene pool gets a little shallow in my family) and I tell them to use it. Guess how many times they have done it. zero.

[Forksref]

When I was a wing, and I tell my wings this now, when a coach is yacking or whining, I would say, "Coach, do you want a timeout?" That usually ends it. Like the above post, most coaches don't take advantage of the conference timeout. Rarely, and I mean verrry rarely, does a coach want to talk about a rule application. It's almost always about judgment.