The worst a coach said to me this year

[w_sohl]

Originally Posted by LDUB

That adult is a member of the team just as a player on the field is. The coach gets the glory when the team wins just like the players does. All members of the team do things during the game which increase and/or decrease their chances of winning. The team wins and loses together. You're not taking anything away from the players by calling a foul, the coach who acted badly took it away from the players.

Also you do not get to decide which way to handle it is more appropriate, it is already decided for you in the rules.

And they don't have to be on the field for the sideline infractions. They can just be in my way. I handled the way I handled it and if the situation were the same, I would handle it in the same manner. He said nothing to me that deserved a 15 yard penalty in my judgement. I got my point across and didn't hear a word from him the rest of the evening. In my opinion and as far as I know the opinion of my crew and association it was handled properly.

[Blue37]

Originally Posted by w_sohl

I handled the way I handled it and if the situation were the same, I would handle it in the same manner. ... In my opinion and as far as I know the opinion of my crew and association it was handled properly.

You do realize you are making up rules? You do realize you are causing problems for those who follow you and properly administer the penalty? You do realize you are admitting to being the type of official most of us despise?

[ajmc]

I don't know how long you've been doing this, Blue37, but an official trying to apply some common sense to correct a problem, before it becomes a major issue, by getting someone's attention with the least consequence doesn't cause anyone to dispise him.

What can cause such a problem, a lot more likely, is an official following the exact verbiage of a rule without considering the appropriateness of how it applies to the situation at hand.

Nuclear warheads on mouse traps will absolutely eliminate a lot of mice, but the collateral damage might just be a little extreme.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by ajmc

I don't know how long you've been doing this, Blue37, but an official trying to apply some common sense to correct a problem, before it becomes a major issue, by getting someone's attention with the least consequence doesn't cause anyone to dispise him.

What can cause such a problem, a lot more likely, is an official following the exact verbiage of a rule without considering the appropriateness of how it applies to the situation at hand.

Nuclear warheads on mouse traps will absolutely eliminate a lot of mice, but the collateral damage might just be a little extreme.

100% wrong. Sideline warnings are defined as more than 3 coaches or any players in the "box". Yelling at an official is never a sideline warning.

I wonder what you would say when the supervisor sees the game tape and you called a sideline warning when it was obvious that a sideline warning didn't occur.

If some guy is yelling at you either ignore it, tell him to shut-up, or call the USC foul. There are no other options.

[zebra2955]

Freshmen game Coach asks if he can ask a question I tell him sure so ere goes

" If a player blockes someone from the side but his n helmet is in the back isn't that a block in the back" I said "His block was from the side?" He sai "Yes" "then coach you answered your own question"

[ajmc]

LDUB, I would expect a good supervisor would ask me what the situation was regarding that particular play, and what my decision was based on and designed to accomplish. If he's a seasoned supervisor I would hope he would understand and agree with my objective.

If he's not a good, or seasoned, supervisor, it really doesn't matter. Sometimes, being even 100% correct isn't always all it's cracked up to be.

[parepat]

Originally Posted by Blue37

You do realize you are making up rules? You do realize you are causing problems for those who follow you and properly administer the penalty? You do realize you are admitting to being the type of official most of us despise?

The type of official that many people despise is the one that looks for any reason to call as many fouls as possible. The ones that want to "send a message". The ones that are obsessed with side line warnings, uniform compliance and what the assistant coaches might be saying about them.

In dealing with coaches I go by an axiom told to me by a wise old official. "Remember, this is our hobby and it is important to us, we work hard at it, but, coaching is this guys job."

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by parepat

The ones that are obsessed with side line warnings,

Is "obsessed with sideline warnings" equivalent to "using them when appropriate"?

In dealing with coaches I go by an axiom told to me by a wise old official. "Remember, this is our hobby and it is important to us, we work hard at it, but, coaching is this guys job."

That's all well and good, but it doesn't give the coach the right to abuse us and, in the case of the sidelines, it won't keep us from being sued when something happens like it did in Texas. That doesn't mean, of course, that we shouldn't be professional in our interaction with them.

[parepat]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Is "obsessed with sideline warnings" equivalent to "using them when appropriate"?

You know the kind of official I'm talking about, don't pretend you don't. Marv Levy coined the term "overofficious jerk"

That's all well and good, but it doesn't give the coach the right to abuse us and, in the case of the sidelines, it won't keep us from being sued when something happens like it did in Texas. That doesn't mean, of course, that we shouldn't be professional in our interaction with them.

Nothing in our society can preent us from getting sued as we all are painfully aware.

[Welpe]

Too true, but I try to inoculate myself wherever possible. What do you consider to be an improper sideline warning?

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by parepat

The type of official that many people despise is the one that looks for any reason to call as many fouls as possible. The ones that want to "send a message". The ones that are obsessed with side line warnings, uniform compliance and what the assistant coaches might be saying about them.

Other than calling as many fouls as possible, you seemed to describe a pretty good official.

- Send a message to the team that you aren't going to put up with them by calling that first sideline warning. They didn't believe you when you said to get back so show them that you mean business.

- Obsessed with sideline warning, well that is a POE so I would hope that all officials would work hard at enforcing it.

- What the players wear is a big deal. Pants not covering the knees, not enough pads in their pants, tinted eye shields, casts not padded enough...

- No official should have to put up with some assistant coach.

Originally Posted by parepat

In dealing with coaches I go by an axiom told to me by a wise old official. "Remember, this is our hobby and it is important to us, we work hard at it, but, coaching is this guys job."

First off you are sucking up to the coaches. I don't care who they are. He might be some volunteer or a full time coach. On the field they are all the same. Saying that the coach is full time is just an excuse to not take care of business.

And I don't know where you are from, but around here I have never seen a coach who did not have a real job.

[Tom Hinrichs]

Our wings do a great job of working with coaches and handling sidelines. They try to keep coaches informed (penalty #'s, when the clock will start, injured players etc.) Most of the time, when a team has not worked with us before, we start out as suspects and end up as prospects. By the middle of the first quarter or so, the coaches realize that we will communicate, answere questions etc. and stop worrying about us and go on with what they have to do.

We try not to let anyone's emotional behavior effect the way we conduct ourselves. We will get a coach an answer in a timely manner-and get on with the game. If the coach does not like the answer he gets-we allow him to do most of the talking, and go on with our business.

This seems to work.

We don't put up with a lot from assistant coaches, but will answer communicate if questions are asked respectfully.

You cannot completly blow off assistant coaches- they do grow up to become head coaches, and some of those guys have long memories.

[Forksref]

For playoff games, the state calls our association and we provide the crews based on ability and experience. We put together crews of individuals for the playoffs. Unfortunately, coaches are going to have an increasing say in who gets the games in the future. I fear this will cause more A**-kissing and that will be bad for the game.

[GoodScout]

Originally Posted by Forksref

For playoff games, the state calls our association and we provide the crews based on ability and experience. We put together crews of individuals for the playoffs. Unfortunately, coaches are going to have an increasing say in who gets the games in the future. I fear this will cause more A**-kissing and that will be bad for the game.

I totally believe coaches have the right to file formal complaints about officials with the state when justified. But the day our state lets head coaches evaluate officials, ding them and dictate who works their game is the day that I (and a large percentage my fellow officials) decide to find another hobby and let GHSA and the coaches call their own games ....

[Rich]

Originally Posted by parepat

The type of official that many people despise is the one that looks for any reason to call as many fouls as possible. The ones that want to "send a message". The ones that are obsessed with side line warnings, uniform compliance and what the assistant coaches might be saying about them.

In dealing with coaches I go by an axiom told to me by a wise old official. "Remember, this is our hobby and it is important to us, we work hard at it, but, coaching is this guys job."

I'd be insulted by that. This is more than a hobby. It's NOT the coach's job, BTW. His job is "teacher" at the school 99% of the time. Just like me, it's something he does when he's not working his primary job. I consider him no more important to the process than me or my crew.

We don't let people on the field. The state has said this is how it will be and we enforce it. We've had at least 6 sideline warnings, 1 5-yard penalty, and one IP called when my line judge backed right into an assistant coach. If it costs me ratings, so what? Look, here you either get one playoff game or two playoff games with the exception of the 7 crews that work the state finals. So at most I could cost myself one playoff game by offending the wrong coach. Is it worth selling my soul or the crew down the river? No freaking way.

We flagged a head coach for USC on Friday night. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It's part of the job. If you're not willing to do that part of the job, I'd prefer you quit so it's not so hard for the rest of us.