The worst a coach said to me this year

[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 ....

[GBFBUmp]

This wasn't something nasty addressed to me, but it sure gave us in the middle of the field a grin:

Varsity game, Home team has a nice run from scrimmage of 15 yds or so. Visiting coach starts yelling about a BIB on one of his players. Of course we had nothing.

He yells it about 3 times and we are all pretty much ignoring him. Finally, he says "Tony... You were blocked in the back, weren't you!!" Tony, a linebacker is quiet, coach yells the same thing. Tony yells back "No, coach, I wasn't!".

We were very pleased with the honesty of the player.

[sloth]

Originally Posted by GoodScout

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 ....

It really does become a political game when the coaches vote. I can tell you that more than half have very little idea about mechanics and indepth rules understanding.

For example, last week I had a coah become irrate because of a horsecollar tackle (that really wasn't all that viscious to begine with). I had to tell him three times before he would believe me that its not a federation foul. I can't tell you how much I hear coaches call BIB "clipping".

[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.

[Refster]

Whoa Nellie! We're all supposed to be on the same side. I thought this thread was about stuff coaches say.

[Jmuvol]

Sloth and bisonlj...I feel your pain. I spent the last 8 years in Indiana and the last 5 as a referee and crew chief. The system such, there is no doubt about it. Name recognition is the key in Indiana. Work one sport at a high level, and you will get votes for your other sports. I'd love to say that it is better now that I am in Georgia, but there is still a system in place that is not overtly "fair." The association I am in assigns the crews for all playoffs. We may get as many as 5 the first round and less there after. The hard part is that I could be rated the 4th best at my position during the season but not get a playoff game because guys who run white hat all year go back to their "regular" positions for the playoffs. All I try to do is work what I get and go on.

[JasonTX]

Originally Posted by Jmuvol

The hard part is that I could be rated the 4th best at my position during the season but not get a playoff game because guys who run white hat all year go back to their "regular" positions for the playoffs. All I try to do is work what I get and go on.

I don't like that at all. That used to be what would happen in my association. The members spoke up and we voted to change the way it's done. Now, an official much work at least 3 varsity games at a position to be qualified to work that position in the playoffs. If you work white hat all year long then that is the only position you'll be considered for.

[Brett]

I had an assistant coach tell me not to address him and that I should run my concerns about his behavior though his head coach after telling him he was walking a (not so) fine line for coaching his players to "blast" opposing players after the play had ended if a whistle hadn't yet sounded.

After his response, I ended up taking his advice and explained to his head coach why I was walking off 15 and sending one of assistants home.