The worst a coach said to me this year

[sloth]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

Every school gets a ballot with every crew that applied for the playoffs. They can vote for every crew if they want. They can vote for no crews if they want. They can vote for crews that have never worked their games. They are supposed to vote for the crews that worked their games the past 2 years but since schools contract their own officials, there is no validation of schools and crews.

Once the state finals are over we get a report listing the schools that voted for us and the votes we got (scale of 1 to 5) but those values are not mapped. We also see what our average is compared to other crews so we have an idea of where our ranking fell. Most of the schools on our list are schools where we have worked but there are some I've never seen in my 7 years.

This is such a strange process I don't think I could make it up. We are working to change it and the state is listening. At leat this year they required all officials working the second round and beyond to be certified.

As a referee and crew chief in Indiana, I can tell you that this rating system really effects the way that you handle coaches...and they know it. While there is talk of changing tha rating system, there really is not incentive for the IHSAA to make the change nor the coaches to relinquist the power they have. I tell my guys that I don't want to see an USC on a coach unless you have NO other option.

The ultimate proble with this system is the fact that some crew have name recognition that gets them votes. If your starting a new crew you have to spend a lot of time talking to AD to not only get your schedule lined up (because the crew chief books all game for the crew) but to get your name out there for the vote.

Another quark to Indiana (since I've said what I have so far) is that you book games out YEARS in advance. I have all but three Fridays booked for the combined 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons; I'm half way through 2012 and have three for 2013.

[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.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by 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.

The LJ told me this happened.

LJ's sideline is on defense. A23 runs out of bounds and B54 is nearby but does not hit him as he ran out of bounds. Coach from team B yells at B54 for not hitting A23. B54 tells him that he was out of bounds so he didn't hit him. B coach replies that the whistle had not yet sounded so he expected B54 to hit him even though he was out of bounds....

[w_sohl]

The first sideline warning I gave was because I was spending more time worrying about where coaches were in the coaches box than what was happening on the field. This happened in the first quarter. Pretty sure this is a proper use of the sideline warning. No coaches were on the field, they were just getting in my way, without contact, during a live ball. Somewhere in the second quarter a tackle that they thought was questionable I explained that from where I was at it looked legal (the tackle was on the other side of the field at the five yard line) the assistant said to me, "That is what thy all say." My response, "I don't want to hear another word out of you, you're an assistant!". Nothing happened till either late in the third or early in the fourth quarter. Another tackle they disagreed with. The coaches complained but nothing out of the ordinary so I just ignored it, till the same assistant I warned earlier decided to open his mouth again. He asked, "Are you ever going to throw a flag?". I turned, looked at him and threw a flag. My intent at first was to go with USC, but by the time I got to the middle of the field I had decided that the second sideline warning would be more appropriate and that is what I went with. Was it to the letter of the law, probably not as some of you have pointed out, but if I remember correctly the rules are not to be applied black and white but with some grey. I used that grey and it took care of the situation. I accomplished what I had hoped for, so I am happy with how I handled it.

[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.

[Blue37]

Originally Posted by w_sohl

My intent at first was to go with USC, but by the time I got to the middle of the field I had decided that the second sideline warning would be more appropriate and that is what I went with.

Please understand what I am trying to impart. You stated, in your judgment, the coach had done nothing to deserve an USC penalty. While I might disagree with your judgment in this situation, that is not the basis of my disagreement with the way you handled it, and I totally support your right to make that judgment.

According to what you have written, he had done nothing to warrant a five yard sideline penalty, yet that was your call. Think of it this way. A player contacts an opponent above the waist in the side right as the ball carrier is being tackled. In your judgment, the contact was not late nor was it unnecessarily rough. You want to send a message to the player, however, so you call him for a block in the back. Would you do that?

That is what you have done here. The coach's conduct was not USC but you wanted to send a message, so you penalized him for something he did not do. That is not gray nor is it common sense, it is just wrong.

[parepat]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

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.

If you think what we do in terms of time and effort is comparable to the coach you are sadly mistaken.

If you set the record for improper side line warnings can anyone fire you as an official.

Do you spend six days a week several hours per day for 4+ months during the season working at your officiating.

Don't compare our job to the coaches because it is not even close. But you can certainly show them who is boss on Friday night.

My point was simply that we need to be patient in our dealings with these folks.

[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.