Can a coach be givin two unsportsmenlike penalties at one time?

[Brandon Kincer]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

When you say rec ball are these kids games or adult league? Flag or tackle? If this kind of behavior is being exhibited in front of kids, the league or rec department needs to roll some heads.

Sounds like your rec department has a major problems if they don't clamp down on this kind of behavior. From the descriptions you've given so far, it sounds like you working little more than a zoo.

We call youth football here. The coaches, are for the most part, well-meaning volunteers, most who know little about what they're doing, much less the rules. However, while they may argue some out of ignorance, usually they'll clam up long before we have to use the nuclear option.

As you progress, you'll find the arguments more intelligent, the comments wittier and cutting. The key to survival on the wing is ignore what you can, flag what you must. Anything directed at you personally should earn the flag-cursing or questioning your integrity. Now if the coach says "d---mmit" you might just let that go. If he says "d--- you" then he's gone personal.

Questioning what you saw isn't questioning your integrity. Your eyesight, maybe, your judgment, sure.

Most coaches just want to vent and once you've heard enough about it, there's nothing wrong with saying "Ok coach, I've heard you". That's usually enough to get them to move on to the next topic.

Both and Both. Kids and Adults/Flag and Tackle.

[jkohls]

I am a FB coach who took up basketball offiating several years ago. It has actually made me better FB coach as I now do not "ride" officials much. Talk with them, yes, but ride them no.

It wasn't always that way. My first year many moons ago, after a TD run by the opposition on which I felt an illegal block below the waist had occurred, I commented "It you don't throw the flag at some point, someone is going to get hurt." Must have been loud because the WH threw the flag and came over to inform me what I had won. I walked to midfield and awaited the kickoff. As the wing ran past me, I said, "You still haven't thrown yours." Two minutes later, as I sat in the lockeroom awaiting the end of the game, I contemplated my mistake. I haven't had flag since in the rest of my years on the sideline. Did I deserve to be booted? Probably not. Should I have kept my mouth shut? Yep. Did it teach me a lesson? Oh yeah. Embarrassment can do that.

[HLin NC]

In that vein JKohls, I was working a non-conference game last year or so where the visiting teams' QB paraded by the home sideline with his #1 finger triumphantly in the air and had some choice words to his hosts after they had scored a TD. The WH promptly flagged the USC and ejected Mr. Visiting QB for taunting.

From that moment on, any bit of exuberence displayed by the home team resulted in Mr. Visiting Headman hollering "excessive celebration, excessive celebration!" Finally after a play he steps onto the field and yells "Where's the flag??!! I landed a beauty at his feet and said "right there coach". He was much relieved when I told the WH, "Nah, make it a sideline warning". He got my message and backed off.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

From that moment on, any bit of exuberence displayed by the home team resulted in Mr. Visiting Headman hollering "excessive celebration, excessive celebration!" Finally after a play he steps onto the field and yells "Where's the flag??!! I landed a beauty at his feet and said "right there coach". He was much relieved when I told the WH, "Nah, make it a sideline warning". He got my message and backed off.

You softie, bending the sideline warning rule for him and all!

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Welpe

You softie, bending the sideline warning rule for him and all!

There's stupid and there's STUPID, and what separates the two is often best confined to what's happening within a specific game. We all have a line that shouldn't be crossed, but that line should be flexible encough to accomodate the circumstances of the game you're working.

It's not usually a good idea to throw a flag, or decide which penalty applies, because of something that happened last weekend.