School Motivational Mottos VS Coach Antics

In nearly every school I referee at I see large posters proclaiming a variety of virtues the schools wish imbued into their student's consciousness- Honesty, Integrity, Fairness, Courtesy, RESPECT for others, ect.

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And so I wonder what the School Administrators are thinking when they hire Coaches that often make a mockery of those sort of ideals.

A case in point-

Refereeing a Summer League game this week I called a Player Control Foul. The Player, rather displeased with the Call (when are they NOT?), turned his back on me and rather than bounce the ball to me, flipped it behind and towards the End Line, away from me & any other players. The action cause the game to be unnecessarily delayed while the ball was retrieved.

I called a "Delay of Game WARNING" on the Player. Because it was disrespectful, I could have "T'd Up" the Player but did not want to go that far. I figured a warning would be enough to teach the lesson of courtesy towards a Referee. I also figured a Coach might appreciate a Warning instead of a "T"......

Then I heard the Coach say something to the player on the bench that asked what the call was that sounded something like, "The Ref was to lazy to get the ball himself." Because I did not clearly hear the comment I ignored it.

A Ref may ignore something, but that does not mean the Ref will forget it......

Not long after that incident I called a Foul on the Opposing Team. THAT player, without exhibiting an attitude of disgust with the Call, lobbed the ball toward the spot I pointed to as the Inbounds Spot where my Referee Partner could collect it for the Inbound. It did not delay the game.

The initial Coach sarcastically hollered at me, "Is THAT gonna be a Delay of Game Call, too?"

(Now folks, it is never a good idea to try and upstage the Referee or act in an outwardly disrespectful manner. The Ref might be the Worst Ref Ever, but it is pretty much a guarantee that the Ref will still be there at the end of the game whereas anyone that overly irritates said "Worst Ever Ref" might not still be in the gym at the end of the game!)

"No, Coach," I replied. "It will not. But your disrespectful comment WILL be a Technical Foul!" And I "whacked" him with a "T"!

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I think the school ought to review their motivational mottos with that Coach before the Season begins this coming year!

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I Like This Ref!

We had an unusual Violation Rule Call the other nite. Unusual for the fans and some coaches, but not to Referees......

During an Inbound Play (also called a Throw-In), the Defender reached across the "Vertical Plane of the Throw-In Line" and slapped the ball while it was in the Throw-In Player's hands.

A Technical Foul was called.

As my partner was administering the 2 Free Throws, I was standing along the sideline by the Mid Court Line, where the ball would be put back into play, and could hear some chatter from the fans asking each other, "What was the 'T' for?"

They had been well behaved, so I turned & explained that it was an Automatic Technical Foul for a Defender to slap the ball while it was being held by the Thrown-In Player.

A fan queried, "Aren't you suppose to warn the player first?"

It was "asked" in a tone that was more of an effort to try and tell me I had made a mistake, rather then a true question...... Some fans think they know the rules better than the Refs, you see......

So I replied, hoping my explanation would help those fans (and now my Online Friends, too) be more knowledgeable and not need to holler at future of my fellow Refs in similar situations,

Here's the explanation. I hope it helps!

"No sir. On the FIRST time a Defender reaches across the line but does NOT either hit the Thrown-In Player or slap the ball, THAT is a warning and a "T" the 2nd time it happens.

In this situation, the Defender slapped the ball and THAT is an Automatic Technical Foul. 2 Shots for the Offense and the ball placed at the Mid Court Line, which is why I am standing here now.

But if the Defender had slapped the Throw-In Player, THAT would have been an Automatic Intentional Foul. Still 2 shots, but the ball would have been put back in-play at the same spot where the foul occurred.

3 similar play situations but 3 entirely different Rules and Consequences."

A lady commented, "I did not know you Refs had to know so many Rules!" Then commented, "I like this Ref. At least he is willing to talk to us & let us know what happened!"

Photo by Chip Griffin via Flick

Knowledgeable fans are happier fans and holler less at the Refs.

I like it when the fans are happy......

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The Students Win!! The Students Win!! The Students Win!!

This should be shouted with the same enthusiasm as when the great Chicago Cubs Radio Announcer, Harry Carey, used to shout, "Cubs Win".....

I refereed the Staff VS Students Game at Benjamin Franklin High School (BFHS) This afternoon. The Staff likely will not be asking to be back again next year......

One teacher had 2 Fouls called on him in the 1st Quarter. He was a rather burly fellow & long past his prime playing days. About 6'1'' tall and 250 lbs or so. (I'm being kind here, folks!) He objected loudly to the 2nd Foul and asked a fellow Staffer to take his place because he couldn't take such lousy calls. (He calmed down after a fellow Staffer / Player told him to calm down because BOTH the Foul calls were legitimate!)

I had fun! I think the Students that played AND the Students that watched had fun, too

I called several Technical Fouls during the game. Only 1 was legitimate......

1. The Staff had 10 men & 2 ladies. The Students had 4 girls. 2 minutes into the game I called my 1st "T" on the Staff for "Violation of the Title IX Gender Equality for not playing a female within the first 2 minutes of the game.

2.  A "T" on a Teacher / Staff Player for "Assigning excessive Home Work."

3. A "T" on a Teacher / Staff Player for "Requiring Student to take too many notes in class."

4. A teacher decided to play in the 2nd Half after being a Spectator the 1st Half. When he entered the game a Staff Member dimmed the lights, then flashed them with a big build up about a "Special Player" entering the game. I "T'd Up" that teacher for "Illegal Participation" since his name was not in the Score Book before the game. (THAT was my only legitimate "T".....)

5. The MOST Satisfying "T" was on the Boy's team Head Coach, Jon Mott, for "A Coach Impersonating a Player."

Coach Mott had earlier come up to me saying he "wanted to have some fun of his own for the kids entertainment" and asked me to call a "T" on him and then Toss him out of the game.

After a Foul call I made, he rushed over & gave me a "Chest Bump" & started waving his arms around like he was all mad, hollering, "Toss me out! I want to get tossed out!" So I acquiesced and gave him the well known, "You're Outta Here" gesture and off the court he went to thunderous cheers from the students.

Photo by thelowrybrand via Flickr, acquired and modified under 

CC BY-SA 2.0 license 

The result would be FOUR technical Foul Shots for the Students with about 4 minutes left in the game.

The Students were down 17 points at the time. (I think some of the Staffers really wanted to win!!)

As the 1st student went to shoot 2 Free Throws for the 1st "T", I strolled over to the kids keeping score and running the Score Board and told them to score 5 points if the shot was made. It was a Boy, so I also told him to score 2 points if he just hit the rim but missed the the shot. He made 1 & missed 1. Then a Girl attempted the 2 Free Throws for the Ejection of Coach Mott. I told the Scorekeeper to score 5 points if she made a shot and 3 for a miss. She made 1 & missed 1. The score was tied!!! 17 points off 2 Technical Fouls. Imagine that!

6. My final "T" was with 2 minutes left and an all Men Staff team on the floor. I called a "T" for another "Title IX Gender Equality Violation for failing to have a Female Player on the Floor in the Final 2 minutes." (See, I told you the Male Staffers wanted to win and grab the "Bragging Rights" over the Students!!)

The Student Shooter made BOTH Free Throws to take a 2 point lead that they did not relinquish!!

The last 2 minutes were regular Basketball Referee calls. No more shenanigans!

By some miracle the Student Team held on for the win to the GREAT delight of the Student Section and Student Players!!

So, this might be the only time I get asked to work the Staff VS Students Game at BFHS, but I had plenty of fun, even if it is the only one!!

After the game a Student told me the "T" and Ejecting Coach Mott was his favorite part of the game.

Mine, too......

5/21/2014

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Is That Even A Rule??!!

I had just made a "5 Seconds Violation" call against the Home Team when I heard a frustrated fan holler out to the surrounding fans, "5 Seconds? Is that even a Rule?"

Referees hear the most interesting Rule interpretations from fans, players & Coaches......and I often wish I had some sort of communication device to explain things to some fans as the game progresses.

If I did, I could have said to that confused fan....

"The High School 5 Seconds Violation is VERY simple- If an Offensive Player is holding the ball, or dribbling the ball, while a Defensive Player is within 6', CONTINUOUSLY, for 5 seconds it is a Violation- just like Traveling or throwing the ball out of bounds.

The Defensive Player dos not even have to be making any attempt to guard the Offensive Player or steal the ball. Just be standing with one foot within 6' of the Offensive Player's foot closest to the Defender's Foot. Even if both players are just standing there staring at each other!

Photo by The Brand via Flickr

All the Referee does is watch to see if the 6' gap is closed and starts making a Visible Count with the Ref's hand. When the Ref hits 5 seconds, the whistle is sounded and the Ref sticks a hand in front of him/ her with the fingers & thumb extended and says loudly, "5 Seconds" and then points which way the ball will be going when In-bounded." (Most Referees, wanting to be sure they do not rush the count, will wait another 1/2-1 seconds AFTER hitting 5 seconds....just to be sure their count is not too fast. We DO try not to make mistakes if possible!!)

So......when a Referee hears a fan cry out "Is that even a Rule?" Or some such thing, the Referee pretty much knows there's gonna be more craziness hollered out from the stands before the game is over....including, likely THAT fan, hollering the Ref doesn't know the Rules......

So, YES, "5 Seconds" IS a Rule and I DO call it!

And hearing crazy fans comments from the stands is part of what makes Refereeing so interesting and fun!!

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If Your Gonna Yell at the Ref

I was working a terrific game Saturday. The teams were both ranked in the Top 5 of their division. 500+ frenetic fans in the stands.

With less than 2 minutes left in Regulation, the Teams were lined up at the Free Throw Lane for the Visiting Team, which was clinging to a precarious 2 point lead, to shoot 2 Free Throws.

Just after my Ref Partner bounced the ball to the shooter a player from the Home Team stepped away from the Free Throw Lane spot he had been standing in.

Photo by Grace Adell via Flickr

Immediately a Visiting Team fan starts shouting, "That's a Technical Foul, Ref! Call the 'T'."

The fan's insistence prompted at least 2 other Visiting Team fans to assume that fan knew the rule and they also started hollering for me to call a "T."

They could not have been more wrong in their chorus of demands.....Clearly they did NOT know the correct rule to apply!

Not noticed by the would be "referees" in the stands was, as soon as the Home Team Player stepped out of the Free Throw Lane Spot, I had extended my arm out at shoulder height and balled my hand into a fist. That is the proper Referee "Mechanic" or signal that alerts the other Referee, coaches, players and knowledgeable fans that the Referee has spotted a POTENTIAL Free Throw VIOLATION.

If the Shooter makes the Free Throw the Referee will drop his / her arm and NO Violation has occurred (Since the Free Throw was made.)

Now, what if the Free Throw Attempt is missed, you ask? The Referee will blow his / her whistle, step towards the Free Throw Lane and indicate to the other Referee that a Free Throw Violation has occurred and the Free Throw Shooter will be given another Free Throw attempt.

Is the penalty a Technical Foul, as the fan wanted? NO!!

The only penalty is the Free Throw Shooter is given the ball for a repeat attempt.

That's it!! Just a simple violation, like traveling. NOT a "T."

In this instance, the Visiting Team Player made both Free Throws so obviously no "T" was called. Even so, the fan in the stands kept hollering for a "T" as the ball was in bounded and we headed to the other end of the court. Have you ever heard Bill Engvall's "Here's Your Sign" comedy routine? Hilarious stuff!!

Sometimes, after hearing some of the crazy things I hear fans holler from the stands, I'd like to be able to reach into my back pocket and pull out a "sign" and hand it to whatever fan is inciting his fellow fans to believe he knows the rules better than the Ref's do and say, "Here's your sign".....But that us not a current Referee Mechanic!

If Your Gonna Yell at the Ref, Please Know The RIGHT Rule.

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