You know the Rules have changed since 1958, don't you, Ref?

Players, Coaches & fans know ABOUT some of the Rules in basketball, but often do not really know the correct Rules......and THAT can cause problems when you're trying to referee a game.

Every year the Rules get tinkered around with. Some are minor procedural changes that the fans never hear about. Some are major Rule changes, like Hand Checking in High School Basketball recently. And all too often folks not intimately involved with the Rules, like Referees are, do not know about these Rule changes......until they see the Ref make a call they do not like or understand.

The other nite I was refereeing a Men's Rec League.

"PSUK Basketball - Bristol 2013-111" by Andrew Spillane via Flickr

A player, not liking that I had called a Violation he did not know was a new Rule Change, hollered at me, "You know the Rules have changed since 1958, don't you, Ref?

I thought that was a rather clever retort. After all, I am 63 years old. I know that, but I still move up and down the court pretty well and neither Alzheimer's Disease or Old Timer's Disease (I can never remember which one it is that I need to be worried about) has stricken me down, sidelined me or caused me to forget the Rules.

Amused tho I was with the comment, I "T'd" him up anyway for being disrespectful!

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Thanks For Making My Coach Sit Down

So said the Athletic Director as he ushered my Referee partner & me into the locker room after the game.

High School Rules state that a coach is allowed to STAND and coach the team in 14' wide "Coach's Box" in front of the Team Bench.

But if a Coach gets a Technical Foul, that privilege to stand is taken away.

"ESPN Armed Forces Classic - Game Day - U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, South Korea - 9 Nov. 2013"

 by USAG- Humphreys via Flickr

We recently had a game with a Coach who has a reputation for nagging at Referees. In fact, on our way to the court I overheard the Team Trainer comment to another adult team supporter, "Do you think Coach will get "T'd" Up again tonite?

Well, sure enough I DID "T" Up the Coach.

He did not like it. Few do. But most know the Rule and have enough sense to sit down- even if they do continue to glare at the Refs!

Not THIS Coach......

When the Coach did not take a seat and just stood there glaring at me I motioned with my hand to sit and said, "Coach, Please sit down."

Nothing.

Again I made the hand gesture to sit and said, "Coach, Please sit down!"

A fan hollered out, "What? Is he a dog that you can tell him to 'Sit'?" We ignored the fan. It WAS a rather funny quip.

The reply from the Coach, while pointing to a couple people at the end of the bench near the scorer's table was, "I am waiting for them to move so I can sit down."

"Coach, just go sit at the end of the bench and nobody needs to move. But do it now."

It was quite clear we were not gonna restart the game until that Coach behaved properly.

Finally the Coach SLOWLY moved to the of the Bench and sat down.

"Thanks For Making My Coach Sit Down."

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