7/8 on 5

It may seem like it some nights, but its really not true.

At a coaching clinic I was attending, the speaker got all of our attention by saying he had a defense for late game side out of bounds (SLOBS TO YOU COACHING JUNKIES). We, in attendance, immediately grabbed our writing utensils and began doing what we do best ..... xing and oing. It was a strange looking alignment. He had no one on the man guarding the inbounder and had another offensive player on the floor without anyone on him. Three of the offensive men on the floor were being guarded. He then added to the diagram a big letter R next to the inbounder and another big letter R on the baseline but out of bounds. He then added one defender on each. His next statement was priceless and of course got a roar from the attendees, "We always guard the two guys (the referees) who are hurting us the most!

Now this is a typical coaching joke but its not always taken as a joke. I have had a few (yes, only a few) technicals in my coaching career and I deserved everyone I received. For some reason, some officials, react negatively to the term "brutal." There is also the belief sometimes promoted by TV broadcasters that a coach receiving a technical will "fire up" his team. Personally, I think that's a bunch of baloney. I decided, I had more than enough to do during a game than try and evaluate the officials while directing the team. I used to ask our players if they were going to coach, officiate, or play. They only had time to do one thing well. Which would they chose? I do not subscribe to the theory that the best part of having three person crews is it give you (the coach) one more person to yell at. Officiating basketball is one of the most difficult things to do in any sport. If you doubt this, try officiating a real game!

I certainly could be wrong but I don't believe in a coach's job description there is a place where it says the coach should devote time and attention to reacting to official's decisions. I don't make a lot of good decisions when I

am emotionally stressed. I sometimes can multitask but I found out a long time ago that I am not very effective coaching if I am reacting to the decisions made by the game officials. My advice, save your energy. Avoid reacting to official decisions and focus on the task at hand. I also believe if you demonstrate poise under pressure your team will develop poise under pressure. Ask yourself, after a coach has reacted emotionally to an officials decision, did it change ANYTHING?

I once heard that being a baseball umpire is a profession in which they expect you to be perfect from the first pitch on .... then get better! Do we expect the same from a basketball official? Why is perfection the new

standard and if it is ..... tell me who's qualified to officiate?

Many states are facing a shortage of officials to work games. I cannot deny I have watched a number of lower level games in which the officials were not qualified. I also understand how difficult it is to find competent officials. We really need competent officials at the lower level so the game can be taught correctly. ALL of us (coaches, players, and fans) have contributed to the decline in the number of people willing to officiate. We have made unfair expectations on the officials. Maybe some of us need to ask how many games are going to be played without having officials? How long would you coach if you were verbally abused every game?

Maybe its time to have a fan education event. Have game officials explain the rules. I am convinced many fans do not know the rules and how the officials are taught to interpret them. Coaches, if you don't already do it, bring in officials before the season starts and have them explain the rules of the game and any of the rule changes that have happened. We, as coaches,

could also teach our players how to "win over" the officials rather than verbally or nonverbally display our displeasure with them.