Unsportsmanlike

[FLAHL]

If you flag a player or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct, do you stop the game and inform both coaches that the guilty party will be ejected if he receives another USC?

Are all USC fouls that result from sideline comments charged to the head coach?

Thanks guys.

[Jim D.]

1) No reason to stop the game and notify anyone that a second USC would involve an ejection.  Everyone should no that rule.

2)  If you can identify the offending party, the USC should be charged to that person.  He's the one that gets ejected if he has a second.  Ejecting the head coach and letting the jerk assistant coach stay would not be a good way to deal with a problem coach.

[FLAHL]

Thanks Jim, I appreciate it.

[Rulesman]

If you can identify the offending party, the USC should be charged to that person.  He's the one that gets ejected if he has a second.  Ejecting the head coach and letting the jerk assistant coach stay would not be a good way to deal with a problem coach.

Then again, if the head man has no more control over an unruly assistant than that, maybe he should be thinking about staff changes.

[VALJ]

1) No reason to stop the game and notify anyone that a second USC would involve an ejection.  Everyone should no that rule.

In general, I agree.  However, if your supervisor and/or mechanics say to do so, then do.  Our mechanics call for the R and the calling official to go to the head coach, get the player's name and number, and tell the coach exactly what he did to earn his USC.  The theory behind that seems to be that taking the time to do that accomplishes two things - (1) makes sure there is no miscommunication with the coach, and (2) gives the player(s) involved time to cool off.

[FLAHL]

Thanks VA.  I'll have to check with our association.  The reason I asked the question is related to changes in our mercy rule.  If one team goes ahead by 35 at any point in the 2nd half, the clock runs and is only stopped for team time outs, officials time outs, end of quarter, and USC penalties.  (No, the clock doesn't stop for scores.)  I couldn't see why the clock would stop for USC unless we were supposed to tell the coaches.  Our meeting is tonight, so I'll check.

[AlUpstateNY]

In general, I agree.  However, if your supervisor and/or mechanics say to do so, then do.  Our mechanics call for the R and the calling official to go to the head coach, get the player's name and number, and tell the coach exactly what he did to earn his USC.  The theory behind that seems to be that taking the time to do that accomplishes two things - (1) makes sure there is no miscommunication with the coach, and (2) gives the player(s) involved time to cool off.

Absolutely sound and practical reaction.  Sometimes we all forget, in the heat of the moment, these are student athletes for whom the Head Coach is responsible.  There may well be some administrative consequences earned by the player's actions that the coach will be responsible for enforcing, and he will need as much information and detail necessary to do so.  Although they are usually big, these players are children and part of the process is (someone) eventually explaining to the player what they did wrong, why it was wrong, that consequences are related to being wrong and why they must NOT behave like this again.

The explanations are not about defending or justifying the assessed penalty, rather providing the details for subsequent handling.