Opinions on Pregame and evaluation procedures

[Coby]

I am looking to see what the general consensus is on a couple of topics.  I have my opinions on what should be done but I want to see what other opinions may be on the topic.

1.  If team A coach tells a referee during a pregame meeting that team B plays dirty should that referee ever mention to team B what team A coach says?  Should he tell the team B coach 2 weeks later?  2 months later?

2.  If a Jr. High coach fills out a zebra ware evaluation and gives the R a low grade should the R voice his disapproval to:

the coach
the head varsity coach
the AD
the coaches principal


What would have to be the action for a R to ever include a coaches boss in an evaluation complaint?

[TxSkyBolt]

1. Never
2. Unless he was attacking me personally or stating a down right lie (profanity, racial epithet, etc) I couldn't care less what a coach thinks of me, much less a Jr High Coach.

[The Deadman]

The Coaches evaluations on zebra ware are all but useless. Ignore them.

I will not tell one coach anything said by the other coach during pregame. Don't even tell my crew most of the time when told by one team the other does this or that.

[Arbitrator]

If team A coach tells a referee during a pregame meeting that team B plays dirty should that referee ever mention to team B what team A coach says? 

 

Many years ago when I worked women's collegiate basketball, we were out on the floor just prior to tipoff, pre-gaming with the head coaches, when the old grizzled veteran lady coach called my partner and I back over to tell us that the other young lady coach had a reputation for coaching playing dirty, with rough post play along with several other sundry tidbits.

My partner, a veteran official in his own right, just smiled at her and told her to "hold that pose!" He immediately went up the sideline to the other coach and summoned her to the scorers table, where the veteran coach was standing and still complaining.

Upon joining us for the discussion, the veteran coach looked absolutely flustered, and just walked off saying ~ "Oh! Go to HECK," and went straight back to her bench!

The main reason coaches do this, IMHO, is pretty much just to gain some sort of a psychological edge with the officials in the game and nothing more. A great coach will always try to coach his way around any perceived difficulty that he might happen to encounter. 

[TxSkyBolt]

When the coach starts telling me about illegal tactics the other team uses, we usually tune him out. If he goes on for too long, we stop him and continue with our conference. I don't want to change the way I officiate based on some perceptions of an opposing coach. If I see it and it needs to be called, it will be.

[clearwall]

I had a game this year where both coaches mentioned that the two teams didnt like each other. Not that they expected dirty play, but just warning us that it could get hairy. We did keep an open eye out, but I dont feel we threw an inordinate amount of behavioral flags. Ejected one player for getting 2 UNS(one play, he was yelling and screaming at a LB after he had scored a TD, 2nd was when he took his helmet off after a play and started yelling at the defense).

[Ted T]

I'd have to say that we have an ethical obligation to say nothing that is given to us in a game situation to another coach.  You learn to take most things that a coach says with a grain of salt.  If there is an issue with repeated violations that they saw in film, you certainly want to be aware of it.  But, you shouldn't let guide the way you call that game and you don't want to mention it to the other coach.

On the second point, if any coach gives you a bad eval grade, the league, etc. should require that they justify it with an explanation.  If it's his opinion on judgment, that shouldn't be given a whole lot of weight, especially without video support.  Rules questions are often more cut and dry, although we should certainly have a leg up there.  Mechanics - Well, a junior high coach commenting on mechanics? Really?

That being said, the one thing that can get you in trouble is attitude.  That's something that everyone is willing to weigh in on.  A poor attitude on the field will get you in trouble almost every time.  As will, too much talking.  Try to keep discussions short and to the point.  I have seen a lot of older officials get themselves jammed up over the dangerous combination of a poor attitude and the need to verbalize it.

[James]

I'd have to say that we have an ethical obligation to say nothing that is given to us in a game situation to another coach. 

Depending on the level of play involved, I disagree. One example might be a youth league with a special rule that there will be no low blocks. Team A coach tells me he has seen Team B players routinely blocking low on the line. I would have no problems with asking Team B coach if his players are all aware of the extra rule for no low blocks.
That is just a hypothetical, but you probably get me idea.

[Ted T]

Depending on the level of play involved, I disagree. One example might be a youth league with a special rule that there will be no low blocks. Team A coach tells me he has seen Team B players routinely blocking low on the line. I would have no problems with asking Team B coach if his players are all aware of the extra rule for no low blocks.
That is just a hypothetical, but you probably get me idea.

Yes.  Remember, safety first!

[Joe Stack]

We don't have an "ethical" obligation here. The main reason we don't discuss matters with the other coach is that we have no idea that his allegation is true.