Game Management Insights

Had a couple of weird things this weekend with respect to game management that I wanted to toss out there.

Subs at the table is an interesting subject. For the last 10 years, I have been very good at being aware of when subs are being put in by a coach. I saw it as great game awareness and good game management to put my hand up to allow time for the sub to come in, or hold the ball until I gave it to the thrower. I watched some games earlier this year on television, and the Pac-10 guys are not doing that. I found that strange,but have really noticed since then that if the sub is not ready at the table, the ball goes in...And nobody bitches about it. I have started to not worry about waiting, and to be honest it has made game flow better. No more line of subs staggering one at a time into a game like a bunch of hobos. No more sending in a sub without really knowing who is coming out. Where does this help? In the end of a blowout game, when subs are staggering in haphazardly, and we are just waving them in without really paying attention--and the losing coach wants a T for 6 on the floor. We have no excuse for that. Coaches need to be organized. You are doing the game, and yourselves, a favor by not prolonging the stoppage of play. Whatever you gain by looking game aware or accommodating the coach is NOT worth the risk. As always, make your choice, but this is a choice I have made this year, and I think it is the best thing to do.

Another one--when discussing things with a player, coach, or another official, give them an out. I had my favorite occurrence recently, players chesting up and yapping resulting in the double T. Things then got really interesting when someone asked why racist statements can be made on the floor. I never heard anything racist, but there was a lot of energy about it. My response was, "I'm not saying it did not happen, but I did not hear it." Understand that everyone gets emotional and has opinions. By giving them an out, it prevents bad feelings. Avoiding absoultes, unless the film will show that you are without question 100% correct (which happens far less frequently than you think), you are always better off acknowledging the opinion without saying they are completely wrong. "I hear you coach, I just did not pull the trigger," works a lot more often than, "It was not a foul, coach." There are times for absolutes. I have found that most of us can minimize or lessen our use of them, and it will help your relationships with players and coaches, without succumbing to them. Trust me, they know when they are wrong, and sometimes it takes a day for them to realize it, just like it takes us a day sometimes to realize and admit we could have done something better. Giving someone an out is always a good thing to do during conflict.