Game Log 1/25/2008: I'd like to hear from a coach regarding something I've seen a lot of lately

Freshman boys rivals tonight. Green was better than White throughout, and while White made it close late in the first half, Green pretty well put it away in the third quarter and made it a laugher in the fourth.

We called loads of fouls in the first quarter...teams came out physical and sloppy, although not dirty. Team fouls were 6-6 after one, but the teams settled down in the second quarter. Second half? Not so much.

Green's coach really didn't care for a walk I had in the third quarter. It was in that awful two-man no-man's land, well beyond the three-point line and out near the sideline opposite me as trail (away from the bench, thankfully). A ball was tipped loose, and a player grabbed it. I saw one-two-three steps just a shade before the ball was knocked away from that player's grasp. I called a walk. Player and especially coach were beside themselves thinking I'd missed it. In a three-man game, someone is right there on the call. Not here, alas. But I really think he walked before losing the ball.

Green's coach did the Play-By-Play from hell for a while after that, saying "Walk...Reach...Carry...Three Seconds...Hack..." but it subsided as the lead got larger, and was never serious enough to merit a warning. Still a pain in the butt, though.

White's coach was a great guy with a sense of humor, perhaps because he knew he was overmatched. When one of his players fouled out, he begged: "Please, can you give him six fouls instead?" I declined.

But then, late in the game, White's coach said something that I need help understanding. Coaches/former coaches?

When I went to break up a huddle, this funny, nice guy was talking about what he felt was his team's lack of aggressiveness (our foul count indicated otherwise). He said that he wanted them to put some bodies on some people, push them around a little bit. "We'll get called for a lot of fouls," he said, "but that's okay. Let's put somebody on the floor."

HUH?

Even if your team is timid, I don't think encouraging them to foul a bunch is ever a good coaching or teaching decision. Coaches/former coaches, can you explain to me why a coach would want to say this to a team? It's the second time I've heard it this year, and it baffles me.

As a result, partner and I called many, many fouls in the final 4-5 minutes. I think it took us about 10 minutes to get from the 2:49 mark of the fourth quarter to the 2:15 mark...between the endless chorus of "Two shots, players!", a couple of foulouts, and a couple of time outs. It was just horrible basketball...and I had dinner plans, dammit! What about my needs?

Nevertheless, I'm fine with the game I had. I just don't get the White coach's decision.

GOOD: Patience. Call selection.
WORK ON: I think I did some ball-watching later on. My coach management felt a little off with the jerk coach, but I don't know how I could make that better.
NEXT: Freshman girls on Tuesday.