Working the Refs

Coaches work the refs. Because it works.

An amusing and informative segment on why for college basketball coaches, the game within the game is schmoozing the officials. The article's highlight

Of course, it's not polite for coaches to say they "work" officials. Few, in fact, will admit to such blatant behavior. Rather, they call for an open dialogue with officials during the course of a game.

That's what they call it - dialogue.

"I don't think you work an official," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Somebody who hasn't coached or played the game came up with that expression. Good officials just want to make sure they have a good atmosphere for the game, and you don't have it unless you have some communication with the players and the coaches."

Never mind that Lavin calls Krzyzewski a "master" when it comes to working officials. Not only is Krzyzewski successful, intelligent, articulate and a three-time national champion - c'mon, who's going to T him up? - but the venerable Coach K possesses a laser-like stare. "He uses the ol' stare-down pretty effectively, even from long distance," Lavin said. "Some of those officials try to hide, but it's like radar. He's looking right through the guy."

...and a lesson for those interested in the game's finer details.

This season, men's college basketball is testing something the NBA and WNBA do effectively. When an official calls a foul, that person takes the position closest to the team benches when play resumes, known as the trail position, to encourage communication.

So far, it seems to be working.

"For years there was a general philosophy that after you report a foul you want to get away from the coaches," said Bill Topp, editor of Referee magazine and a men's basketball official at the small-college level. "What that set up over the years is when a coach has a complaint, the coach is having to yell it across the floor and be even more demonstrative and loud. Now, there is an opportunity for dialogue."