ESPN Men's Basketball

Originally Published: December 20, 2007

Some coaches behave, some question bench decorum rule

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By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
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Six weeks into the season, there is no consensus as to whether the NCAA's point of emphasis on bench decorum is actually curtailing profanity and keeping coaches off the court, or was even necessary.

The coordinators of officials for respective leagues agree that coaches are starting to understand they can't swear, challenge calls or show up an official and must stay in the coaches' box or face a technical foul.

"Using the same time frame as a year ago, the numbers are down [in bench technical fouls]," said Dale Kelley, the coordinator of officials for the Big 12, Sun Belt, Ohio Valley, Southland and Conference USA. In those five conferences, a combined 18 bench technical fouls have been called through Dec. 9.

"The coaches in the games I've done have done a marvelous job with it," said Mike Wood, an official for the ACC, Big 12 and Southern conferences. "You can see the coaches look down to see where they are. They've done it quicker than I thought they would. I'd say there's almost zero profanity directed toward me."

Coaches who haven't been dinged with technical fouls seem to agree that they're watching their step and the bench decorum rule is working.

"I've made a conscious effort to stay in there," Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson said. "The last thing I want to do is be the show. The coach doesn't want to be the show."

But like most rule changes -- or renewed attempts to enforce a rule -- those who are being reprimanded aren't pleased.

Brown coach Craig Robinson had been assessed three technical fouls by Dec. 9 -- matching his total from last season. In front of 797 fans during a one-point loss to Wagner at home on Nov. 28, Robinson was apparently too audible for the officials.

"I haven't sworn, haven't gotten out of my chair, but because we don't have many people at our games, people can hear it," Robinson said. "Guys like me they call it; other guys [at big-time schools] they won't. From what I can tell, the change in the officials' attitude isn't toward the big-time teams."

Hampton coach Kevin Nickelberry had three technicals by Dec. 9, too. He said the most egregious technical called on him was at Maryland on Nov. 12, when he was yelling at his point guard, Jordan Brooks, in the first half.

"I call him JB, and so when he came to the bench, I yelled, 'You need to listen to me when I call a timeout JB,' and the official threw me out of the game. [It was Nickelberry's second technical in a span of 61 seconds.] The ref's name happened to be J.B. [Caldwell], and he thought I was yelling at him. After the game, I said, 'Did you know my point guard's name was Jordan Brooks -- JB -- as well?

"It was atrocious. Is it a rule for everybody? I watch games on TV and see guys out of the box, and coaches are confused by the rule. Do they have to enforce it against the younger coaches? I'm a little confused. I wasn't out of the box. I wasn't cussing. I'm only going based on what I see."

Nickelberry said the two technical fouls contributed to a six-point loss to the Terps. The one technical foul he received against George Mason contributed to a three-point loss on Dec. 5.

Like Nickelberry, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun has been tossed from a game -- a 69-60 win against Northeastern on Dec. 6. He picked up the first of his three technical fouls thus far this season against Gonzaga in Boston on Dec. 1.

"I had a total of four last season, and that counts exhibition games," Calhoun said. "I don't like the philosophy of it."

The philosophy Calhoun refers to is the implication that officials who adhere to the rule have a greater chance to advance within the NCAA Tournament.

Calhoun said that during the Northeastern game, two officials were "looking at me while the action was being played and one was taking care of the 10 kids [on the court]."

Calhoun was reprimanded by the Big East for calling referee Wally Rutecki a "bad official" and "incompetent" during the postgame press conference after the win over Northeastern. It was reported that Rutecki assessed a technical foul on Calhoun after he heard him using profanity toward one of his players.

"Too much has been made that I happen to be 6-5 and a demonstrative guy," Calhoun said.

UMKC first-year coach Matt Brown had also been hit with three technicals by Dec. 9. But unlike Robinson, Nickelberry and Calhoun, Brown doesn't have an issue with the rule.

[+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Mark HumphreyOle Miss coach Andy Kennedy said the referees spend a lot of time warning coaches about the coaching box now.

"It wasn't about being out of the coaching box," Brown said. "I was just challenging certain calls. Regardless of the rule change, I would have gotten them."

Still, there was one game that Brown said may have been influenced by the focus on bench decorum. UMKC and Division II Arkansas Tech received a total of five technical fouls on Nov. 24 -- one on a UMKC player and four on the two benches.

"If you're going to have teeth in it, then the major conference guys have to get whacked for it," said Hofstra coach Tom Pecora, who has had two technical fouls called against him. "Will it go through into February? Or will it be like cleaning up the post where they're calling that in November and December, but by February, we're all wrestling against each other again?"

What's strange is the extreme contrast in opinion between some coaches and the officials.

"I am more conscious about leaving the box, without a doubt," Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "I haven't come close to getting a T. I've tried to be more patient with my team, with six freshmen. If I lose my mind with the officials, what am I going to do with my team?"

"The officials spend a lot of time telling you before the game to stay in the box," Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said.

Greenberg, Sampson and Kennedy haven't received a technical foul this season.

"The coaches knew it was coming, and while the coaching box was an issue early in the season, it's diminished down to zero now," said Art Hyland, the Big East's coordinator of officials.

John Adams, the coordinator of officials for the Horizon League and the NCAA's newly named national coordinator of officials for men's basketball, said coaches are making an effort to stay in the box. But bench decorum is still an issue for those who have a problem with anger management.

"If a coach was a poor sport last season, he's a poor sport this year and the same is true for the players and officials," Adams said. "The goal is to take away the perceived advantage of berating officials. In a year or two, it's not going to be a big deal anymore. But it's unrealistic to think you can fix it all in a year."

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.