Over the years, however, I’ve soured on sitting by the benches.
It’s not that I’m unwelcome there (our schools definitely take care of the press). But nowadays, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Wizard (think Gandalf, not Harry Potter) would much rather sit with the fans.
Last Friday, I didn’t have much of a choice. With the locations of both the Greenon scorer’s table and the Knights pep band, I may have ended up with a trombone in my forehead.
I know the stands aren’t the professional place to be, but I have my reasons. One involves watching the interaction between the coaches and officials.
It’s hilarious, like watching an improvisational comedy act developing right in front of your eyes.
When an official makes a call with which they disagree, basketball coaches can have some of the funniest reactions. Those reactions develop over four quarters, and make for hilarious encounters.
I may be the only one who notices, and I may be the only one who thinks it’s funny, especially since I know the area’s coaches. I often find myself laughing at things fans don’t find funny.
Trust me, it’s hilarious.
Here are some of the reactions I’ve noticed over the years:
The scowl: My personal favorite. When a coach squints his eyes and folds his arms at an official, you can tell he’s upset.
The eye roll: Some coaches roll their eyes at officials as if their wives are scolding them for not unloading the dishwasher again. This is another one of my favorites, which happens after a successive run of (at least what they feel are) bad calls or after an apparently poor explanation of a call.
The arms in the air: I enjoy this one because it typically happens while a coach is sitting on the bench. It also comes at an unexpected time in the game, thus adding to a coach’s disbelief.
The delayed reaction: Sometimes coaches hide their disgust, then give it to the official after one or two more trips down the floor. It’s great because the officiating rotation lets the coach air grievances with all three officials throughout the game.
The timeout: When a coach really needs to make a point, he’ll call a timeout simply to ... well, speak with the officials. This one’s most likely to end in a technical foul.
The foot stomp: When a coach needs to make a point, sometimes it’s better to stay quiet and make a point with the feet.
The laugh: Near the end of the game, some coaches will pull aside an official, mostly during a free-throw stoppage, to talk about things. I don’t know what they’re talking about, but it often ends with them both laughing — and I can’t help but laugh, too.
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