"First off, I could never be a basketball ref. I think it is the toughest of athletic contest to officiate. However, if you do the job, you need to remember it's about the players and the game, not the stripes. My wife and I are Immanuel fans. We too, were take aback by the techincal calls. It was obvious that Hiet had to balance himself before dropping to the floor or he would have likely been seriously hurt. Let's allow for that. Am all for enforcing sportsmanship, but referree bulling is even less acceptable.

"I also think there needs to be some serious education for some of the refs. In Immanuel's earlier playoff game, one of the refs (a tall thin stiff white guy) insisted on calling Immanuel's Cowdry for traveling, 5 or 6 times, till the coach benched him. Cowdry is one of the more athletic BB athletes in the section; probably should be playing point guard but plays the 3 position since Jordan Wild left Immanuel after his sophomore year for Sanger (Imagine their team with Wild in there). I challenge that refs definition of Cowdry's traveling. I think he's just jealous or something. If college or NBA refs called like that stripe most of the players would never make it to half time."

-- anonymous

See the kind of insight you get here? If you hadn't read this blog, you would never have known the Immanuel High forward should probably be playing point guard and that someone named Jordan Wild left for Sanger his sophomore year. This is valuable information that I'm just giving away for free.

"I just wanted say thanks and to let you know that you were right on the money with your column on Sunday. I've been coaching at the high school level for the last 7 years and it was refreshing to hear an outside opinion. It let me know that I wasn't just being over-critical. Although I wasn't able to get to any of the games this weekend, what you described was a micrososm of the officiating for the last few years, since new leadership took over in the Fresno area.

"Thanks again for the great article. You will no doubt get the usual letters defending the officials and telling you how well they are trained and that they do a thankless job with honor and integrity. Having also been through officials training, I'd argue that first point about training, but there are officials out there who are very good. However, too many officials are defensive & won't even let you ask a question. They take everything as a personal attack."

-- Jeff, Fresno

I agree with Jeff on everything, especially the pulling-up-the-pants situation. A coach should be given ever consideration when pulling up his pants. In fact, falling down pants should be a technical. Possibly even automatic ejection. Or deportation. Now let's get to the "usual letters defending the officials."

"You have no idea what is like to be a referee! For one thing we are not baby sitters or chaperones who watch over kids. Coaches and athletic directors are met with at the beginning of the year. They are told what the point of emphasis are for the year. The number one issue is sportsmanship. One of the other is the coaching box. At no point do we tell a coach how to coach his team, and in return he should not tell us how to referee. If he has a question or concern we will listen at a time when it is available. You are welcome to join our association (SJVOA) and get some experience on what it is like to do what we do. If we do not follow the rule books we are given at the beginning of the year, then we are just chaperones on the court."

-- Mike, Fresno

"I have officiated different youth, high school and adult sports for several years across a few different states and it always bothers me when people criticize officials the way they do, especially when they have never done it. I am making that assumption about you but it is usually very obvious to me if someone has at least has a little officiating experience. One of the main problems I have with your article is common misconception that the bigger the game the less officials should be a part of the game. Officials have and will always be as important to the game as the players and coaches themselves. If they are not as important why would you need them, right? It is disappointing when an official or two makes a bad name for the rest but the vast majority, especially at the level where your examples came from, are tremendously experienced and have earned the right to be there by their knowledge, skill, and performance throughout the season. Assuming you have your information correct (which I strongly doubt because coaches notoriously incorrectly perceive their actions and statements during a game, i.e. basically, "I got a techinical for being out of the box.") Being out of the coaches box by rule may result in a technical. Persistently being out of their box and constantly whining about calls or non-calls is another thing completely. Also, there is no rule and there has been requiring an official to give a warning. Coaches or players should consider themselves very lucky if they do receive a warning. That is a sign that the officials are trying to help them through whatever behavior, situation, etc. If they haven't learned those lessons throughout the long season, then who is to blame? Being out of the box, complaining, hanging on the rim, PUSHING A PLAYER (which I can't believe you tried to condone) may all result in technical fouls and are not the officials fault ... Trust me, officials really enjoy what they do but if the players, coaches, and media decide that they are not good enough and are too involved in the game they will have zero problem stepping out of the way and letting everyone else sort it all out. I encourage you and whoever else who criticize officials to try it a few times and see how you like it."

-- Sean, Visalia

OK, to answer his assumption. I did umpire for many years, all through college, and I'll freely admit that it is very difficult. I will also admit that refereeing basketball is probably tougher because the fans are closer, louder and more abundant. So yes, I do understand how tough it is.

Next assumption: I quoted coaches, but I saw everything I described, too, because I'd never take the word of a coach about a ref. They don't see things in an unbiased way.

As for the technical calls, being technically right, a coach being out of the coach's box shouldn't be called as a technical, ever, unless he does it to put an opposing player in a head-lock. I don't care if it is in the rule book. I don't think the writer's of the Constitution meant for us all to be walking around with loaded weapons. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. I doubt the rulemakers imagined refs watching coaches' feet during games.