How Players View a Coach Who Yells at Refs

[Just Sayin]

Not debating here whether what the coach did was appropriate or inappropriate. Just looking at how players view a coach who fights for them.

Since players can't be fined, the only two Iowa-based reporters to make the trip — myself and The Gazette's Mike Hlas — asked them about officials and, more importantly, their coach.

Their takeaways: The officiating was bad, but not an excuse. And to them, their coach did the right thing.

"He always has our back. He does that to protect us and fight for us," Iowa forward Tyler Cook said. "As a player, you always appreciate that. Whatever he does, I'm 100 percent with him. And the rest of the guys are, as well."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2019/02/26/fran-mccaffery-ref-rant-outburst-iowa-hawkeyes/3000726002/

[GoldenCrusader87]

Well-said. Though folks on this board will have 3,000 excuses for how this doesn't apply, isn't true, or something else. So, it's all in vain with a lot of folks.

[FWalum]

Well-said. Though folks on this board will have 3,000 excuses for how this doesn't apply, isn't true, or something else. So, it's all in vain with a lot of folks.

Another one of the asinine statements that have become prevalent on this board lately.  None of us has any idea whether our players feel that ML has their backs.  I guess John Wooden didn't have the backs of his UCLA players because he never yelled expletives at a ref and only received 2 technical fouls his entire career, no player support there...  I do think that the technical can be used by a coach in certain strategic situations, and there have been times when I thought Matt could have used the tech to his advantage, but it certainly doesn't mean that our players respect him less or don't feel like he supports them because he hasn't gotten a technical or yelled expletives at a ref.

Yes, yes, yes I know even Homer got a technical every now and again and believe it or not Matt will probably get some to.

[FieldGoodie05]

Well-said. Though folks on this board will have 3,000 excuses for how this doesn't apply, isn't true, or something else. So, it's all in vain with a lot of folks.

Anyone who disagrees with you is wrong.  I agree...

[GoldenCrusader87]

Like I said, in vain.

[crusader05]

There are many people on this board who agree with your positions. The difference is the style of engagement. No one likes to have swipes preemptively taken at them or to be basically accused of being idiots and dramatically wrong while you position yourself as the lone Cassandra willing to call it as you see it.

Let people believe something different than you without yelling at them about making excuses.

[VU2014]

I think it's a abundantly clear that our players respect and play hard for Coach Lottich and this staff. I can't think of an occasion this season where they gave up. Even when they were down and out of the game we were getting a strong effort from the team.

Lottich has been pleading his case to the refs but he's not the type of guy who is going to whip his clipboard on the ground and actively try and get tossed. I think there are times where getting T'd up might be a decent strategy but I can't think of a scenario where it would been beneficial this season. Last season? Maybe.

These players know he has their back. If you ever take a peak on the bench he's pretty firrey in the sidelines. Yes we got screwed at UNI in the last game by the refs (I don't think that's controversial to say, but we didn't just lose because of the officiating), but Lottich was even going back and forth with Jacobson who was absolutely hounding the refs all night. UNI was at home and Jacobson has built up equity with the refs and think that did play a factor in some of those horrendous foul calls on us.

I just don't want to hear the BS that this team doesn't play hard for him because they clearly do.

[VUSL98]

If it could be conclusively determined that yelling with the refs resulted in better calls, I'm sure all coaches would learn to do so.  As it stands, it chances a technical foul and only serves to,focus attention away from the next play, which is what coaches should be focused on.  Complaining about the refs and bad calls is what we, as fans, do, because we aren't there, in the moment, responsible for making the next substitution or drawing up the next play.

I know of not a single coach who was thought of as, primarily, a good abuser of the refs.