High school basketball tournaments bring out the best in coaches and student athletes, and the worst. Next week, the best. Today, the worst…

• HELP ME!

Have you noticed the latest sign of protest by players unhappy with a referee’s call? Arms outstretched, palms up, look of anguish on their face? The more petulant the player, the higher the arms are raised. Refs, technical foul, please.

• CLAP FOR ME!

Boy, oh boy, oh boy. Can somebody please stop the trend by whiny prima donna players whereby, every time they miss a shot (!) they have to clap their hands together loudly? The point of the protest, is, of course, is to say, “I missed a shot?! I simply cannot believe it! I am outraged!” Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

* REF, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

I have now officially had it with mediocre high school coaches complaining over and over and over about allegedly bad calls by refs. Let’s assume for a moment the calls are horrible. What exactly is the point of getting publicly exorcised each time over them? Are you helping yourself build camaraderie with the ref to get help with future calls? (Nope.) Are you being a good role model for the kids on your team watching you? (Hardly.) Do you get calls you argue overturned? (Not that I am aware of.) Arguing calls by coaches used to be rare. Now, standard M.O. We are developing a generation of loser-excuse machines.

• TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE!

And let’s not forget the parents (they won’t let us)! Is each school required to have at least one parent (sorry always a dad) in the stands arguing a call every 5 to 6 minutes, and, in general, giving free advice to the refs throughout the 32-minute game? And this will help the team’s chances that the next call will go their way? (Nope.) The sons and daughters of the parents doing this are learning good methods of dealing with life’s adversity by watching dad do his blowhard routine? (The opposite, Dad.) And, lastly, but my favorite, these professional-yapper parents are helping the school establish a good reputation in the sports world, and improving the chances, also, of referees and officials in other sports respecting their town and giving them breaks on calls? (Not exactly.)

• ME, ME, ME

At least half the shots taken in these recent games are taken with no plan by the player, coach or team. The kids just launch.

• I DON’T DO WINDOWS

The players who spend all regular season on the three-point line, never venturing into the paint for a shot or rebound, wither on the vine once they get to postseason. R.I.P.

• PUT ME IN COACH

I will never understand the coaches who get to a postseason game, and, despite winning by 20 points or more, do not get each kid into the game. Do you realize how important it is for a kid to say, later that night, to mom or dad, or neighbor, or a friend the next day at school: “Yes, I played.” Were these coaches ever kids themselves?

That is it for today. Whew. Glad to get that off my chest. Next week, I promise, all positive stuff.

Dan Warren is a Scarborough trial lawyer. He can be reached by private Facebook message at the Jones & Warren Attorneys at Law page, or by email at [email protected].