Falcon: Most refs take plenty of guff and let it go. Fans can usually holler all they want, coaches and parents can huff and puff and whine and so long as it isn't disruptive most officials let it go. Unless its personal. "You suck" is going to get you ejected in wrestling...this isn't basketball. But when you go the table there is a clear rule that applies.
I can't explain what you saw at St. Louis. I watch college wrestling on TV and rarely see miscounduct warnings given but that's because there are few conferences. Maybe when its the natioanls everyone gets a little more leeway. And talking right after the match is over isn't a conference, under the rules.
But here's the black and white approach from the rule book. A coach may always question a call. Its his right to do so. He can even question judgment. Its his right to do so. The procedure is to go to the table and request a conference. The official is required to honor the request. By rule, if the coach disagrees with the interpretation/application of a rule, and no change is made by the official, it is, by rule, misconduct. The official is duty-bound to call it. If the coach is questioning judgment, it is misconduct and the official must call it. If the official does not, the official is not following the rules.
Most officials do not want to call this and many shirk their duty. That causes confusion and makes it look personal. It is not. Those not calling it are just making it difficult for those that apply the rule.
Now, all good/experienced coaches know how to skirt the rule and officials appreciate their abilities. They don't question judgment or question calls, they ask for clarification. For example: Instead of saying "how could you miss that (fill in the blank)?" the coach says, "did you see the (fill in the blank)?
Or, if there was no NF or only 2 when it should have been 3, instead of storming over to the table to raise a fuss, the smart coach says "did you award 2 or three back points, I think the table missed it?" For officials that aren't getting in position, a coach can always talk to the official after a match, during a break, and give some friendly advice. Very few officials will be offended, and those that are won't last long anyway and aren't worth the effort.
During a match, coaches are free to point out situations and do so long as it is done tactfully. Yelling "he's stalling" isn't tact...telling your wrestler to "keep shooting, or "keep working" accomplishs the same thing. Coaches will certainly not be penalized for getting excited during a NF situation and yelling "that's points." Its all a matter of delivery and, again, tact.
Beesons' right. If a coach is "chirping" all day long. If he finds fault in every match you do you become tone deaf and even if he has a legitimate beef its going to get less credence. There are those coaches that know the rules so well that when you see them walking to the table for a conference you know you've made a mistake and you know its serious. Others, you think, my goodness, have they ever wrestled or read the rule book. I had a coach complain that I called him for misconduct after questioning a call because he said he had asked me politely. He thought misconduct meant you were being disrespectful.
Finally, misconduct can only be called if there is a table conference. If the coach does something away from the table its unsportsmanlike conduct which has no warning and carries a different penalty, and has a different penalty sequence.
