Quote:
Originally Posted by JRutledge
Isn't that resolved if your state or chapter of IAABO just says this is the way it is done?
|
That's the way it's supposed to work, but it doesn't always work that way. I respect IAABO. I respect our state board. I respect my local board, but we're certainly far from perfect. An interpretation is made, it's announced at a meeting. Some guys miss the meeting. Some guys aren't paying attention at that meeting. Later, rookie officials, and transfers from other areas, including non-IAABO, never attended that past meeting. Even before such interpretations are made, some local board interpreters aren't aware that there are minor unannounced changes in NFHS rules that might be confusing, and such interpretations are never made.
So later, down the line, a few officials are having a post game discussion about, let's say for example, a player wearing green compression shorts that may, or may not, be of a legal color. If this discussion group had happened a few years ago, and if they opened up their NFHS rulebook, the rulebook would say that compression shorts must be the same color as the "uniform". The player in question had red uniform shorts, and a green uniform jersey. Do they go by the older rule that the compression shorts must be the same color as the uniform shorts, or do they use some newer guidelines that say that equipment must be one of a limited group of colors, one being the color of the uniform jersey. The rulebook can't help them, it only says the same color as the "uniform". None of them were at the meeting where the interpretation was announced, or weren't paying attention at that meeting. Or that local interpreter didn't realize that the NFHS had made a minor unannounced change in the compression short rule (change the rule from color of the uniform shorts to color of the "uniform").
Under such conditions, a player may be allowed to wear one color compression shorts on one night, and not be allowed to wear the same shorts under the same conditions the next night. That's certainly not very consistent. What are coaches, players, and fans to think when they see inconsistent rulings from night to night?
Now that the NFHS has made it clear that compression shorts are to be treated like almost any other type of equipment (white, black, beige, or the color of the jersey), it's more likely that interpretations will be consistent.
It's right there in the rule book for everybody to see in black and white. The rule can't be misconstrued.
Now back to protective headbands. And I don't even care about what goes on in other states. We've got officials walking around Connecticut with a NFHS rulebook in their back pocket that think that they're not allowed, no matter what color. We've got guys that think that they're allowed, but they must be a proper color (like any equipment). And we've got guys that think that they're allowed with no color restrictions. And I haven't even brought up the variable of state documentation. And those are the guys that care, not to mention the guys that don't give a damn about fashion issues. What are coaches, players, and fans (parents that pay fifty bucks for one of these protective headbands) to think when they see inconsistent rulings from night to night?
Protective headbands? There was one slide displayed at one meeting a few years ago. Nothing in writing. No followup. Nothing. I'm a pretty good rule guy, and I couldn't remember the exact interpretation, or its source. I've been searching and I can't find a copy of that slide. I thought it was a NFHS ruling. As it turns out, it's probably just an IAABO ruling tacked onto a 2015-16 NFHS "New Rules" PowerPoint.
Is the NFHS oblivious to the fact that these headbands are showing up, granted, on a very limited basis, in our games? I never saw shoes with flashing lights in any of my games until after the NFHS came up with a caseplay stating the they were illegal. They reacted to shoes with flashing lights, why won't they react to these protective headbands?
Now, would somebody please help me down off this soapbox. I'm getting dizzy up here.
Since the educational "Fashion Police" article that I'm writing is only for IAABO members, I'm writing that protective headbands are allowed and have no color restrictions, just as God, and IAABO intended.
With apologies to Admiral David Farragut, damn the NFHS rulebook, full speed ahead.