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Old Tue May 26, 2020, 10:26am
SC Official SC Official is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stat-Man View Post
Maybe it's just my part of Rome, but Freddy and others that have observed camps & scrimmages I've attended have discouraged use of the bird dog because the use of a good preliminary signal at the spot of the foul ("White 5 with a push. Blue ball on the side.") tells those involved what they need to know. I can't help wondering what other areas have this philosophy despite the newest POE.
POEs never amount to much during the season, in my experience. States will have their own expectations and philosophies for rules and mechanics.

I don't give prelims except on block/charge plays. The NFHS really needs to get that requirement out of the manual because it's really stupid and hardly anyone does it. There is no need to give a prelim on non block/charge plays 95% (at least) of the time.

I will occasionally bird dog if I feel I need to clarify who the foul was on for the coaches, but my mechanic does not look like the chart. That mechanic probably needs to go away, too.

The NFHS mechanics manual has not kept up with the modern-day trends and philosophies in officiating and they refuse to update it, hence why using "approved mechanics" seems to be rammed down our throats every year. Heck even the most purist officials I know often are not giving prelims on every foul, which is one reason why I always chuckle whenever someone preaches at us about needing to do everything exactly the way the book states.

Last edited by SC Official; Tue May 26, 2020 at 10:29am. Reason: clarification
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