[Ed Hickland]

2cents,

Generalizations about coaches or officials is not fair to those who put the time and thought into becoming a better coach or official. We are all individuals and have differing motivations. To say all coaches don't know the rules is totally unfair to those who do and work to learn them.

I was impressed in my travels at a recent clinic when a debate on blocking in the free blocking zone came up. The coach addressing the interpreter stated, "the free blocking zone disintegrates when the ball leaves the zone." Now, how many coaches really know that rule?

I feel coaches don't need to spend there time learning the complete body of rules. They need to understand the basics and should be able to have the trust that the guys in the striped shirts on the field know them completely.

It is unfortunate for those of us who study and know the rules to follow in the path of those who do not. Example, my crew is rules knowledgeable or else they would not be on my crew. It gets to my last nerve when a coach debates a ruling by saying, "the crew last week did not do it that way" and I have full knowledge that what they did was incorrect.

If all officials spent time learning the rules and developing good mechanics it is possible coaches would feel more comfortable with officials.