[Mike Simonds]

Dear Bob,

Great article on the philosophy of holding. Plus number 5 is one of the NFL umpires I like to watch on TV. Is there any way I can get a copy of the tape? I'd like to share your knowledge with our association.

Just to expand a bit on the other things the umpire has to do: I call this umpire-referee relations.

Before the ready for play, after setting the ball I'll look at my referee and make eye contact and announce the down and distance to him. I remember reading a great article by Ram hall of fame defensive tackle Merlin Olsen said about football being mostly a mental sport. He used to put data into his mind before every play: down and distance; i.e., okay, 3rd and long, get off the ball quickly on the snap, beat my man and get to the quarterback, etc. So as officials we need to constantly put data into our minds so we may properly react as the play unfolds. We need to think about our brains as a computer that will store and file away data that can be recalled at the needed time.

And communication is the key. We need to keep a nice steady chatter going with each other. Down and distance, clock status, penalty enforcement and choices, etc. A good umpire is like a waiter in a fine dining establishment: he serves the crew and quietly makes sure the game is running smoothly and steps-in quietly when things need correcting so everyone will enjoy the game the way it should be.

I already touched on player communication and this goes both ways: compliments at the right time and warnings at the right time can work wonders. But of course the flag needs to come out also if its really bad stuff or directly affects the play. I'm working on throwing fewer flags but making every one a quality flag.

And knowing how the human body works is so great. Thats why our own workouts can be a good mental drill to learning how our arms and legs work together. Like you were saying Bob, if the feet and the upper body of the holdee are moving at different rates of speed then you probably have a hold in progress. Then if you correctly picked up the point of attack and the offense gains an advantage then you have a foul.

Of course, a picture is worth a thousand words and hopefully you can tell me how to get a "hold" of that video or another one that shows the different forms of holding.

Thanks guys and good luck in your preparations for the season coming-up.