[DJ]

Not sure that I agree with some of these statements: "Remember the Phil Luckett incident in the NFL game a few seasons ago? Phil, by the book, was completely right in what he did. Did it help him during the game and in the post-game opinion of him?"

I think the press would have crucified him if he didn't let them have what they had asked for after the flip.

"I am a control freak when it comes to the coin toss. Many officials catch the coin in the air -- I don't -- I let it hit the ground like the guys on TV. I also make sure the teams get what they want, for 3 reasons: (1) It's going to affect the rest of the game and may influence my relationship with the league, school, etc., and (2) it's what everyone expects and is the right thing to do, and (3) I don't have a microphone on us showing the world that the kid screwed up. It would be a pretty hard sell to anyone that a team wanted to kick off both halves unless they specifically wanted to do so. It doesn't happen often enough."

When I am working a high school game, we are big not little and after they make their choice I just don't see where it is my job to coach them to a decision. As far as my relationship with the teams for the rest of the game, the league and the school, if this affects my relationship then I have no relationship in the first place. I don't think it is fair to the other team if the team that wins the toss screws up their choice and I fix it for them because of their ignorance. Some teams send out four captains and they should probably pick their spokesperson on the basis of grade point average instead of popularity or "me football player" mentality.