[JRutledge]

I think I need to be clearer about what I am saying.

The NF Publishes the NF Pre-Season Guides. Those books have rulings and interpretations directly from the NF. These books also have mechanics changes as well. When the NF last year put in the Team Control Foul last year, Referee showed the approved mechanic in the magazine and later in the NF Pre-Season Guide. I believe that was discussed last year here or on another website about whether to use a "Team control signal" or not. Last year it was made clear by these two publications directly from Referee Magazine. I am fully aware that Referee Inc. does not publish the NF Rulebooks and Casebooks. The NF does use other areas to put out rulings and mechanics changes that are outside of the rulebook and casebook. Referee Inc has been producing the Pre-Season Guides for Football, Basketball and Baseball since 2000 I believe. My state hands these guides out to anyone that attends our rules meetings. Also in our Rules Meeting PowerPoint Presentations, there have been Referee Inc usage of mechanics and PlayPics to show POE and rules changes for the coming year. Also remember the NF puts out a Quarterly Magazine for each season (and summer).

I think what you are talking about JR is when Referee Magazine, creates their own case plays in a story and rulings are given. This is where authors have made serious mistakes contrary with the rules. Let us also not forget the NF has contradicted themselves while doing the same thing off of the website and the quarterly. If anyone is a football official here and remembers when PSK was put in as a new rule all the problems that were created by the NF when they gave rulings off of the Quarterly Magazine and the website. Same thing happen in football when a new rule was put in place to allow a scoring team to accept a penalty and keep the points on the board. It was not Referee Magazine that had anything to do with those mess ups.

Now you might not be aware all of this if you do not purchase the NF Pre-Season Guide on a yearly basis. My state has a very close relationship with the NF and our dues pays for a lot of these things and we get them free just for having a license or attending rules meetings. So almost all of our content comes directly from the NF and Referee Magazine produced most of the content.

No one has said that Referee produces the Rulebooks, Casebooks, Official's Manuals or Handbooks. But it is very clear the NF has collaborated with Referee Magazine and much of what is put into Referee Magazine is coming directly from the NF. I would find it hard to believe that they are creating a book with actual mechanics involved they would not have some insight as to what is "official." I do not think we are in disagreement, you might not be aware of all these things and the only reason I am defending Nevada adamantly on this issue. He is very likely right. I bet the very same thing Nevada saw will be in the Rules Meeting slides and in the Simplified and Illustrated Rulebooks. If you are a NASO Member and you get a copy of the Simplified and Illustrated book, you will hardly know there is a difference between the two parties.

Peace