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Originally Posted by Dakota
I get it, Jim (err, I mean David). I always did. You want someone else's property free, just like the teenage file sharers. The owners choose not to give it away, so you try (in vain) to make yourself sound righteous. Frankly, I don't care whether Daddy understands the rules or not. Even if he is the coach. I just officiate the game according to the rules. The books are available to anyone who wants to educate themselves.
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You are confusing
information about the rules with the
book itself.
I completely understand there are expenses associated with publishing a book. Those expenses need to be recouped in some manner. If somebody wants their own copy, I have no problem with them having to pay for it. Mostly coaches and umpires
will want to have a paper copy, even if the rules were available online. And, some people simply like the convenience of having things on paper instead of their computer screen. They'll have to pay for that convenience. No problem. (Yes, I realize coaches and umpires get their own book upon registration. But they better not
lose it!)
Personally, I prefer to study rules from a book, not a computer screen. Although, on occasion, it's nice to have the option to electronically search something if I'm having difficulty finding what I'm looking for - especially in a Case Book.
Why would any of this preclude making the rules available online? What would be the purpose of not making the rules widely known and easily accessible, even for just casual perusal by an interested party?
I understand that the ASA (and NFHS) has the right to
not make their rules available online.
I get that! They view it as something to be guarded closely - like an artist's song, or a movie script. But in these last examples, it is very clear why they don't want people to have these for free. If everybody downloaded Britney Spears' songs, for free off the internet, how would she make any money? It's a
money thing! If bootleg copies of Steven Spielberg's movies were all over the place, it would cut into profits. The point of making songs and movies is
specifically to make money - so, to protect those things makes complete sense.
Are you suggesting this is the same argument for the ASA and NFHS rulebooks? Get serious!
I'll bet more copies of the MLB rulebook are sold than the ASA rulebook, and the MLB rules are
online for all to see.
Would you disagree with the following statement?
All interests are best served if information regarding a sport is readily available to all; which would include: officials, coaches, players, fans, and casual observers.
In my example of the father who is curious about an "illegal pitch" called on his daughter, you think that it's a
good thing that he cannot quickly, conveniently, and readily satisfy his curiosity when it is quite evident his young daughter doesn't fully understand what happened?
Sure! Sure! It's the
coach's job to explain it to her. I agree. But wouldn't it still be a "good thing" if more than just the game participants understood what was going on?
The bottom line is this:
Not making the rules readily available online is a specious and self-serving argument that is not in the best interests of the game.
I realize that the powers-that-be in these organizations obviously disagree with me. They should wonder why they are in the minority on this matter as the overwhelming majority of organizations
embrace the notion of educating the world about the details of their sport. They would probably be flattered if their online rules were getting thousands upon thousands of "hits."
I'm wondering what's next: an ASA secret handshake?
If you polled umpires and coaches (individuals who get their
own book) and asked them if they would like the rules, nonetheless, to be readily available online: What do you think the results would be?
'nuf said!
David Emerling
Memphis, TN