[fullor30]

Originally Posted by stripes

****This post is not meant, in any way, to suggest that using proper mechanics is not important!!!****


Any one who has seen me ref knows that my floor mechanics are not great. They are very stripped down and "college", not very NF. I referee a fair amount of HS games and had gotten pretty far up the food chain locally, far enough that no one ever said anything about how my mechanics were not proper for HS games. That being said, I moved to another state and was a nobody there. My first season there I had a game between the #1 and #2 ranked 5A teams in that state. (that caused a huge uproar among the local officials, but that's another story)
There was an evaluator from the state office at the game watching me and my partner. I had 3 PC fouls during the game, which was won by the visiting #1 ranked team. After the game we were in the locker room with the evaluator going over the game and the PC fouls came up in the discussion. The evaluator said that the calls were great and that they were all needed in the game. He praised me several times for the good calls and then proceeded to rip me for never putting my fist in the air to start the foul call sequence. (I just point and yell "offense"). The ripping lasted lots longer than the praise ever did and then he told me what great calls they were and left. I sat in stunned silence for a few moments until my partner changed the subject.

My point in all of this is do what they want you to do wherever you may be. I moved back to my original state and can use my "regular" mechanics, but in the other state, I needed to do what they wanted. Observe and adapt. Do what you are supposed to do in your area.

PLeeezzze Uncle Stripes, can you tell us the story? Pleeeze!