Quote:
Originally posted by Derock1986
Sounds like you guys are just jealous because you can't believe someone out there thinks I'm a good enough official to invite to a tournament. You knuckle heads just don't get it. No one cares if you know every rule in the rule book because officiating football is not about knowing all the rules it's about calling a fair and sensible game. In my opinion, the worst officials are text book officials because they lack game sense. Don't let the rules of the game over power using good game sense or should I say, don't get so educated and become a know it all but you have no common sense.
It doesn't matter what you think of me. I'll continue to officiate.
And by the way, I did officiate in a tournament but you wouldn't know anything about that because it was an INVITATIONAL! If I wasn't any good at officiating, then why did they ask me to officiate and then pay me $600 for my services?
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I am not tying to be insulting so please take no offense at my comments here:
I speak for myself (and probably many others), but I am happy with my own schedule at this point in my career, and the fact that an official is INVITED to work a youth tournament is simply not anything to be jealous over. Around my area of the country, they have a difficult enough time finding 3 officials to simply work youth TOURNEY games and, many times, even brand new officials are officiating these games. But, I say "congrats" to you if you speak the truth and if that is a major accomplishment in your career or truly something to be proud about.
Onto the subject at hand:
Game sense means knowing when to apply the rules (a.k.a. Advantage/Disadvantage). Good officials ALL do this. For example:
A player is using open hand blocking technique but his hands are actually closed. He is showing good footwork and good technique in screening his man and the defender isn't working hard to get to the ball carrier. I reward good technique and this won't draw a flag. However, if the defender tries to shuck his blocker and blocker stretches his jersey because he is holding AND if it has a material effect on the play, it will draw my flag. This is GAME SENSE.
The common one is not throwing the flag on the left split-end when the play went to the other side of the field.
Game sense is not ARBRITRARILY changing the definitions because it seems to make more sense to us. It is not flagging something that is LEGAL.
Two items:
You state, "you cannot trip the runner" and this is in direct contradiction to the rule:
Direct from the book:
Rule 2-44: Tripping is the user of the lower leg or foot to obstruct an opponent,
who is not a runner, below the knee. (emphasis mine).
Rule 9-3-7: A player shall not trip an opponent
who is not a runner (again, emphasis mine).
The rule specifically addresses who may NOT be tripped so, by default, we know who a player is allowed to trip.
You state that allowing anyone to trip the runner may lead to more severe actions, such as kicking at the runner. There are rules in place to deal with KICKING The runner Rule 9-4-2L: No player shall strike and opponent with his fist, locked hands, forearm or elbow, nor
kick or knee him. -- Personal Foul and ejection if flagrant.
And then there are the discussion
s on tackling the pitchman. (I thought you had changed your position on this).
Your orignal position about allowing the pitchman to be tackled cannot be supported by the rules within the confines of the definitions. Changing the definitions is not "GAME SENSE". Tackling the pitchman is not "game sense". It is contrary to the rules. GAME SENSE is saying, "the pitchman was out of the play and tackling him had no affect on the play, therefore no disadvantage and I won't flag the FOUL". But to try to alter the definition of a runner?
I doubt my post changes your mind, but I offer this in hopes that it does.