[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Hey, you posed the question.

Don't get all defensive if somebody answers it.

Actually no one has answered the question that I am asking, because I am not asking the question only based on the rule, but the intent of the rule. And it is not being defensive to feel that there is a hole in the wording.

Originally Posted by BretMan

The rule is clear to me, and I don't need to even consider what they do in football or basketball to muddy things up. The new rule is simple and simply written. It has been clearly and concisely interpreted in the pre-season NFHS publications.

I do care what other sports do, because the NF has said as much when they create rules. All committees confer to make sure they are following a general philosophy. For example the NF concussion policy is the same across almost all their sports, not just a football only rule where this issue is often more prevalent. The different committees meet to make sure they follow similar rules and this rule in my opinion did not come from a baseball way of thinking as no other code has such a rule.

Originally Posted by BretMan

There's no need to guess at what you think they really meant. The rule and interpretations are about as unambiguous as they could possibly be.

The case play you cite (3.3.1T) has nothing to do with this new rule and nothing to do with anyone being "restricted to the bench". This case play is referring to participants being in their required areas during the game, NOT about anyone being "restricted to the bench" as a punitive measure for some misconduct.

If it is, then why are there questions about when a coach should be restricted?

We will just have to disagree on this. Case play 3.3.1T says to restrict the coaching staff to the dugout for an issue that is not related to an assistant coach arguing a judgment call. And this is a new case play that would not be there without this new rule. I did not suggest I was going to make a coach be restricted to the dugout for anything other than the basic wording, but it is clear to me that there was an attempt to use a philosophy from another sport (as there is no such rule from NCAA or MLB Baseball, but more consistent with basketball and football rules when it comes to conduct) and probably did not include situations where the rule would not obviously apply. And this was a discussion I had with people before the season and they had similar questions or concerns. The casebook in my opinion would have been clearer. And the fact someone suggested that an HC should be restricted in a situation where the rules might not completely suggest, only illustrates that confusion. I would not be surprised if next year there is a clarification or editorial change in the rule.

Peace