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Old Thu Feb 27, 2003, 03:10pm
zebraman zebraman is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,910
[QUOTE]Originally posted by gsf23
The point I was trying to make was that why should the coach in this situation get a rulebook?

Because most officials have better rule knowledge than this guy and it would serve you better to prepare for the usual rather than the exception(s). If you study the rules, you'll have less heartburn in the long run because you'll realize that most refs really do know the rules and you can spend less time questioning and more time coaching.

Why hasn't someone said "that official should get a rule book then."

That's exactly what I was implying with my previous post when I said the ref needs to spend more time studying.

Just seems to me that when a coach comes to this board with a question about a call, whether the call was right or wrong the coach gets told to know the rules.

Actually, I think we're harder on each other (us refs) when someone screws up a rule. My personal experience (I was a high school and college player and then a J.C. coach) is that coaches don't read rule books (I didn't as a coach which I kick myself for now). Getting questioned as an official comes with the territory, but it's more frustrating when a coach is whining about something that you got right and based on what he's saying, you know he's never cracked open a rule book.
Now, what are you going to do as an official if a coach questions your application or interpretation of the rule?

If he's nice about it, we'll have a pleasant conversation. I pride myself in knowing the rules, even the once-in-a-lifetime ones...but if I think I might have blown it, I'll own up. If I feel that his approach is an attack rather than a question, the conversation will be very short and I'll walk away.

The coach is probably going to be told he is wrong and if persistant, will get a T. How many officials here would say, "you are right coach, my mistake."

I would.

Z
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