Jerseys during Warm-ups

[Big_Blue_Wannabe]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Kicking the can down the road creating a problem for the next official in the same situation? Guilty as charged.

It is this exact attitude that caused the NFHS to finally call out officials like you this year in the new book, letting you know that you are really part of the problem.



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[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... "taking off the jersey rule" was to prevent a player who had just fouled out from showing resentment, or disgust, to the call by taking off the jersey on the way to the bench. I'll charge a technical foul in a New York minute every time in that situation. Taking off a jersey to remove an illegal undershirt? Based on purpose and intent, I'm looking the other way. I might mention to the player to go to the locker room if I have a direct conversation with them, but a player who decides to remove a jersey to remove an illegal undershirt on his own volition, I'm looking the other way. If the opposing coach questions my "call", I'm going with intent and purpose and the history of the rule. Kicking the can down the road creating a problem for the next official in the same situation? Guilty as charged.

Originally Posted by Big_Blue_Wannabe

It is this exact attitude that caused the NFHS to finally call out officials like you Rus year in the new book, letting you know that you are really part of the problem.

Originally Posted by Freddy

The statement, 'I am not the uniform police' is correct. However, officials are hired to enforce the rules of the game. Uniform, equipment, and apparel are all included in the rules book and must be enforced... Consistency among the officials in enforcement of these areas will provide for a unified statement to coaches. When some officials choose not to enforce the rules, they are only hurting the profession and setting up the next crew for criticism from the coaches, when, in fact, the officials who did not enforce the rules are the ones who deserve the criticism. (NFHS 2017-19 Basketball Officials Manual Point of Emphasis, p.4.).

Oddly, I agree with Big_Blue_Wannabe.

But in this very specific circumstance (telling a player that they can't play with an illegal undershirt, and then charging them with a technical foul when they go to the bench, on their own volition, and remove it) is not the way that I want to start my game, with both an irritated player, and an irritated coach ("But you told him that he couldn't play with that undershirt."), nor would almost all of my 300-plus local colleagues, some (sadly, more than just a few) that wouldn't even address the illegal undershirt, making me very confident that I won't be setting up the next crew for criticism from the coaches.

When in Rome ...

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

But in this very specific circumstance (telling a player that they can't play with an illegal undershirt, and then charging them with a technical foul when they go to the bench, on their own volition, and remove it) is not the way that I want to start my game,

So tell the player "if you want to play, you need to leave the gym and take off the undershirt" -- or tell that to the coach and have him/her tell the player.

Now if they stay and do it, it's no them.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bucky

Whenever I see illegal gear ... that requires removal, I tell the player to go to the locker room.

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

So tell the player "if you want to play, you need to leave the gym and take off the undershirt"

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Good preventative officiating.

Great advice from bucky and bob jenkins.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

When in Rome ...

The "Taking Off The Jersey Rule" has probably been around for a decade. Here in my little corner of Connecticut, I've never seen it enforced on any level for anything other than a player who had just fouled out showing resentment, or disgust, to the call by taking off the jersey on the way to the bench.

I wonder how many Forum members enforce every "Fashion Police" rule? Or how many officials, in general, fully understand, and enforce, every "Fashion Police" rule? Sad to say, we don't do a great job in my local area. Better enforcement of the undershirt rule (a very simple rule to understand, not many choices for legal colors) would lead to fewer players having to change (although, to flip it, no enforcement of the rule would lead to no players having to change), leading to less chance of players trying to change in the bench area.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

SITUATION 4: During the pregame warm-up, the 12 members of Team A are wearing warm-up tops, but not their team jerseys. Approximately one minute prior to the opening jump ball, the 12 Team A members go to the team bench, remove the warm-up tops and put on the team jerseys. RULING: One technical foul is charged to Team A, and it is also charged indirectly to the head coach. COMMENT: In a situation where similar multiple infractions occur at the same time, it is not the intent of the rules to penalize each individual infraction as a separate technical foul. (3-4-15; 10-4-1h)

I'd still like to some discussion about this interpretation, especially involving frezer11's original post.

Originally Posted by frezer11

... player that went through his full warm-up, up to about 1:00 before tip off, in just his compression undershirt.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I wonder if they apply to frezer11's original post of putting jerseys on before a game, since the rule states that players can't remove the jersey and/or pants/skirt (nothing about putting jerseys on, and nothing was removed) within the visual confines of the playing area. In fact Situation 4 doesn't exactly match the rule because the players are taking off warmups within the visual confines of the playing area, while the rule states that players can't remove the jersey and/or pants/skirt (nothing about removing warmups) within the visual confines of the playing area.

Players legally remove warmups at the bench area all the time (albeit, usually with a jersey underneath). So is it illegal for them to put on a jersey, as well as remove a jersey, at the bench area?

Is it the intent of the NFHS that players not show any underwear (undershirt), or skin, within the visual confines of the playing area, before, or during the game (under the jurisdiction of the officials)?

Is it that simple? I sure hope so.