How much does this matter to you?

[JRutledge]

What is wrong with this picture?



Peace

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

What is wrong with this picture?



Peace

Illegal undershirt.

And yes, it does matter to me. At least in varsity.

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[Kelvin green]

Yes it matters. Would not wear it any any of my HS games....the question should it matter? Is there a better way to enforce this than making us the police?

[Rich]

This would get addressed as soon as it was noticed -- hopefully before the game when they remove the warmups.

[BillyMac]

Of course it matters. Those black and yellow socks are the epitome of ugly.

[BillyMac]

In my high school varsity game, if I were the referee and this kid wasn't wearing a warmup jacket, or shooting shirt, he wouldn't make it through one, or two, layup lines. If I were the umpire, or if he was wearing a pregame warmup jacket, or shooting shirt, he wouldn't make it to the jump ball circle for the opening tap, or if he were a substitute, he would be sent back to the bench.

If he were wearing it in a junior varsity game (in my little corner of Connecticut, varsity officials are supposed to observe at least the second and third periods of the preceding game), I would mention it to the officials as something they need to work on to get to the next level.

No excuse for this. Yes, we don't like being the Fashion Police (even me), but that doesn't mean we should ignore illegal undershirts. It's one of the most restrictive equipment color restrictions in the book (not many choices), but it's been simplified (no more school colors), and is also the easiest equipment color restriction in the book observe (must be similar in color to the uniform jersey).

From my recent IAABO Sportorial magazine article:

Rules regarding undershirts are the most restrictive, and should be the easiest to enforce by officials. Undershirts must be similar in color to the uniform jersey. According to NFHS rules, the home team must wear white uniform jerseys. Therefore, the only legal undershirt color for home players would be white, and only white. Players on the visiting team, wearing their dark road jerseys, must wear dark colored undershirts similar in color to their dark color uniform jerseys. “School color” doesn't apply to undershirts since “school color” is not mentioned in the current NFHS rulebook. Undershirts may not have frayed edges, and undershirt sleeves shall be the same length. Note that this rule does not require all players to wear the same length sleeves on their undershirts, but each individual player must have sleeves the same length on the undershirt when worn.

Some equipment restriction rules are for safety reasons. Rules that restrict equipment colors benefit officials by allowing them to easily identify players on each team during fast paced action. Consistency among officials in the enforcement of equipment restriction rules will provide a unified statement to coaches. When some officials choose not to enforce these 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. For those officials contemplating not enforcing equipment restrictions because such rules have “nothing to do with the game of basketball”, in the words of author Roy T. Bennett, “Stop doing what is easy, or popular. Start doing what is right”.

I did a scrimmage a few weeks ago and we weren't enforcing equipment colors (it was only a scrimmage). One player was wearing a long sleeve white undershirt under a green (reversible) scrimmage shirt. The other team was wearing white (reversible) scrimmage shirts. I had to pause a few times on bunches of players fighting for a rebound. Who was who? No way I'm allowing such equipment colors in my "real" games, the game is tough enough to officiate well when the players are wearing legal equipment colors.

Now, would somebody please help me down from this soapbox. It's pretty high up here and I'm getting dizzy.

[Freddy]

The OP image matters to me zero.
What matters to me is that it matters to the Fed and to my state association and to my assignors. That matters to me.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Freddy

... it matters to the Fed and to my state association and to my assignors.

In regard to everything else, always listen to bob. In regard to equipment restrictions, always listen to Freddy. I'm pretty good, but he's the king of equipment restrictions. Everything I know about equipment restrictions, I learned from Freddy. I am not worthy to untie the laces of his all black official's shoes (with apologies to Luke 3:16).

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Freddy

The OP image matters to me zero.
What matters to me is that it matters to the Fed and to my state association and to my assignors. That matters to me.

Yep. So, I'd enforce it in my HS games and some of my college conferences, but not in others.

[Mregor]

You think that's bad, I had a home team show up in gray jerseys (in holiday tournament game). How long has white been required now?

[Terrapins Fan]

If it were a technical foul for uniform violations, uniform violations would go away.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Terrapins Fan

If it were a technical foul for uniform violations, uniform violations would go away.

Probably not. You'd have to actually get people to call them. It is hard enough to get people to deal with them now.

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by Mregor

You think that's bad, I had a home team show up in gray jerseys (in holiday tournament game). How long has white been required now?

I’ve had a couple teams whose road color is light gray. On one occasion (in a subvarsity game) the home team asked if they could change to their black jerseys at halftime because the coach said it was too confusing (we allowed it).

There’s one girls team in my neck of the woods whose home jerseys are yellow for some reason, and they have a waiver from the state office in their scorebook. As long as the two colors are contrasting, whether the home team is wearing white or not, I’m not giving a T to the head coach.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Probably not. You'd have to actually get people to call them. It is hard enough to get people to deal with them now.

Exhibit A:

Originally Posted by SC Official

whether the home team is wearing white or not, I’m not giving a T to the head coach.

[BubbaRef]

I refereed Danville several times last year and only 1 time did we have to tell that same player to take off his undershirt. He obliged and didnt have any issues.

I think some players know who they can and cant get away with things and always push the limits.