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.

[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]

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.

[zm1283]

I have heard people talk about making the coaches enforce uniform rules. The problem is that they are already tasked with policing this stuff in the rule book and they still don't do it, so we have to. In that scenario, what is the penalty if they don't comply? Send in a report to the state? That will take weeks to correct things and who is supposed to ensure it is followed through with? We are supposed to enforce the other rules in the book, so why do so many officials have an issue with these? The vast majority of officials I work with do a great job of taking care of uniform issues because 99% of teams around here are always in compliance. It's usually out-of-area teams that need to be corrected.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by zm1283

The vast majority of officials I work with do a great job of taking care of uniform issues because 99% of teams around here are always in compliance.

Not so here in my little corner of Connecticut. Many officials either don't understand the rule, don't bother to look, or if they do look, don't bother to enforce it.

Especially true in girls games where many officials don't realize that underwrap wrapped around the head is a headband (thus falling under headband color restrictions), probably confusing them with hair control devices, or that "Skylar Diggins" tails are illegal.

By rule, exceptions to equipment color restrictions include rubber, cloth, or elastic bands, used to control hair. Such soft hair control devices (e.g., ponytail holders) are under no color restrictions. Hard hair control devices including but not limited to beads, barrettes, and bobby pins, of any color, are prohibited. Remember, headbands go around the entire head (and must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey), while soft hair control devices only go around hair and are under no color restrictions. ... Only a single headband may be worn on the head, and headbands are not allowed to have extensions or tails. There is a wider array of legal color options for other equipment items such as headbands, wristbands, arm sleeves, knee sleeves, lower leg sleeves, compression shorts, and tights. All of these equipment items must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey.

Fewer problems in boys games, usually involving multi-color shooting sleeves, or leg sleeves. Or problems with same color worn by one player and all players.

Furthermore, anything worn on the arm or the leg (except a knee brace), is defined as a sleeve, including knee pads and elbow pads (must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey). All of these items shall be the same color as worn by each player. Additionally, all of these items shall be the same color for all members of a team who choose to wear them.

[SC Official]

It matters to me not because I want to enforce fashion police rules, but because I don't want to be "that guy" who lets him get away with it and makes the next crew's job harder.

[Scooby]

The compression shorts and the wrist band are to be the same color, too.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Scooby

The compression shorts and the wrist band are to be the same color, too.

There is a wider array of legal color options for other equipment items such as headbands, wristbands, arm sleeves, knee sleeves, lower leg sleeves, compression shorts, and tights. All of these equipment items must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey … All of these items shall be the same color as worn by each player. Additionally, all of these items shall be the same color for all members of a team who choose to wear them.

Remember, we're past the time when legal compression short colors were confusing (same color as uniform (rule a few years ago, no longer true), could be jersey, or shorts), or same color as shorts (older rule, again, no longer true). Now compression shorts must be the solid color black, white, beige, or the predominant color of the uniform jersey. All equipment items (including compression shorts) shall be the same color as worn by each player, and all of these items shall be the same color for all members of a team who choose to wear them.

Also, all references to school colors being legal (for various equipment items) have been removed from the rulebook (which would surprise a few guys in these parts).

[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?