Pregame festivities

[SNIPERBBB]

Originally Posted by Raymond

1) I've now starting introducing the crew (first names in college/Mr. Lastname for HS) and tell the players to approach us just as they would a teacher/professor.

2) I ask for numbers just out of ceremony of acknowledging the speaking captains. Not doing so would make me stick out from every other referee I work with, both college and HS.

3) With coaches, I shake hands and give them my first name. No other conversation except maybe a reminder about the coaching box if I have coach who's a known wanderer.

**Your pregame warning is no less extraneous than any other statements you consider as "blah, blah, blah" by other officials, plus is against the rules concerning DOG warnings. Plus the message is not going to get to the other players. You get a coach who knows the rules and you will have a problem that will not be defensible to your assignor/supervisor/state association.

You'd fit in fine down here where I'm at if you don't ask for speaking captains...that's pretty much my pregame. Only the 30+ year vets and their sycophants still do so.