2019-20 NFHS: Rumors/Desires?

[SC Official]

The only thing the RA would lead to, in my area, is incorrect player control fouls and coaches going nuts. We have 20- through 40-year officials that haven't been to a camp or done any self-improvement in decades and aren't trained to officiate from the feet up. They're not going to change overnight and some never will change.

There is nothing the RA can solve at the high school level that can't be solved by correctly adjudicating block/charge plays under the basket as the rule is now, and defaulting to PC on 50/50 plays.

A solution whose only problem is "because college."

[SC Official]

Also, NFHS POEs are a bunch of hooey.

How many times was hand checking a POE before they realized people still weren't calling it and a rule change was needed?

What about the "team control during a throw-in is only for foul purposes" mess that seems to be in there every year but people still can't get it right and they won't rewrite the rule?

And what about the one about PA announcers a few years ago? Who actually enforces that?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

And what about the one about PA announcers a few years ago? Who actually enforces that?

A few years ago, had a high school announcer doing an over-excited, "cheerleader", play by play, as is often done in those summer pro-am games. Mentioned it to my partner, who was the referee, and a highly respected official, between the first and second periods. He seemed to think that we should just ignore it. I guess that he started listening to the announcer in the second period, because going into halftime he told the announcer to knock it off.

One memorable announcement that stuck in my mind, "How can she (visiting player) miss such an easy layup?".

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

NFHS POEs are a bunch of hooey.

While it may be true that most NFHS Points of Emphasis are no more than, "Yada. Yada. Yada", some, over the years, have been beneficial: Acknowledging And Granting Timeouts, Protecting The Free Thrower, Hand Checking, and Contact Above The Shoulders (maybe the best one).



I am of the opinion that many of these Points should be permanently etched as rules in the NFHS Rulebook, for all, especially new officials, to study.

[JRutledge]

Bottom line, call more PC fouls and amazingly players either pass the ball or pull up for a jumper. You do not need a rule or an area to prevent this from happening. Actually, you might cause more problems and inconsistency. Call more PC fouls and penalizing defenders that do nothing wrong. Problem solved.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Bottom line, call more PC fouls and amazingly players either pass the ball or pull up for a jumper ... Call more PC fouls ... Problem solved.

That's exactly what we need to do here in Connecticut.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

In other words, the default calls in Connecticut for close, really tough, train wrecks that occur in the paint seem to be blocking fouls, or nothing, and these default calls are often incorrect.

[SNIPERBBB]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

While it may be true that most NFHS Points of Emphasis are no more than, "Yada. Yada. Yada", some, over the years, have been beneficial: Acknowledging And Granting Timeouts, Protecting The Free Thrower, Hand Checking, and Contact Above The Shoulders (maybe the best one).



I am of the opinion that many of these Points should be permanently etched as rules in the NFHS Rulebook, for all, especially new officials, to study.

The fact that these POE dont remain as part of the rule book is exactly why the elbow above the shoulders contact POE is one of the worst POE's in my opinion. Especially given the conversations at the local association level when this came about didnt give me a lot of confidence that not quite a majority understood the POE completely in our meetings.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SNIPERBBB

The fact that these POE don't remain as part of the rule book is exactly why the elbow above the shoulders contact POE is one of the worst POE's in my opinion.

This is a problem with any Point of Emphasis that doesn't make it's way into the rulebook.

How is a new official supposed to know about such when there is no mention of such in the current rulebook?

By an oral tradition of old, grizzled, veteran officials sitting around a campfire telling scary stories about old Points of Emphasis to young'uns?



This NFHS issue has always perplexed me.

Same issues with annual interpretations that don't make their way into the current casebook, or with casebook plays that drop out of the current casebook for no apparent rational, or publicized reason.

Why hasn't the NFHS realized that the Mesopotamians invented written language over 5000 years ago and that Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press in fifteenth century?

These were good inventions, the NFHS should use them.

Stupid NFHS.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by SC Official

Also, NFHS POEs are a bunch of hooey.

How many times was hand checking a POE before they realized people still weren't calling it and a rule change was needed?

What about the "team control during a throw-in is only for foul purposes" mess that seems to be in there every year but people still can't get it right and they won't rewrite the rule?

And here, while it was enforced for a while after the rules were changed, it has largely reverted back to the way it was.

The game, as called in this area, is dramatically different than what you see on nationally televised NCAA games (tourney included). It is much more physical, in general, and things that are almost always called a foul at the NCAA D1 level are criticized here if you call them.

[Altor]

Originally Posted by SC Official

And what about the one about PA announcers a few years ago? Who actually enforces that?

OhioHSAA

The home announcer going nuts when their team was making a comeback with several 3s in a row made for great atmosphere. Now, the announcer announces the starting lineups at the beginning of the game and the 50/50 ticket at some point in the third quarter.

No announcements of baskets/fouls/timeouts. Nothing.

I've been to several schools in my little corner of Ohio and they all do this.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Altor

Now, the announcer announces the starting lineups at the beginning of the game and the 50/50 ticket at some point in the third quarter. No announcements of baskets/fouls/timeouts. Nothing.

Hopefully the raffle winner isn't announced during a live ball, or he's going to get hammered with double secret probation.

"Nothing" at all about baskets/fouls/timeouts was not the intent of the NFHS guidelines. That's on the State of Ohio, the leagues/conferences, or the individual schools.

For those young'uns who became officials after 2014-15, here's the Point of Emphasis and the followup explanation by the NFHS.

In my opinion, the NFHS went too far with their guidelines.

They had to do something to stop the over-excited, cheerleader, play by play, carnival barker announcers (as in many summer pro-am games), but they threw out the baby with the bathwater with these guidelines.



2014-15 POINT OF EMPHASIS

Announcer Responsibilities. The announcer shall be prohibited from making an announcement
while the clock is running and while the clock is stopped and the ball is live…such as during a
free throw, a throw-in, etc. Doing so could potentially affect communication of coaches or
players, or could be disconcerting.
• The announcer shall be prohibited from interrupting the game through the use of the
microphone unless there is an emergency.
• Announcements or comments shall be made during those times when there is a stoppage of
the clock and the ball is not live, such as time-outs, between quarters, pre-game, half time
and post-game.
• The announcer is allowed to announce basic information that does not potentially affect the
play in general, the players, the coaches or the officials. The announcer’s information is not
official information and could be misinformation shared with all.
• Appropriate training of announcers by school personnel and proper pregame instruction by
the referee are necessary.

May be Announced - Examples:
• Player who scored
• Player charged with foul
• Player attempting free throw
• Team granted a time-out
• Length of time-out: 30 seconds or 60 seconds
• Player entering game
• Team rosters

Shall not be Announced – Examples
• Number of points player scored
• Number of fouls on player
• Number of team fouls
• Number of team time-outs or number remaining
• Time remaining in the quarter/game
• Type of foul or violation
• Emphatic two-point or three-point field goal

The announcer’s role does not include “cheering the home team on” or otherwise inciting the
crowd. Doing so is common at other levels of athletic events, but high school athletics is different
because sports are educationally based. In a very real sense, the public-address announcer at a
high school event is a “Champion of Character.” He/she can influence the atmosphere of the
contest by what is said and how it is said. The announcer who performs professionally promotes
good sportsmanship by what he/she says and how he/she acts upon saying it.

The National Federation has issued new guidelines regarding game announcers.

While the game is in progress, announcers may give basic information such as who scores, who fouls and how many fouls that is on a player, who is shooting free throws and how many free throws, which team is awarded a time out and whether the time out is a full time out or a 30 second time out, which substitute is entering the game and which player is being replaced.

Announcers should not announce things such as "How much time there is left in a period" or "How many time outs a team has left." Also, announcements pertaining to raffles, 50-50 drawings, concession stands, future schedules, etc. - in other words, all those things that are not directly related to the game should only be announced prior to the game, during time outs, intermission, between periods, and after the game.

What they want eliminated are the "carnival barkers" that tend to distract from the actual game and those announcements that would tend to give information that is the responsibility of the teams and coaches (i.e.: how much time is left or how many time outs a team has remaining.). There is no penalty involved. Announcers should be handled the same as scorekeepers and timers who are not in compliance with the spirit of the game.

This information should be covered with the announcer at the table prior to the game.

[SC Official]

If the rules committee really wants something to be enforced a certain way, they need to put it in the rules. Until they do, they have no one to blame but themselves for officials not enforcing years-old interpretations.

The elbow-above-the-shoulders thing is the classic example, along with that ridiculous backcourt caseplay that was a 2017-18 interp before finally getting put to rest with the rules changes last year.

As far as announcers go, there's one eye-rolling terrible official I know of here that has a printout of the NFHS directives that he's literally given to announcers who don't adhere. Other than that, thankfully we all pretty much leave it alone as long as there isn't any cheerleading or play-by-play.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

If the rules committee really wants something to be enforced a certain way, they need to put it in the rules. Until they do, they have no one to blame but themselves for officials not enforcing years-old interpretations.

I agree with you and have held that same opinion for several years.

However, let's not overlook the importance of state and local trainers/interpreters/teachers/mentors/clinicians/instructors/observers, etc. Most that hold such important, responsible positions of authority are experienced veterans who should be aware of reasonably old Points of Emphasis, as well as reasonably old annual interpretations that don't make their way into the current casebook, or with reasonably old casebook plays that drop out of the current casebook for no apparent rational, or publicized reason. These experienced veterans were probably appointed, or elected, to such responsible positions because of their superior basketball officiating knowledge, including information that may not be in the current rulebook or casebook. These reasonably old Points of Emphasis and interpretations should not be ignored as part of the original training and/or continuous education process of the new members and veteran members.

That being said, the NFHS could do a much, much better job of keeping the rulebook and casebook up to date, and in line with the way they want rules and interpretations enforced. Some officials are visual learners and need a rulebook or casebook to help them to learn and/or improve their officiating skills. An up-to-date rulebook and casebook would also make the job of state and local trainers/interpreters/teachers/mentors/clinicians/instructors/observers, etc., a lot easier, with more likely successful outcomes of developing competent basketball officials.

If the NFHS isn't going to update the rulebook and casebook, I think it's a lot to ask state and local trainers/interpreters/teachers/mentors/clinicians/instructors/observers, etc., to "pick up the slack" and keep their state and local officials informed of "old" rulings, interpretations, emphases, etc.

Maybe it's too much to ask?

[Altor]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Hopefully the raffle winner isn't announced during a live ball, or he's going to get hammered with double secret probation.

At the school I go to most, it's during a timeout in the 3rd. But, if nobody calls a timeout, they do it between periods.

Announcer Responsibilities. The announcer shall be prohibited from making an announcement while the clock is running and while the clock is stopped and the ball is live…such as during a free throw, a throw-in, etc. Doing so could potentially affect communication of coaches or players, or could be disconcerting.

...clip...

May be Announced - Examples:
• Player who scored

I think this was the contention in their own PoE. How can you announce who scored when you aren't supposed to announce while the clock is running or the ball is live? Maybe I'm wrong that this directive came from Columbus. Maybe the area schools just all made a gentlemen's agreement. It probably saves them from paying an announcer as it is usually just the home AD announcing the lineups.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Altor

How can you announce who scored when you aren't supposed to announce while the clock is running or the ball is live?