NCAA Permits Patches That Promote Social Justice Causes ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I'm trying to prepare all of us for something that we may have to deal with this upcoming season.

I just discussed my post with my son. If Forum members haven't seen many kneeling protests over the past few seasons, especially kneeling protests involving officials, get ready for a lot more this upcoming season due to the invigorated Black Lives Matter movement and its support by professional sports leagues (NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NWSL, NASCAR, NFL), including game officials.

Don't be surprised by it. Get ready. How will you personally handle it? Will it be part of your pregame, or discussed with game site administrators? How will your state handle it? How will your local organization handle it?

Officials can be brave and patriotic by standing, or can be brave and patriotic by kneeling. Just know that people will be watching, and that it may effect your game that night (coaches, players, fans), and your relationships with colleagues (partners).

Outside of guidelines from my local board, my default will probably be to stand, but I may really want to kneel. A lot will depend on my partners. I'm really not very brave.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

….

Don't be surprised by it. Get ready. How will you personally handle it? ...

How will I personally handle what?

[JRutledge]

Just so we are clear, there have been plenty of displays during the National Anthem. I will do the same thing I did when it happened in 2017. Nothing, absolutely nothing. It has nothing to do with the game itself. And the state already took a position on this, they are not governing what goes on with a school in that way. This happened several times during the football season with a fist, with someone kneeling and almost every game I see people not stand. There is nothing to do, this is not my business.

And I do not work for associations that tell officials how to officiate.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

How will I personally handle what?

Having partners that want to do something different than you. Doing something that only one team is doing while the other is doing the opposite. Doing something that stands out as being very different than most of the fans at that game, that night, at that site.

As an official I never want to do anything that makes me stand out, especially for something that has very little to do with how the game is officiated. I don't want to start the game already on the "bad side" of the players, the crowd, or my partner, for standing, or not standing, but I would also like to have strength in my convictions. I'm guess that I'm really not very brave.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Having partners that want to do something different than you. Doing something that only one team is doing while the other is doing the opposite. Doing something that stands out as being very different than most of the fans at that game, that night, at that site.



As an official I never want to do anything that makes me stand out, especially for something that has very little to do with how the game is officiated. I don't want to start the game already on the "bad side" of the players, the crowd, or my partner, for standing, or not standing, but I would also like to have strength in my convictions. I'm guess that I'm really not very brave.

I personally don't care what any partner does; and I definitely don't care what the fans players or coaches do.

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[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I personally don't care what any partner does; and I definitely don't care what the fans players or coaches do.

Then your definitely ready, and apparently have always been ready, for this upcoming season of possible protests, or no protests, by officials.

I'm supportive of many of the issues of the Black Lives Matter movement, but as an official I don't want to appear to be non-professional, would not want to screw-up the teamwork chemistry between myself and my partner, and would not want to appear to be less than neutral to the players and fans. Plus, I'm apparently not very brave, and don't appear to have strength to my convictions. I can talk the talk but I can't walk the walk.

At a game, I get paid to officiate, not to wear my political issues on my sleeve. Also I would never fault a partner for kneeling, I just hope that he gives me a heads up.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Having partners that want to do something different than you. Doing something that only one team is doing while the other is doing the opposite. Doing something that stands out as being very different than most of the fans at that game, that night, at that site.

As an official I never want to do anything that makes me stand out, especially for something that has very little to do with how the game is officiated. I don't want to start the game already on the "bad side" of the players, the crowd, or my partner, for standing, or not standing, but I would also like to have strength in my convictions. I'm guess that I'm really not very brave.

I have never had a serious talk with an official wanting to kneel during a game. Never. Do not see that really happening now honestly. Not sure what changed since 2017? I know some NBA officials kneeled, but that is the NBA. The league controls that and everyone in the game is basically on the same page.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Not sure what changed since 2017?

2020: Black Lives Matter has become invigorated and competes with COVID as the "big story" every day.

2020: Many major sports leagues (and many more players) are now actively supporting BLM.

2020: Some officials have joined the protests.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The league controls that and everyone in the game is basically on the same page.

Would like to see guidelines from my local board. Maybe not mandates, but "Please do this ...", "We encourage you to do this ...", "We advise you to do this ...", etc.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

2020: Black Lives Matter has become invigorated and competes with COVID as the "big story" every day.

2020: Many major sports leagues (and many more players) are now actively supporting BLM.

2020: Some officials have joined the protests.



Would like to see guidelines from my local board. Maybe not mandates, but "Please do this ...", "We encourage you to do this ...", "We advise you to do this ...", etc.

The last time I had a supervisor bring it up at all was my D1 supervisor who said he didn't want us kneeling because of safety concerns. That was either last preseason or two years ago.

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[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

2020: Black Lives Matter has become invigorated and competes with COVID as the "big story" every day.

2020: Many major sports leagues (and many more players) are now actively supporting BLM.

2020: Some officials have joined the protests.

You do realize that there were officials kneeling in 2017 right? There were college football players putting their fist in the air. There were players in other sports doing other displays. Not the masses, but many were doing something.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Would like to see guidelines from my local board. Maybe not mandates, but "Please do this ...".

I do not need to see guidelines from a place I will not be. I am just saying that many of us have been paying attention for some time and even before Kaep kneeled. I have seen people sit for the NA for years. Often people of color that feel a certain way about the Anthem.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You do realize that there were officials kneeling in 2017 right?

No I did not, at least not any televised sports (especially not NCAA, NBA, WNBA basketball), or any high school basketball around here.

Now I know. Thanks for the correction.

While Connecticut certainly has its share of white suburban and rural communities, we also have many black urban schools and I've never noticed black fans sitting for the anthem, although I've seen young black men (and young white men) have to be reminded to remove their hats.

I bet that that will change this upcoming season, and it may not be just black fans.