NCAA Permits Patches That Promote Social Justice Causes ...

[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.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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.

It was not at those levels that I can ascertain. But there were high school officials in different parts of the country that appeared to kneel. I said this before, it was asked what was the supervisor's opinion if it took place. It did not happen around me, but it did happen somewhere. I cannot tell you specifically, but it did happen.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I cannot tell you specifically, but it did happen.

I believe you, I was not being sarcastic, sorry.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by The_Rookie

Kneeling during the National Anthem. NBA referees knelt the other night. On the High School and College level, what if members of the crew are split on this, some kneeling and others not?

I just finished viewing, Social Justice & Officiating, a round table discussion from the National Association of Sports Officials Virtual Annual Summit happening this week.

Nationally recognized expert speakers discussed how official crews may have to deal with different attitudes within a game crew regarding "kneeling protests", including kneeling by the officials themselves.

All agreed that these situations should be discussed in advance, including proactive, rather than reactive, guidance from the leadership of various state or local officials organizations.