2023-2024 Rules Changes Announced.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

And time elapsed from the clock?

Another great question, especially in an end of period, or end of game situation.

With my history of mind reading the NFHS, I'm not betting my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer on adjusting the clock, or not adjusting the clock.

But as I already said, a great question.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... you must be talking about only 2 person, that is the only mechanic set that has officials at the division line.

Bingo.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

We do this together. Bad wording for what is reality, but if the non-administering officials notice something, we change it if it is wrong. Just my opinion.

Agree 100%. Love the word "we". We're the third team on the court.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

It did not say they had to share the same color.

Agree, it didn't say that (same), nor did it say similar color.

It said "like color" and we'll both have to wait until the NFHS publishes the actual rule language and interpretation to find out what "like color" means.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

It would be like a player that was on the sophomore or JV team playing with the varsity and they had a white jersey but the stripe is different. We already allowed that.

Agree that we already did allow that (if it's not illegal, it's legal). Now it's codified as "allowing different styles".

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree, it didn't say that, nor did it say same color, nor did it say similar color. It said "like color" and we'll both have to wait until the NFHS publishes the actual rule language and interpretation to find out what "like color" means.

I am not waiting on anything. This is really a non-issue. Hardly ever see something different that this would even be considered. And at the lower levels in Illinois, we were told to not enforce uniform rules for specific violations of the rule like logos or size of side panels. They want them to play and look in a similar color.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree that we already did allow that (if it's not illegal, it's legal). Now it's codified as "allowing different styles".

Yes, and basically what we were doing before. I think this was put in because there were officials that would go nuts over a player that came from the other levels and did not perfectly match the pants of the other team. That is something I had to talk some officials off the ledge.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I wasn't confused.

Regarding the new "shorts rule", while I wouldn't call myself confused, I do have questions and maybe Raymond can express an expert opinion on such.

What does "like color" mean?

Same color, similar color (like the undershirt rule), or something entirely different?

If Raymond sees pregame layup lines in his next high school varsity game with eight players on one team with all red shorts and four players on the same team with all white shorts what will he do?

I thought that I was sure what I'd do, but JRutledge, a great rules guy worth listening to, and not one to be ignored, has me questioning myself and looking forward to waiting until the NFHS publishes the actual rule language and interpretation to find out what "like color" means.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I've had many occasions where the was in dispute among the crew.

I have not unless the throwin spot is politely questioned by a coach (who often wants a front court endline, instead of sideline, throwin) in which case the issue is briefly discussed with my partner (very rarely changed, most always discussed only for game management purposes to show the coach that we do listen to him).

Note: I myself had, or had partners who had, a brief memory lapse after a timeout regarding designated spot, or run the endline. To combat this, I will always, as the administering official, or as the nonadministering official, give the designated spot, or run the endline, signal to my partner during the timeout, and after the timeout.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... in Illinois, we were told to not enforce uniform rules for specific violations of the rule like logos or size of side panels. They want them to play and look in a similar color.

Hopefully the (Connecticut) CIAC will do the same regarding this new shorts rule.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Yeah, I get it, rules that restrict equipment colors benefit officials by allowing them to easily identify players on each team during fast paced action. But we have several teams in our local area where junior varsity shorts are different colors than varsity shorts (a kind of rite of passage). Coaches will often reward junior varsity players by inviting some of them (with their "wrong" color shorts) to sit on the varsity bench. Pretty sure that our CIAC will have to make some exceptions until everybody goes through a new uniform cycle (or maybe beyond).

Bottom line for me, I will do what my local interpreter, and assignment commissioner, want me to do.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

It's laziness.

Forty-two foot important conversations indicate laziness.

Tête-à-têtes at the endline, or at the division line, or halfway in between (as dictated by local custom), are not being lazy.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I agree. If I'm a non-administering official and I notice it, I'm fixing it.

By sounding your whistle, discussing it with your partner, and allowing him to fix it if necessary (similar to how we already communicate on possibly reversing a partner's questionable out of bounds call), or by sounding your whistle and immediately reversing his "call"?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I think this was put in because there were officials that would go nuts over a player that came from the other levels and did not perfectly match the pants of the other team. That is something I had to talk some officials off the ledge.

Our local interpreters had to do the same exact thing, one at least two different occasions.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

If Raymond sees pregame layup lines in his next high school varsity game with eight players on one team with all red shorts and four players on the same team with all white shorts what will he do?

Maybe what I would do?

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Bottom line for me, I will do what my local interpreter, and assignment commissioner, want me to do.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

By sounding your whistle, discussing it with your partner, and allowing him to fix it if necessary (similar to how we already communicate on possibly reversing a partner's questionable out of bounds call), or by sounding your whistle and immediately reversing his "call"?

The administering official is not necessarily the person who had the whistle that caused the throw-in, so why would I need confirmation from them?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Forty-two foot important conversations indicate laziness.

Tête-à-têtes at the endline, or at the division line, or halfway in between (as dictated by local custom), are not being lazy.

Most officials' meetings during time-outs are unnecessary. Usually one official doesn't walk down to the other end of the court. If important enough, I'm going to the ball so I don't have to stop my conversation to tell the coach(es) where the throw-in will be-- they can know by where we are standing where the spot will be. You seem to have a lot of stuff you stress about during dead balls.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

The administering official is not necessarily the person who had the whistle that caused the throw-in, so why would I need confirmation from them?

Good point that I didn't consider, but the administering official is the one who made the mistake, and by the new rule, the one who is allowed to correct the mistake, so that's worth, a least, a few seconds of discussion.

Note: To Raymond's point above (not necessarily the person who had the whistle that caused the throw-in), I had a rookie partner this past season who's oral communication and signal was so extremely poor after his whistle that I didn't know (I had absolutely no idea) if it was a violation, out of bounds, foul, etc. and whether I should switch, not switch, or cut bait. If I was going to be the new throwin administering official (I wasn't) I would definitely not know who to give the ball to, and any guess on my part would have a 50% chance of being wrong. Of course, I wouldn't guess, I would ask.