"It's Rule 7-1-1, Coach!"

[rainmaker]

Kelly,

I see your point. Probably this has to do with level. My guess would be that at the levels I am working, I don't have to worry about anyone checking the book, since they don't usally even have one. I would guess that at the higher levels, coaches are more "detail-oriented" and more likely to check these things up. But I still think that if I was off by only one number (such as 4-35 instead of 4-34) and I got the spirit and intent correct, it wouldn't be a huge deal against me. And if a coach did want to argue about the number, I could easily say, "But I DID get the rule right" and there would be one more coach who would have read the rule book, and seen the interpretation there on the floor. But perhaps I am wrong about this at the higher levels.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by rainmaker
Kelly,

I see your point. Probably this has to do with level. My guess would be that at the levels I am working, I don't have to worry about anyone checking the book, since they don't usally even have one. I would guess that at the higher levels, coaches are more "detail-oriented" and more likely to check these things up. But I still think that if I was off by only one number (such as 4-35 instead of 4-34) and I got the spirit and intent correct, it wouldn't be a huge deal against me. And if a coach did want to argue about the number, I could easily say, "But I DID get the rule right" and there would be one more coach who would have read the rule book, and seen the interpretation there on the floor. But perhaps I am wrong about this at the higher levels.

I am not so sure about the other levels you do, but at the varsity level, you can very easily get away with this. Coaches at the higher levels in my opinion are sometimes the most ignorant, or at least say some of the most ignorant things at times(at least it you think they would know better, you do not expect that from the lower levels). Coaches at the higher levels are more diplomatic and vocal, so they tend to talk to you more other than just screaming at you. I have found myself in more conversations with coaches at the varsity levels, so quoting a rule is quite affective. But this is what I have experienced. This might not be true for everyone.

[Kelly Kinghorn]

I see your point. Probably this has to do with level. My guess would be that at the levels I am working, I don't have to worry about anyone checking the book, since they don't usally even have one. I would guess that at the higher levels, coaches are more "detail-oriented" and more likely to check these things up. But I still think that if I was off by only one number (such as 4-35 instead of 4-34) and I got the spirit and intent correct, it wouldn't be a huge deal against me. And if a coach did want to argue about the number, I could easily say, "But I DID get the rule right" and there would be one more coach who would have read the rule book, and seen the interpretation there on the floor. But perhaps I am wrong about this at the higher levels.

Juulie--

I am not sure it has anything to do with levels of ball. 95%+ of the times you used this you could easily get away with saying any rule you wanted to because the coach would never look it up (might not even have a rule book), but if one coach called you on it and you were wrong, your credibility will suffer big time. I guess you have to ask yourself if it a risk you are willing to take. I, for one, am not willing to risk it.

I have told coaches many times what a rule states and they have disagreed with me, so after the game I make a copy of the rule out of the book and fax it to them or e-mail them with a rule link (NCAA only). This method has never failed me because they are reading it for themselves with the rule reference right there. I don't do this all of the time and I generally tell the coach that I will send them the rule so they know it is coming.

Take all of this for what it is worth (not much ) and good luck with the coaches.

[Hawks Coach]

Kelly
That is an excellent suggestion. You never know when you will run into a coach who is both knowledgeable and a pain in the butt. We have a coach who gets Td up from time to time who is also an official at D1 level. (Rather than accept the lower level of officiating in MS ball, he gets upset because he is used to top level standards and he is very competitive). Since he doesn't ref at the MS level, half of those refs probably have no clue they are dealing with a fellow ref when he coaches. You would look really bad to misquote a rule to him, or give a wrong citation. And the initial post on this thread had the asst coach checking the reference. What do you do when he pulls out the book at the next time out and calls you on your error that you so definitively stated to him minutes earlier.

I come from a Navy aviation maintenance background, where if you don't know it for a fact, you don't quote it as a fact. And if you should know a fact, you look it up then quote it. I have found that is a good standard to have in life in general. It keeps you out of trouble.

[williebfree]

I agree... Do NOT attempt "Something close". However, if you know it, without a doubt, use it and with confidence.
Correct references to rules will add credibility to your game. It is also a "Professional" means of silencing the coach, as long as it is done in a non-inflammatory manner.