For those of you that wear rings, whether it be a wedding band or other type, do you wear it/them while you officiate?

Why or why not?

We've had this conversation before. I take my wedding band off. If the kids can't wear anything, I don't wear anything either. Granted my wedding band is much less of a danger to others than somebody's earrings or necklace; but it just seems fairer to do what I'm asking them to do.

I guess I never thought of it in those terms before, because I always wear my wedding band. I've never considered it an issue with my partners as well, even though some of the female refs I've worked with take off their diamonds (or not even bring them to the game site).

I used to think it was symbolic to not take it off, but I do remove it before playing softball or golf. So much for symbolism, eh? ;)

Wearinig it keeps the single moms off of you! LOL!!!!

I wear my wedding ring when I officiate. Haven't taken my ring off since I have been married (9 years). I know a couple of officials that have taken theirs off before a game and lost it before they got home.

nevermind

Read the NFHS Officials Manual and the NCAA CCA Manuals:

NFHS: A wedding ring is the only piece of jewelery that can be worn.

NCAA: No jewelery can be worn.

Until the late 90's the NCAA did allow wedding rings, but not now.


Having given what the manuals say, I don't know of an evaluator who would care one iota if an official was wearing a wedding ring.

MTD, Sr.

Hey, just shows your priorities:

- Softball
- Golf
- Mrs. M&M
- Officiating basketball.

Pretty screwed up that basketball should come after softball, if you ask me.

I wear my wedding band when officiating for two reasons:

1) I'm afraid of losing it
2) More importantly, I'm afraid of my wife.

I decided to take it off before a game once and I no sooner had it off my finger then my cell phone rang and my wife was on the line asking me why my wedding band was off!

I know, that's why I'm in therapy. It's the same therapist who's treating Chuck, btw. You should see the video the therapist has about two guys in a shower... :eek:

I wear my wedding ring. If the commish wants me to take it off, he can talk to my wife :) Just joking. Frankly, I forget it is on I am so used to it and it is platinum and too expensive to risk loosing. So I wouldnt take it off anyway. And I do not think wearing the ring makes it harder to ask the players to remove items at all. I'm the ref. They are the players. I wouldnt wear earrings or a necklace or things like that. But a wedding ring is different.

Mine won't come off due to having jammed that knuckle pretty bad a few years back. And if it did come off, I wouldn't be able to get it back on....

How about the nipple rings though ??? :-0

I've had jammed fingers before in basketball (though, not officiating), so I don't wear it for that reason.

The wedding ring is the ONLY peice of jewerly any official should ever wear, except in sports like football where a watch is common -- but wear a digital sports watch, not a Rolex Submariner!

I keep mine on. I figure it's the least I can do since she never says a word about how much I am gone officiating.

Wore mine until
 

I had a close situation with a 5 second count and had to stop the count because I felt it slip below my knuckle. Got chewed on by the coach for not coming with the 5 second count but I didn't want some lady in the stands to think that I was trying to propose to her!!!!

I asked my assigner for D-3,she also assigns for a D-1 conference, about this. She said that she does not mind her officials wearing wedding bands. She is very strict on a lot of other things regarding appearance, such as no finger nail polish to name one.

I wear mine. I am not sure which looks more noticeable, the ring on or the brilliant white shade my skin is underneath???

Come on Chuck, it's fair to wear it. If the high school kids are married, they can wear theirs too for all I care.

Would you let adult rec league players wear wedding rings?

I wear my wedding band when I wear a tie.

That's a trick question. I never in a million years would ref an adult rec league game!

Re: Wore mine until
 

:)

I always wear my wedding ring. It is the only jewelry I have ever been told was OK to wear. I wear it when I am working my college games.

Pretty screwed up is right. Both golf and basketball should be tied for first in his list.

MTD, Sr.

Mine has not been off in 38 years of marriage and I don't forsee it ever coming off.

I leave my wedding band on when I am officiating and remove it to play. I don't see the same hazards to wear it when officiating, it should not be getting caught on anything. For that matter, I also wear a religious cross around my neck when I officiate. It is kept tight to my neck so it doesn't flop around or fall outside the uniform.

Smoke

A guy in my association told me once that an evaluator at the state tournament told him to take his off.

And as far as the NCAA, I saw Ed Hightower wearing his during a game just last week. I guess it doesn't go for all NCAA officials...

For those who wear their rings: What is your reasoning for not taking it off? What would you do if an assigner told you to take it off? Do you take it off when you put on lotion (if you put on lotion)? What is your regular occupation?

I understand some of the reasoning, but I have an occupation where I can't always wear it (inside electronic equipment or computers). I also couldn't wear it when I played. Finally I guess I don't have the type of fingers that a ring will absolutely stay on, at least I don't want to get one that snug.

Tom, I don't take mine off for a game because I have lost 1 already. So it stays put.

It does go in my pocket when I wash up or shower after the game. Don't use lotion.

Never been told to take it off.

There was a time when I regularly had my hands in the business end of large servers & worked on their components. Watch, badge & ring went into 1 pocket, 1 hand went into the other. Never got zapped but a doctor did tell me I have some hearing loss due to fan noise.

The first year I officiated I had my wedding band stolen from a locker during a game.

I don't take it off for many reasons including: (1) So it is not stolen. (2) My wife is more important than any assigner. (3) If some fan considers shooting me, maybe he/she will think about my wife and family before pulling the trigger.

I don't wear my wedding band when I ref. Just personal preference. I couldn't care less if my partners wear their wedding band or not. It falls under the same importance as belted or unbelted slacks and patent leather or non-patent leather shoes. :rolleyes:

Z

Good reason.

True, but probably irrelevant. The ring is not the same thing as your wife. If you had to take it off for safety reasons on the job, I think you probably would have to do that, right?

Not a chance.

JMO

gun-

Good questions.

Q: What is your reasoning for not taking it off?

A: Dont want to lose it and dont see any safety need for its removal.

Q: What would you do if an assigner told you to take it off?

A: I would take it off before I traveled to the game and find a safe place to put it to minimize risk of loss (at work or find a place in my car), but if instructed to not wear it, then I wouldnt wear it. Hopefully I could find a way to leave it at home that day.

For example, I do take it off before I go to play hoops and I leave it at home. I see a safety issue with wearing it when I play. I dont want it caught in the net (which as I get older I guess is a decreasing concern :( ), or on the jersey of another player.

Q: Do you take it off when you put on lotion (if you put on lotion)?

A: I dont take it off even to shower and I dont use lotion that requires its removal on a regular basis.

Q: What is your regular occupation?

A: Not one that requires me to take my ring off. I do understand there are some jobs that lead a person to take his ring of more frequently for safety issues.

I guess I am just used to leaving my ring on since I dont take it off as a regular matter. I guess if I was used to taking it off for work and things I would probably also take it off to ref as a matter of course.

For those of you that don't take it off so you won't lose it, is there a reason for not leaving it at home?
Between work and an active lifestyle, my wife understands. The bad part is, she got me a second ring because she knew I wasn't going to wear the original someplace where I might lose it. I guess she knows how I am; I don't want to lose the second one either!

You didn't turn the server off? There have been many times when I've been around servers and they have accidentally rebooted. :D It is better to "accidentally" reboot when I'm around than to crash when I'm at home sleeping!

What about a watch? For rec and junior high games, the scorer sometimes doesn't know (or just doesn't) reset the clock for timeouts or halftimes, so I'll use my watch to measure the time-outs and halftimes (and also make sure we're remotely on schedule when there are multiple games back to back.)

I would not be caught dead wearing a watch.

Nah, at that time when I saw them they weren't even booting yet. :)

You distributed server guys have mastered the art of euphemisms. For years in the mainframe world, we always called it an "outage" or a "crash." Followed by all kinds of post-mortem meetings and root cause analysis.

Then distributed servers came along and we realized we had it all wrong. It's just a "reboot." Just push a button and off we go. So a few people do their work during the reboot.. no big deal. They needed an excuse to read the newspaper anyway. :D

Z

Read the newspaper...is that like browsing the internet?

:)

I don't wear mine...then again, I'm not married. ;)

There's nothing more unsafe than coming home without my ring! :)

Seems like not coming home would raise that ante.

I wear mine but if an assignor told me to take it off, I'd comply. After +18 years, my wife is plenty confident in my motives.

After getting home late from a game this came to mind. What if I left home and came home with my ring on but got home later than I should and my cell phone was off versus leaving my ring at home and having my cell phone on?

The moral of this story is a few times during the season I have some trips during the week that are murder. Vivarin does work and waiting for it to poop out can make the mind wander! :D

hey whistle one, you said I could email you
 

how do I get your email? you can call me at 216 615 4405 if you want to keep it confidential or leave me a phone number to call you.

thanks

I don't even want to know the ins and outs of how this relates to what your wife thinks about your wedding ring, what your assignor thinks about your wedding ring, and when your cell phone is on and off.