Grey Shirts

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

They go to what they see, evidently without looking at their partner. Same thing happened in the Carolina-Winthrop game tonight.

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

I don't really have a firm opinion on the wide-panel zebra shirt. I do know that the NCAA modified their rule book to explicitly allow the wearing of it a couple of years ago. So perhaps without a similar change in the NFHS book, this shirt should be considered not to meet the current standards.

On the other hand it is hard to argue that it is not a black and white striped shirt! So my thoughts on the actual wearing of it are:

1. It should only be worn if the ENTIRE crew is wearing it. The officials are a team and their uniform needs to be the same. I have seen a couple of HS games in which only one official on the court wore this shirt and it did make him stand out.

2. The thick black stripe IS noticeable. It stands out every time an official raises his arm for a foul or violation. If that side of the official's body is facing the table, the coaches especially take notice of the different look. This was particularly true in the game that I mentioned in #1. So much so that one coach became upset because he felt that whenever "the official with the stripe" made a call it went against his team. He became fixated on the guy with the stripe and it eventually led to his removal.

I immediately noticed that Bernard Clinton was wearing a "side-panel" shirt while Lopes and Kitts weren't. Did the "side panel" play any factor into the calling of the "blarge"? I didn't watch the game past the the first TV time-out so I didn't personally see the "blarge". I do notice in the box score that Winthrop only shot 1 free throw. I wonder if the fact that they attempted 38 3-pointers had anything to do with that or will some Winthrop fanboy come on this site complaining the UNC was getting all the calls?

[Larks]

I think you would likely perceived as big timing if you wear the side panel in high school.

I dont understand why people are so excited about the grays. What is wrong with black and white stripes?

In Ohio, we wear the stripes and most are wearing the mesh. Maybe the situation why so many people like Gray is they were out in mesh first? (asking)

[Eastshire]

Kansas has also specified that the side panel shirts are not to be worn.

[tomegun]

I think the whole thing with shirts is personal preference. On the other hand, I would love it if the NF would outlaw state patches on shirts.

[Junker]

As far as the wide panel shirts, around here, my main assignor said he didn't like them, but would permit them as long as the entire crew wore them. I haven't seen any HS crews wearing them.

[IREFU2]

Originally Posted by Official99

See there are other states declaring shirts legal and illegal... not just the Granite State.

VHSL (Virginia) has declared them illegal too.

[26 Year Gap]

We haven't had any mention of the side panel shirts here in Vermont, but we have been using the gray shirts as an alternate for the past 3 seasons and now into our 4th in a couple of weeks. I personally like the grays, but wear underarmour because the sweat shows through a lot more than with the zebras.

[brianp134]

In our IAABO Board we received permission from the state of Maryland to wear the grey shirts and personally I like them.


In the MD JUCO conference we also wear grey shirts. Do any of you wear grey shirts for JUCO?

[Texas Aggie]

All my shirts now (that I wear, anyway) are Officials Choice shirts. I ordered a few side panel shirts just in case I have partners that want to wear them. This is after ordering more of the "high school" version late last spring before camps started.

The base material for the side panel shirt is still the same as the HS shirt, though the panel is slightly different. I've worn the shirts a couple of times and I don't think its a big deal, nor do I think its all THAT noticeable. What is different on the side panel shirts at OC is the loop at the neck is a wider and different material than the loop on the other shirts. I don't know if that's an intentional design change or what.

I don't own a grey shirt and don't think I'll need one anytime soon. Nowhere around here is going to it. TASO actually threatened people that used them (from what I heard), and the college assigner assigns NCAA, NJCAA, and NAIA, so until NCAA changes the rule, we aren't going there.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by IREFU2

VHSL (Virginia) has declared them illegal too.

They did? Do you have a link to that posting? I know of one guy in our association who wore them last season.

[Junker]

Originally Posted by brianp13

In the MD JUCO conference we also wear grey shirts. Do any of you wear grey shirts for JUCO?

We do around here. I don't really care for them personally, but does the shirt make the referee or does the referee make the shirt?

[Ref_ Fred]

I dont understand why people are so excited about the grays. What is wrong with black and white stripes?

Personaly I have both and don't wear the grey for VHSL, but do use them for JUCO and other leagues. Leaving it up to individual association will only cause mass confusion. If some wear grey and other wear Stripes, what happens when you go to states.

It's just a perception. I really don't give a rats A$$, just need to make up their mind which way to go..