Rules Interpretation Meeting--Bicep Bands

[JRutledge]

I just came from the Rules Interpretation meeting. The issue that I was most concerned about was the usage of the bicep bands in basketball. Like football, basketball adopted the rule that disallowed the use of wrist bands to be put above the elbow. Well we were given a ruling that the bicep bands are to be allowed to be worn above the elbow and on the bicep in football. The head clinician told us today that the bicep bands would be allowed in basketball for the same purpose that they were allowed in football. Bicep bands are made to be worn on the bicep which makes them legal. If they wear a wristband up on the bicep, the player would have to remove them.

Peace

[truerookie]

What is a bicep band? How is one to differentiate between a bicep band and wrist band? Did the head interpreter give you the restriction for a bicep band? i.e no more than two inches in width yada, yada yada. Is there proof of this approval post on the Feds web site?

[26 Year Gap]

If your cat had kittens in the oven you wouldn't call them biscuits. Don't think I would want to try to differentiate between wrist bands above and 'bicep' bands. Since we are the fashion police of sorts, it seems that this 'loophole' approaches being a travesty. Of sorts.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

If your cat had kittens in the oven you wouldn't call them biscuits.

I've gotta tell ya...I've NEVER heard that one before.

[JRutledge]

Bicep bands tend to be a little thinner than a wrist band. Many companies make these bands and their intent it to be worn on the bicep and not the wrist. The rules only deal with wrist bands right now. They do not specifically address these bands that go above the elbow.

I am just passing along the information. I have no idea how the NF relates to this ruling. The football ruling came from someone on the NF Football Committee. I am going to assume that there was a similar discussion through the Basketball Committee. These kinds of rules tend to cross from one sport to another since all committee chairpersons meet with each other to apply rules consistently in various sports.

Peace

[refnrev]

Rut,
Which rules meeting did you go to?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by refnrev

Rut,
Which rules meeting did you go to?

The very first one listed at St. Ignatius.

Peace

[Nevadaref]

If what you call a "bicep band" is a form of a sweatband, then I would have to disagree with the Illinois interpreter.

Page 26 of the 2006-07 NFHS Rules Book
3-5-3c
"Sweatbands must be worn below the elbow and may be a maximum of 4 inches (except for logo, see 3-6)."

That is what we will be following in Nevada.

[Jimgolf]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The issue that I was most concerned about was the usage of the bicep bands in basketball.

No disrespect intended, but really? That's a scary thought.

[refnrev]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Well we were given a ruling that the bicep bands are to be allowed to be worn above the elbow and on the bicep in football. The head clinician told us today that the bicep bands would be allowed in basketball for the same purpose that they were allowed in football. Bicep bands are made to be worn on the bicep which makes them legal. If they wear a wristband up on the bicep, the player would have to remove them.

Peace

____________________________________

Have they changed this, because out our rules interp meeting they said the same thing. Are the cloth ones illegal now? I made a kid move his up over his elbow last week.

[Daryl H. Long]

My rule book does not list biceps bands as being authorized equipment or apparel. Not on the list equals illegal to wear at any time.

If you now argue that it is a sweatband then it must be worn BELOW the elbow per 3-5-3c.

That said, the rules committee need to be less worried about being fashion police and more worried that UNNANNOUNCED RULES changes are being made under guise of editorial changes rather than going through the rules change process.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by Daryl H. Long

My rule book does not list biceps bands as being authorized equipment or apparel. Not on the list equals illegal to wear at any time.

Sneakers are illegal now, too?!?!?!

[Smitty]

We just had our rules interpretation meeting last night in Portland, OR. We were told for our association, we will allow the players to wear nothing on the arm above the elbow, unless it's for a specific medical purpose. The described bicep bands in this thread are illegal for our area. I was happy to hear that.

[Jimgolf]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I was happy to hear that.

Why???????

[Daryl H. Long]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Sneakers are illegal now, too?!?!?!

I apreciate the humor. Wish I knew how to use smilies.

when I said not on list equal illegal I was being sarcastic. In the past NF has made interpretaions and their rationale was that the item in question was not part of the approved list of legal apparrel ar actions allowable.

Yet in the casebook 3.5 Sistuation A ruling they state: "It will be noted that the listing of equipment which is always illegal is not inclusive." That means there are more illegal items than on the list.

They try to have it both ways (Allowed because not specifically prohibited vs prohibited because not specifially allowed). Which one to apply to a specific item is totally to their person whims.