Tripping

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Our local board is supposed to only use NFHS approved signals, with one Connecticut exception: Point to the floor with one finger to indicate foot touching 3 point line (i.e. 2 point field goal is being attempted).

I've always like the fists, especially in a block/charge situation. The fists, when needed, help me to sell the call. Evaluators will always comment on the fists rather than the correct open hands. Hard habit for me to break. At least I'm halfway there (site/reporting area).

I wish evaluators would worry more about judgment and less about things like this.

I'm a hip banger. Sue me.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I wish evaluators would worry more about judgment and less about things like this.

I agree to a certain extent, but you have to walk before you can run. For a new official, it's easier to get the signals correct than it is to get the judgment correct. As an official progresses, critique should become more about judgment; but in the early stages, especially, I think mechanics are important to focus on.

[JRutledge]

Billy,

I think you missed my point here. A few years ago on the NF Manual and in the Rulebook, the NF changed the picture to an "Illegal use of Hands" to an open hand chop, to a closed fist chop. People were using the closed fist chop for years and only the ultra technical cared. This change from what I remember was not made public or included in any changes the NF made that year in the Manual. A similar situation took place in relationship to the "holding" signal. The holding signal used to look exactly like a football official hold. Now the signal looks like it has been taught for years, off to the side and closer to your shoulder.

In my experience as long as you do similar to what the Manual shows, I have found very few people that really cared either way. Actually if you use the Manual for that much detail, most of the positioning was often not considered correct when it came to normal teaching of mechanics. The book would only show very basic stuff and if you were more advanced you used stuff that was not listed in the Manual. Maybe this is a problem somewhere, but not where I live and the places I have worked most of my career. I know as a clinician in my state I do not split those kinds of hairs when evaluating officials in or out of camps.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

A few years ago on the NF Manual and in the Rulebook, the NF changed the picture to an "Illegal use of Hands" to an open hand chop, to a closed fist chop. People were using the closed fist chop for years and only the ultra technical cared. This change from what I remember was not made public or included in any changes the NF made that year in the Manual.

You're right. The 2003-04 manual shows the open hand chop. The 2004-05 manual shows the closed fist chop. I don't remember the change. I believe that when I started twenty-eight years ago (really twenty-nine, our first year on IAABO is considered a probationary year, and we don't become full members until the end of that probationary year) I was taught, by my partners (that's how we learned mechanics back then, no clinics, no camps, no mechanics exams; the rules, and calls, were emphasized back then, not mechanics), the open hand chop. Somewhere along the line, I don't remember exactly when, but it was a lot earlier than 2004-05, a lot of officials, including me, went to the closed fist chop. Same thing with the open hand block. That's what I was taught, but so many well respected veterans were doing the fist block, that I started doing it that way too, even though I knew it was wrong.

Bottom line. My schedule, including the level of games, and the number of games, is based on my ranking, which is based, among other things, on my ratings. Mechanics seem to be stressed a lot more now, then when I started. So, "When In Connecticut, Do What Connecticut Evaluators Do".