Nope. Blood warrants the stoppage. A player wearing a tongue stud does not take priority in my view.

Ah, therein lies the problem.

Why are both rules in place?

So, you're going to stop play and deal with the tongue stud as soon as you are alerted?

Easy,
I will penalize once discovered. During the coaches meeting when I ask them(coaches) if their team is properly equipment and they verify and say yes. This include tongue stud. Shoot two ball division line opposite table. I know some will not agree but it is what it is.

Easy yourself.
Illegal equipment does not warrant a technical foul.

There is absolutely no rules support for issuing one.

I'm asking YOU why you aren't handling both situations in the same manner. Both are covered by rules regarding something on a player which prohibits that individual from participating due to safety issues.

I understand what you are saying. I am asking if YOU would stop play when you are alerted that player "might" be wearing hidden jewelry.

Your right, just checking the pulse of the forum. Since Rut did a state Playoff game in Football. :D

A while ago, I had a 7th grade boy come up to me before a game and ask if he had to remove his nipple ring. I stayed calm enough to tell him yes. He then told his coach he had to go to the locker room for a few minutes. My partner said to me, "How would you like to be his dad?" I replied, "No."

No I wouldn't stop the game but at the next dead ball I would address the matter. For blood, immediate stoppage.

The bigger question to me is if "hidden jewelry" is truly the safety issue that the spirit of the rule wants to protect. Easy to understand that a ring or bracelet can get caught on an opponent or on equipment but "hidden jewelry"?

No I wouldn't. Of course, I wouldn't immediately halt play for blood either.
I'm handling both issues in a similar manner.

Why aren't you?

If the offensive team has the bleeding player, and they are not attempting to score or run a play, and for all practical purposes are more concerned about the blood, why are you unable to justify stopping play at that moment? I am always going to look to verify the blood before officially stopping play.

Tonight's game, for example, involved the opposing coach alerting me about the potential problem. I observed the player bleeding, and stopped play while his team was dribbling in the front court.

For wearing hidden jewelry, I believe that addressing the situation during the next dead ball is sufficient. As I previously stated about reasonable suspicion, I would consider notification from a player/coach reasonable suspicion to approach the topic with the team's head coach / possible offending player.

rgncjn,
I see you only have 138 posts, so you are relatively new. Always remember, Nevada likes a good argument. This post could go on for pages.:)

Hey, be quiet! I've got one on the hook here and am reeling him in. ;)

After seeing your clarifications in this post, I believe that our positions are not so different afterall.

Because an official shouldn't stop play based upon what a coach or player says, but rather based upon something that the official actually observes.
Now if the official acutally observes the improper situation then there is justification for stopping play under such circumstances.

Good. I agree. And I would do the same with jewelry. If I can't see it, we aren't stopping until the next normal stoppage.

I have no problem with that. I just want you to be consistent. The rules make no distinction between blood and jewelry. They are both illegal items for a player to have on his/her person during a game. As a fellow official I was merely probing to ensure that you understood that.

Again, I believe that is proper, and I hope that you would do the same for a player who is bleeding, but you couldn't see it during the course of play.