Thats why I was asking if the crew that worked the semi's (who also had Lawndale's previous game) T'd them at the start of their game before making it down to state. Even if they did, it would have given them 3 days to get new uniforms, so probably not enough time to receive them.

Ironically one of the officials on this game used to post here but no longer does. ;)

Secondly, state officials (not the ones on the floor) were told to give a T and that they would take the heat for the rule enforcement. The state final officials have to attend a meeting with the IHSA before the games and they are given many instructions on what is acceptable or what is not acceptable.

Finally, I would not have even noticed this was a rules violation and frankly would not have cared. There are not many examples given for what an illegal uniform looks like as it relates to stripes. The team was told to change their uniforms or they would be penalized. This is like worrying about the color of an undershirt and if the right shade fits the uniform color. You do not go around nitpicking something that has little or nothing to do with playing the game. I do not believe most officials would be aware of this violation and it had to be pointed out to many people why it was illegal.

Peace

"Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!"
 

http://ac4.yt-thm-a01.yimg.com/image/499f613129bb08d6

Agree, except for the probably part. I wouldn't have caught it, period.

Agree, but I bet that I would still have a problem recognizing this problem if it were to occur in one of my games next year.

Agree, except, if I had noticed it earlier in the season, which, as I stated above, I would not have noticed, I would have actually cared. I would not have called a technical foul earlier in the season, unless pushed by the opposing coach, but I would not have left the site before advising the coach, and/or site director, that the uniforms were illegal, and that they had better get some other uniforms before some other coach, or officials, decide, somewhere down the line, to penalize for the infraction. I would have also contacted my assignment commissioner, and my local interpreter.

Isn't the "P" with the gold / yellow star in it also illegal?

Allegedly, the team had been told prior to this that they would be receiving a T if they wore the uniforms.

I heard that they also took the "T" in the third-place game the next day.

I highly doubt that they would have been able to get new uniforms over night. However if they had been T'd several times during the regular season, i bet the would have gotten new ones.

According to this yes, the star is also illegal. It says it must be directly above the number. However, it does not state how many colors can be used in the name of the school. It says the torso must be a single solid color and that the number may contain 3 colors.

And yes, they did receive a T before the 3rd place game, but they won that by close to 20 so there isn't as much controversy around that as the 1 point semi-final loss.

Should they have? Absolutely. And if I was in the business of buying uniforms, I'd pick a different company. I wouldn't be able to trust this one. It's still the coach's and/or AD's job to get the right uniforms.

Caveat Emptor

In a quote from the Sun Times, the coach mentions they had played 33 games and not a word from an official. North Lawndale plays in the Chicago Public League which is like the wild, wild, West. I can't imagine any official calling a T for this. I've reffed in the CPL and can't imagine myself calling it.

RW or DK?

I do not think that this is just a CPL problem. This is a problem that happens in every tournament, every shootout and every playoff game. A lot of their games were not from the CPL officials or games. North Lawndale played a Florida team, a Peoria team, a Cincinnati team and a few teams from the suburbs and no one gave them a T. That tells me that no coaches noticed the uniforms and no officials noticed the uniforms. And something like an inseam or stripe is not something most people are going to be aware of. And let us keep in mind, this team has been in to the State Finals 3 straight years and no one addressed this situation.

DK.

Peace

Actually last year Kurt Gibson told them that their uniforms were in violation, so they ordered new ones, which were also in violation. The old uniforms were the teams sophomore uniforms that they offered to change into, but were told that they were also illegal. I don't have Gibson's exact quote, and it may have been on the TV broadcast, but they were given a warning last year. You would think after that warning, they could have double checked the rules regarding the uniforms to make sure the new ones were compliant.

And the officials were told by KG on Thursday that if there were any questions about uniforms that KG was responsible for the ruling, not the officials. This was a mandate from the state, not the floor officials seeing something and making this an issue.

Peace

"In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!" (Vin Scully)
 

Loved his clutch home run in the 1988 World Series. One of my favorite moments in sports. I can still remember him punching his fist as he limped around the bases.

I lost a bet on that World Series.

Now that's stating the obvious. :eek:

Seems that Kurt from your state office cares. :D