NFHS - FT mechanic rational?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by eyezen

Can anyone explain the rational of watching the players on the opposite lane line?

It hasn't always been this way. I may be a little fuzzy on this, my manuals only go back fourteen years, I've been doing this for twenty-nine years, and a few years ago we switched from NFHS mechanics, to IAABO mechanics, but this is what I recall.

Once upon a time, in a land far away, we were responsible only for our side of the lane. One thing I know for sure is that once we became responsible for the opposite side of the lane, we were responsible for the entire opposite side of the lane, and not, in any way responsible for our side of the lane.

Now as the lead, we have the first lane space on our side, and the entire opposite side of the lane. As the trail, we have the opposite side of the lane, except the first lane space. I wish the NFHS, or IAABO, would allow us to just watch one entire side, and not have us watch "fractions" of a side, and I don't care if it's the entire opposite side, like we did a few years ago, or the entire same side, like we did once upon a time, in a land far away.

Can one of you veterans confirm my recollection of same side responsibilities, or have I just described a fictitious fairy tale?