What do I do?

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

K, so if I do that do I run the risk of being the "tattle-tell" and possibly get my partners in trouble for not having enforced it. I don't want to be know for having thrown my partners under the bus to the association and lose trust.

If you said nothing to anybody at the time, I wouldn't just report it. If you know the guys you called with, it might be worth a call to them to say "hey, I should have mentioned it last night, but..." and then see if they think it's worth reporting. I wouldn't report it to the state without letting them know, too.

You do want to get clarification from the state (through your assignor it sounds like) on what they would want done in this situation if you were to see it in the future. It would also be appropriate if the schools were notified if the state wants this enforced so they don't get nailed in the future after being allowed to do so last night.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Bob, are uniforms in baseball along the same guidelines?

There are no "color" restrictions on uniforms in FED, NCAA or OBR ("pro") baseball rules.

Traditionally, the home team wore white and the visitors gray (so the visitors' uniforms diodn't show so much dirt when they wore them on an extended road trip without laundry facilities in the early part of the 20th century).

[stripes]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Varsity Boys Game. I'm an up-and-coming official who after a few years of hard work, camps, watching film, attending games and listening to everyone's advice have made it on the varsity list. Both my partners are experienced guys. I've learned to keep my mouth shut when needed and to just do my job.

We start the game with the toss and on the first dead ball after the toss I realize the home team is in black and the away team is sporting the white. (I know it is something that should have been caught in the warm-ups but I missed it. In the post below by IndianaRef they caught it in the JV game, but our game didn't have a JV game prior Home Team wear Dark). I know the rule 3-4-1c and the penalty 10-5-4.

So here is my question? What do I do?

A. Do I do what by rule I should do. Double T sit both coaches and move on with the game, possibly ruffling a few feathers of my partners, but doing what the rule book says.

B. Do I go talk to the R inform him of the situation and pass the buck onto him and willing to live with the decision he makes.

C. Or Do I just ignore it all together. No Big Deal. Both teams are happy. Move on with life and the game?

What is the advantage of going with A?

I would go with B. In our state (I'm assuming that BITS is correct about your locale) the R is in charge. If he/she elects to ignore it and the state gets mad, you have shifted knowledge/responsiblity to him and you know that you let him know.

IMO, the mutual agreement of the coaches makes this no big deal. If I were the R, I would probably go with C.

Just MO.

[BayStateRef]

Originally Posted by stripes

IMO, the mutual agreement of the coaches makes this no big deal. If I were the R, I would probably go with C.

Had a discussion at an association meeting a few years back where coaches "agreed" to some deviation of a rule that was seen as "no big deal." We were told bluntly that the coaches do not get to make that decision. What if they agreed to six fouls per player? Or a goal scored from beyond the arc was worth two points, not three?

The officials are required to know and to enforce all the rules. This advice was from a veteran official who is active in the state high school athletic association.

[stripes]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

Had a discussion at an association meeting a few years back where coaches "agreed" to some deviation of a rule that was seen as "no big deal." We were told bluntly that the coaches do not get to make that decision. What if they agreed to six fouls per player? Or a goal scored from beyond the arc was worth two points, not three?

The officials are required to know and to enforce all the rules. This advice was from a veteran official who is active in the state high school athletic association.

Apples and oranges, IMO. One team had white unis the other had dark. Play ball.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by stripes

What is the advantage of going with A?

I don't know if there is any real advantage to A, unless you felt it needed to be done. I could have always plead ignorance to my partners and begged their forgiveness for being too controlling. I always had the "easier to ask forgiveness than permission" mentality with my parents.

I went with option B. I informed my partners and then moved on with the game.

[AKOFL]

Advantage to A is the coach has to sit and has a short leash. Thats a biggie

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

It was agreed upon by both. I asked one of the coaches and he said that the home team wanted to have a "black out" game so the visiting team agreed to wear whites.

Then why are we even having this discussion? Game on, they both agreed earlier.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Then why are we even having this discussion? Game on, they both agreed earlier.

Because it is possible that they didn't bother to clear it with the state association or league office.
If I were one of the Us, then I would inform the R and let him deal with it.
If I were the R, then I would ask the home school if they received documentation or permission from the state office for their "black-out" game.

As officials we don't write the rules, we simply enforce them and we don't have the authority to grant exceptions or set them aside.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Because it is possible that they didn't bother to clear it with the state association or league office.
If I were one of the Us, then I would inform the R and let him deal with it.
If I were the R, then I would ask the home school if they received documentation or permission from the state office for their "black-out" game.

As officials we don't write the rules, we simply enforce them and we don't have the authority to grant exceptions or set them aside.

We've been down this road before. Take me to the woodshed. Game on, and I'm not reporting it. I can't even fathom any assignor in the Chicago area that would disagree with me.

I understand your reasoning, it just doesn't apply in this situation IMHO. I may point out to home school, as you mentioned, but would never ask for documentation. Seriously, I'd be laughed out the Chicagoland area.

Why do I picture some Nazi border agent saying " Papers Pleez"

[BayStateRef]

A buddy of mine likes to tell this story. During pre-game warm-ups, he sees that one team has undershirts that do not match their game jerseys. He goes to the coach of the other team and asks if he is OK with this. The coach says, "So are we going to enforce some of the rules tonight, or all of them?"

The NFHS has made a push that officials are to enforce the rules. And every month or so, there is some thread where officials here make the case why they will not enforce thus and such a rule. If "home team wears white" is an option that can be decided between the coaches, then let the rule say so. Otherwise, I enforce the rules.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

A buddy of mine likes to tell this story. During pre-game warm-ups, he sees that one team has undershirts that do not match their game jerseys. He goes to the coach of the other team and asks if he is OK with this. The coach says, "So are we going to enforce some of the rules tonight, or all of them?"

So when that coach gets whacked when he's 2 inches out of the box he shouldn't be surprised.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by fullor30

We've been down this road before. Take me to the woodshed. Game on, and I'm not reporting it. I can't even fathom any assignor in the Chicago area that would disagree with me.

I understand your reasoning, it just doesn't apply in this situation IMHO. I may point out to home school, as you mentioned, but would never ask for documentation. Seriously, I'd be laughed out the Chicagoland area.

Why do I picture some Nazi border agent saying " Papers Pleez"

Isn't your state the one where the team was penalized for wearing illegal jerseys in the State Semi-final game? Didn't they claim that they had worn them all year and no official had said anything to them? Didn't Marty Hickman give an interview in which he essentially said, "too bad, penalize them, the officials need to do their job"?

Well, now we know who one of those officials was who didn't say anything about the illegal jerseys all year. I'll also wager that you didn't get to work at the State Tournament.

Out here, if you want to work come tournament time, then you had better do things by the book.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Out here, if you want to work come tournament time, then you had better do things by the book.

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

The NFHS has made a push that officials are to enforce the rules. And every month or so, there is some thread where officials here make the case why they will not enforce thus and such a rule. If "home team wears white" is an option that can be decided between the coaches, then let the rule say so. Otherwise, I enforce the rules.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

I believe you're from the same state I am. When the switch to white became mandatory, the state made quite a big deal about it. I'm pretty sure they'd back you for the T

This has been drilled into our heads here in VA over and over and I am enforcing the rule. I'm not screwing my buds by having the, "Well the refs last game let us do it" card played.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by grunewar

This has been drilled into our heads here in VA over and over and I am enforcing the rule. I'm not screwing my buds by having the, "Well the refs last game let us do it" card played.

As grune says, VA has may it very, very clear that they want the uniform rule enforced. Schools know it is THEIR responsilbility to get the proper clearance from the state if they need/want to deviate from the Home White rule.