What do I do?

[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?

[jdw3018]

If you've been directed by your association to enforce the rule (or, rather, not directed to not enforce it), the first thing I'd do is get together with your partners. At the least, they need to know why you're doing what you're doing. You never know, they may have a reason for not enforcing the rule, and it's good crew communication in a situation like this to make sure everyone knows what's going on.

If you've been directed to enforce the rule, but after talking with your crew the R wants to pass on it, you've got a choice to make.

[Clark Kent]

To be honest I don't know how my assignor or the association wants it dealt with. I just emailed them this morning.

The reason I gave option A. was because I thought if I just wack the teams on my own R wouldn't feel like he was being undermined (he may chastise me at half) because if I go talk to the crew and they decided it is no big deal then I'm in a really tough spot if my tenant beliefs are firm enough to enforce the rule.

[constable]

Well my gut is this is one of the few rules that if broken doesn't give one team a particular advantage.

I did a Sr V game last night. Home team was in blue, visiting team was in red. No harm done.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

To be honest I don't know how my assignor or the association wants it dealt with. I just emailed them this morning.

The reason I gave option A. was because I thought if I just wack the teams on my own R wouldn't feel like he was being undermined (he may chastise me at half) because if I go talk to the crew and they decided it is no big deal then I'm in a really tough spot if my tenant beliefs are firm enough to enforce the rule.

That's certainly a possible option. That said, it's the opposite of good crew communication IMO, which is critical. I don't like that many of us have to deal with association politics, either, but it's a reality. Choosing to acknowledge that reality means Option A, B, or C may be the best answer. This isn't a case of a team gaining an unfair advantage, so I throw the "but the rules are the rules" argument out the window. You have to make a decision that 1. provides a quality experience for the teams; and 2. is your best effort at doing what you believe your association wants you to do.

I'm curious - what did you do?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

To be honest I don't know how my assignor or the association wants it dealt with. I just emailed them this morning.

I'd also consider asking the State association.

There was an email sent around here (IL) about a Thanksgiving tournament in which the host school was the "visitors" for a particular game, and, thus, was wearing a color. The "home team on the scoreboard" also wanted to wear a (different) color, since they had worn the white jerseys the night before. All coaches, etc., agreed it would be okay (no confusing colors, no one cared about the strict uniform requirements, etc.).

The state was notified and wanted (wants) the rule to be enforced.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I'd also consider asking the State association.

Our assignor is from the state association

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I'd also consider asking the State association.

There was an email sent around here (IL) about a Thanksgiving tournament in which the host school was the "visitors" for a particular game, and, thus, was wearing a color. The "home team on the scoreboard" also wanted to wear a (different) color, since they had worn the white jerseys the night before. All coaches, etc., agreed it would be okay (no confusing colors, no one cared about the strict uniform requirements, etc.).

The state was notified and wanted (wants) the rule to be enforced.

Obviously in baseball, home and away can mean quite a difference.

Bob, are uniforms in baseball along the same guidelines?

[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, but I'm not sure they'd necessarily want the T. Since you're the junior guy on the crew, I think I'd bring it to the R's attention and let him make the call. And then run it past Petty and/or your association president and see what they say.

Edited to add: You can probably find a way to raise the question without having to name names.

[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).

[constable]

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?

I go with C. If both teams are happy and there is a distinct difference between the home and away uniforms then you don't really have an issue.

I think it should be a state option to allow teams to decide what colour they want to wear.

Also, some schools aren't wealthy enough in some regions to afford two different sets of uniforms.

[fullor30]

Personally, I ignore it, but bring it to the attention of partners at half. Count it as a learning experience and file it away. It may have been discussed by both teams days before the game and agreed upon by both.

In my area, a team received new unis this season only to have home colors gold and away brown. A violation. They contacted turkey tournament school officials who switched them from home to away team. Since game was on a neutral court, problem solved.

Does one team gain an advantage by having wrong colors? No. Is it a rule? Yes.

To me, it's game management 101.

[chartrusepengui]

I would just report the schools to the state association and let them handle it. I am not going to be too upset as long as I have 2 different colors. When the home was in black and visitors in white - I am going to assume there must have been some kind of communication between the schools.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by chartrusepengui

I would just report the schools to the state association and let them handle it.

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.

[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.