Physical tests...

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

The test don't prove how good an official is....but they can prove how little a person knows. They're meant to exclude those that just don't even know the rules. Passing one with high scores dosn't mean a person is a great official but failing one miserably says a lot in the opposite direction.

Well that depends on the type of test we are discussing. If we are talking about the NF model where they ask questions to see if you know what "must" and "shall" means, then I totally disagree with what that would show at all.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Outside of HS, they may not give you games based on a test, but they may give them to someone else based on your test.

And those tests at other levels also are open book, not timed and they ask things like, "Where do we put the ball in next" as a part of many of the questions. The NF test never asks that or in many cases does not ask anything about case play situations with real time results

I will say this and be done with it. I had a friend in another sport go to another state and had to take that state's test to work games. Well he passed with flying colors and was based only on this test to be able to work a position he was not normally qualified to work, but had little experience at that other position. He even laughed about how he was eligible to work deep in the playoffs because he tested with a certain score. Not that he had much experience at that level even working varsity games from his previous state, but now he was one of the top guys in the state at an unfamiliar position. That is the position that drives me crazy. The test does mean something, but it does not mean that much to vault someone from not being known to the best person over a test score. Silly, and more silly if you ask me. And I am glad I live in an area that you will not get a single game based on a silly test.

And as someone that has been tested multiple times outside of school or officiating, I always find it funny that if someone posts a question on the test, that is OK, but if we even discuss the answers that is somehow over the top. Both in all my other activities would be considered cheating, but we turn the other cheek if we want to discuss the exact question on the test, but let us not discuss the answers. More silliness!!!

Peace