White on your shoes
 

I was watching the Duke game last night and noticed that two of the officials had the white Nike swoosh on their shoes.

Is this allowed in your HS pools across the country? My pool is very strict on the all black rule...just wondering if this was an evolution across the country or just a college thing.

They tell us that we should have all-black shoes, but no one really makes a big deal out of it all the time.

Peace

A white Nike swoosh is acceptable. Although all black is preferred. The issue is often availability and size. If someone needs a 13 wide, and they're not available in all black, then you do your best.

+1

I just wear all black and only worry about me.

I used to wear a pair of Adidas shoes that were all black with the exception of their trademark three stripes that were grey. I was told by an league observer that if I wanted to wear these, I needed to make the stripes black - either with black shoe polish or Sharpie. I utlimately ended up replacing these with the Reebok Zigs.

This is what's wrong with officiating in this country. No discipline and a flagrant disregard for rules.

I'm really glad this isn't a big deal where I am. Of course, my basketball shoes are the only ones that are all black. My baseball/football shoes sure aren't.

I agree. It represents everything that is wrong with BB officiating these days.

http://www.newellb2b.com/eu/images/S...arker_373.jpeg

i only wear new balance shoes. i have some foot problems and i have found that top end new balance shoes whether they are running shoes or basketball shoes are the only brand that i have never had an issue with. some years they have all black versions and some years they do not. this year i am wearing the new balance 907 in both my hs and college games. they are not close to being all black. nobody has said a word.

I worked my State Finals in Baseball and Football with white or gray all over my shoes and not a single person said a word to us. My football crew this last time in football wore the Adidas shoes you see the NCAA guys wear and made a conscious decision to do just that early in the year and not a single person said to us, "You cannot wear those shoes." They were the most comfortable shoes and we wore them in every turf game or good weather game we had in the last two years and certain did so in all post season games that year. We probably were the only crew in 2011 that had matching shoes with the white on them.

Now in basketball there have been guys that have worn shoes with a white shoosh or white marking and the Sports Administrator has said something to those guys in suggestive ways. But it has not prevented any of them working the games and one game a couple of years ago had two guys with white on their shoes in a Championship game. One of the guys worked his second Championship game and had white on his shoes both trips. We do hear people get talked about, but it does not change anything.

Peace

John Adams has posted bulletins in the past expressing his displeasure with the amount of white showing on officials' shoes.

and as long as the people wearing white on their shoes get a very high percentage of their calls correct, control their games, and work well with the players and coaches, the same john adams will continue to give them ncaa tournament games.

Yup and yup.

Official working the court before my games last Sunday was wearing white sneakers, navy blue pants, a brown belt and had a yellow lanyard. Sort of puts the Nike swoosh into perspective. His shirt had a patch so I assume he knows, or should know, better.

For a moment there, I thought you were going to tell us that the navy blue pants had white stripes down the sides. Whew!

I Know, I'm A Bad Boy ...
 

You should write a letter.

Anonymously

Maybe he should. It would likely go to more people in your little corner of the country too. ;)

Peace

Happy Holidays ...
 

I would love to come up with a "Northeast Illinois" line here, but I'm on my way out to my last holiday party. BillyMac signing off, and as JRutledge likes to say, and as I like to hear him say, "Peace".

And I am sure there are more officials there than in your neck of the woods.

5849 statewide and I would bet more than half of them are in the Chicago area alone (specifically 3167). I am sure quite a big more than in such a small state. ;)

Peace

lol...there is NO WAY this was a H.S. game...:p

No it wasn't a HS game, but it was for a league which mandates "high school dress" for officials.

Well there you go.

Peace

The Official's manual requires that the shoes be all-black. At the D1 level a lot of the guys do what they want because their schedules are safe. If you are in a competitive (observor) settting or you know your boss wants black shoes, I would make sure you abide.

You never know when you get the "black shoes" stickler as an observer. Don't let fashion get in the way.

Kind of our situation here...you MUST wear all black if you want to work tourneys. Also, I wear the flat front beltless pants because me and pleats don't get along. I was told it will slide for now but if I want to do tourneys down the road I need pleated beltless pants.

Allowed in the North TX...Dallas / Fort Worth officiating chapters.

Our association requires all-black and that's what we do. "No big deal." AND, we look like a team out there.

Same here. In fact, it was one of the items mentioned recently in a blanket email.

So what do you do if you are wearing different shoes? What does that have to do with looking like a team? Don't teams have different players with different shoes? Just asking.

Peace

I guess we have to wear the same brand shoes, pants, shirts, etc. And make sure if you use a noose your partner does, too. No Smitty for you!

I agree with you. Who cares?

Yes, the NCHSAA allows us to have white on our shoes. It allows us a greater selection of shoes to choose from.

Nobody in the stands or on the bench cares, or even notices, if we have white on our shoes. It's a silly standard.

I frankly did not even notice if any of the officials at your tournament had white on their shoes. I think there is too much emphasis on stuff that doesn't matter. Generally, it seems to be by those who may not have game management skills.

I've gotta ask:

Nobody in the stands or on the bench cares about white on our shoes, but they do care if we have on a belt?

My New Best Friend ...
 

Hey? How do I "friend" just another ref? What do I have to click on? Is there a "like" button somewhere?

A Travesty ...
 

Probably because of a nasty letter sent to him by (Should I say it?) DevonMoore (Why not?).

Most have chosen not to since we wear the gray pinstripes. The white kinda clashes. I've looked for Zigs with white but haven't found any.

I wore the Zigs with white on them in football. The white on the shoes with the black slacks w/white stripes pops.

People notice. You can pretend they don't if it makes you feel better about choosing to look sloppy, but it doesn't change the reality.

If you wear non-black sneakers, white socks, non-black shorts, a belt, sneaks with noticeable white, etc., you look like a hack. Plain and simple.

There's no two ways about it and the dismissal of such a notion is only done by those who, for reasons all their own, choose not to conform to a very reasonable dress code.

You may very well officiate a terrific game, but it will be done to the unwitting end of combating a perception that you are a half-assed, slapdick official.

Perhaps a tad bit unnecessary, uncalled for, and over-the-top?

Things vary from area to area and some probably make exceptions based on health or extraordinary circumstances. To presume your opinion is the correct and only legitimate one is ludicrous.

The rules specify entirely black shoes and our state does as well.
(black shoes with black laces, I believe are the words)

The rulebook doesn't mention a belt. Our state makes allowance for one.
"A belt, if worn, shall be black."

I have no problem with the concept of obeying a dress code. It's unwritten rules, which usually vary from place to place, which are problematic.

Wearing black officiating shoes with a white whoosh or three white stripes doesn't make anyone look like sloppy.

No one said you should wear non-black sneakers, white socks, non-black shorts or a belt. So please, stop being ridiculous.

Wearing black officiating shoes with a white whoosh or three white stripes doesn't make anyone look like a hack.

Excuse me that's a very ignorant opinion. MLB, NFL and NBA officials wear shoes with white on them. NCAA officials in a wide range of sports wear shoes with white on them. NFHS soccer, baseball and softball officials have worn white on their shoes for years. It's stupid that this black only be applied to basketball officials. S-t-u-p-i-d.

I think I've made my point. So move into the 21st century and stop being a half-assed, slapdick old fart.

Let me guess: You wear one or some combination of all of the above with regularity.

Maybe someone wears white socks and a belt for health reasons :rolleyes:

The sneakers for health -- I'm good with that, i.e. running shoes whenever passable for rec/adult leagues, etc. Still doesn't look great and has you standing out to at least some people in the gym before the ball is even live.

Whenever MTD, Jr., officiates and I am not officiating that night I go with him to his game. I always (with apologies to the late J. Dallas Shirley) pack my gear even though his partners have always shown up, UNTIL: I went to one of Mark, Jr.'s game (boys' H.S. jr. varsity) last year and I did not take my gear (Bonnie, my better half) admonished me for not taking my gear, but I assured her that I wouldn't need it). Guess what? Mark's partner did not show up. Mark had packed a second shirt and had extra lanyards and whistles; the AD found me a pair of white low-cut sneakers; and I wore the khaki slacks and brown belt that I had wore to the game. I also proceede to call the first five fouls of the game, :p. A good time was had by all, and the home school's AD and the league assigner was happy I was there to fill in.

MTD, Sr.

Nor do I. And our rules allow white on the shoes.

+1

And you would be mistaken.

I think it was unnecessary and over-the-top and I wear none of the above. And my shoes are all black. I wear black socks, and I go beltless, :eek:

The reason the standard of all black shoes is stupid is becuase hardly anyone makes all black shoes anymore. And it is even harder to find a leather shoe on top of that. And since shoes are very personal in the style or confort, it is really hard to always get a shoe that fits everyone's needs and then be all-black.

That is why that standard is stupid. I do not care what the rulebook says when they need to get up with the times. And all those rules anyway vary by state which is why I see officials in other states wearing grey shirts or other garments that are not in the rules.

Peace

You make it sound a lot harder than it is...there are several all black shoes out there of many different fits. The only reason to insist otherwise is the "personal in style" reason. And that really isn't a good reason.

I tried to buy some shoes from NikeID.com and even called their number and they could not make a basic shoe for me with leather and all black. You cannot find an all-black shoe in that brand even if you tried to go to a local Footlocker or Champs or any other shoe store. I even told the customer service person that they have to start making shoes available for officials or they will lose a consistent business. The woman was so sweet and said, "I will make sure I tell them that for the future."

And when I say style I am not talking about simply look. Some people wear high tops for example and in the Zigtechs do not make them in that style. Heck I tried to find that shoe in a non-patented leather and could not find them in any other style personally. They do make them in other styles, but they are not sold in the same places. A few people found them in outlet stores by accident. And if you try to buy the Zigtechs now, Reebox is not even making those shoes again until next season. So if you cannot get your size, you are S...O...L.

Despite all this talk, shoes are the most important piece of required uniform item. If you do not have the right shoes, you feet, knees and back can all hurt. If I wear a pair of pants with a belt or without I am not going to be sore for choosing the wrong style of pants. I have to wear orthotics that fit my in my shoes and even with the Zigtechs I had to get a difference size than I normally wear or would wear without them in my shoes. So yes style can matter if you want to find a shoe fits your feet and certain brands do a better job for some people than other brands. If it was up to me, the ReadyRef shoes would still be made and I would have never changed to another brand of shoes. But Converse went under and was bought out by another company and stopped making those shoes all together.

Peace

When In Rome ...
 

And a fine rule it is, for your local association.

Here, in my little corner of Connecticut, we are expected to wear all black shoes, and if you don't, you take a chance on any of 325 fellow officials giving you an average, or maybe a below average, rating on "Appearance" which makes up 10% of a nightly rating.

Maybe, some day, my local board will move into the twenty-first century and allow white logos on the shoes.

Probably only by people that don't know how to officiate their way out of a wet paper bag. But that's probably as unfair of a generalization as yours.

Times are changing and around here, it really doesn't matter if your shoes have some white on them to those that assign the games.

We're talking about shoes, not belted slacks (which unfairly or not, are judged to a different standard in most places) or white socks.

And just to cut you off at the pass, I wear all black shoes because I am rather limited in the shoes I can wear. I'd wear shoes with white on them if they fit me the best, as I do in football.

No you shouldn't. That joke ran it's course about a week ago.

Oh -- I wear all-black shoes, black socks, no belt.

Don't particularly care what shoes my partners wear -- I do think some look "better" (to me) than others. If my "assigner" cared, then I'd care and either wear what was "suggested" or understand and live with the consequences.

When In Rome, Always Listen To bob ...
 

Well put. That should end this thread.