Who Is "They?"

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do with without a directive and would not need one. But it is good they use one and are very clear. I think it is our obligation to find out when illegal items are being used, when they are visible to us. And the penalty is they cannot play until corrected, not like we are giving a T. I do not see the big deal and this is so rare because usually a coach takes care of this long before we have to address this issue. We often have to deal with it because a coach does not understand his or her responsibility and makes us the bad guy. And I just do not want to be the one that never asked when someone gets hurt and there is a clearly stated rule.

Peace

JRut, I feel the same. I'd do it even if the state didn't tell me. My mentors taught me to do it and they told me why: liability. Some here say "it's not my responsibility" or "we asked the coach if everyone is properly equipped" but if it came down to it, a good attorney could blow that out of the water.

If 90-95% of kids wore tape/band-aids on their earlobes then it wouldn't raise an eyebrow but that's not the case. Tape on earlobes isn't the norm. When something isn't the norm on the court don't we usually ask a few more questions?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

JRut, I feel the same. I'd do it even if the state didn't tell me. My mentors taught me to do it and they told me why: liability. Some here say "it's not my responsibility" or "we asked the coach if everyone is properly equipped" but if it came down to it, a good attorney could blow that out of the water.

If 90-95% of kids wore tape/band-aids on their earlobes then it wouldn't raise an eyebrow but that's not the case. Tape on earlobes isn't the norm. When something isn't the norm on the court don't we usually ask a few more questions?

I never said I wouldn't ask further, I'd go to the coach at that point to clarify. But I'm still not opening up a bandage.

[hoopguy]

If I see a player with tape on his ears, I would not ask him/her what is under the tape. I know what is under the tape. I just tell the potential player that if he or she wants to play in the game he or she will need to remove their earrings. Their choice. I do not care if they leave the earrings in or take them out and that's what I tell them if questioned. The decision is theirs.

This thread does make it abundantly clear who 'they' is.

As a comment on this... My daughter thought she would be okay to get her ears pierced during volleyball season because she thought the rule was different. Unfortunately for her, she got the same treatment and removed her earrings before a match in order to be allowed to play. For her the holes did close up in that short amount of time. She then waited until after basketball season was over and got them pierced again.

[rekent]

(Disclaimer: I have not read a lot of this thread, so my apologies if I am repeating someone.)

I find the whole jewelry thing rather ridiculous myself. Do the players not realize or just not care that the rule really is for their own protection?!

I was told a story the other day from someone who was actually present when an injury happened because of jewelry, and it was quite gruesome - not something I would ever care to experience or even witness.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by rekent

I was told a story the other day from someone who was actually present when an injury happened because of jewelry, and it was quite gruesome, not something I would ever care to experience or even witness.

Once, when I was a lot younger, I was playing basketball on an outdoor playground court while I was wearing my wedding band. I went up for a rebound and got the ring caught in the metal chain net, and hung there for a fraction of a second, long enough for the ring to cut into my finger almost down to the bone. I still have the scar today.

Did I learn my lesson? Apparently not.

Way back before I retired from teaching, and before I won my in independence with a divorce decree, I was passing the gymnasium on the way out of the school and noticed the boys team shooting around. I decided to show off and take a few shots with the guys, while I was wearing my wedding band. I was only half paying attention when one of my students passed me the ball and caught the pass with my fingers extended, which jammed the fingers. I woke up the next morning with a very swollen ring finger. I showed the injury to the school nurse as soon as I got to school. The wedding band was acting like tourniquet, cutting off circulation to the finger, and because of the swelling, we couldn't get the ring off. We were on our way to the metal shop to get the ring cut off, but decided to stop by the cafeteria kitchen first. Luckily, a little butter on my finger helped to get the ring off.

What's that expression? "Fool me twice, shame on you. Fool me three times, shame on me".

[Adam]

Originally Posted by hoopguy

This thread does make it abundantly clear who 'they' is.

How do you figure this?

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Adam

How do you figure this?

"They" are those of you who would choose to simply ignore the tape over the ears. And claiming ignorance because you asked doesn't really let you off the hook. You know with 99.9% certainty that tape or bandaids over the ears means there are earrings underneath. Choosing to let it go makes you "they".

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Smitty

"They" are those of you who would choose to simply ignore the tape over the ears. And claiming ignorance because you asked doesn't really let you off the hook. You know with 99.9% certainty that tape or bandaids over the ears means there are earrings underneath. Choosing to let it go makes you "they".

Wow.

Honestly, I kind of suspect that if you were on the court, and saw Andy or I or others who seem to agree, you'd sigh to yourselves, saying, "Great, I get to work with "that guy" again," and grit your teeth, and decide to just deal with it.

And Andy or I, seeing you or Hopguy, or some of the others, would say the same thing to ourselves.

And then when it the ball is finally in the air - we'd get along just fine and have a good game.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Wow.

Honestly, I kind of suspect that if you were on the court, and saw Andy or I or others who seem to agree, you'd sigh to yourselves, saying, "Great, I get to work with "that guy" again," and grit your teeth, and decide to just deal with it.

And Andy or I, seeing you or Hopguy, or some of the others, would say the same thing to ourselves.

And then when it the ball is finally in the air - we'd get along just fine and have a good game.

And if you were up here in my Association, and you allowed the kid to play with tape over their ears, I would move on to my next Varsity game while you went on to your next MS game.

I wouldn't allow a kid to play in my game with tape over the ears.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Wow.

Honestly, I kind of suspect that if you were on the court, and saw Andy or I or others who seem to agree, you'd sigh to yourselves, saying, "Great, I get to work with "that guy" again," and grit your teeth, and decide to just deal with it.

And Andy or I, seeing you or Hopguy, or some of the others, would say the same thing to ourselves.

And then when it the ball is finally in the air - we'd get along just fine and have a good game.

I would not go crazy at all about it either way. Such a minor thing, but a kid is not playing in one of my games with an earring in his ear when I see it.

It is like the shooting sleeve issue. There are people that go out of their way to make sure a kid is using it for medical purposes, even though in our state it is already assumed they are wearing them for that reason and we are not required to ask. But there are officials that ask anyway and then make them take it off when they do not get the right answer. I just find it funny, but that is on those officials. And it is not a liability to use those things, they just have to match some standard that was set by someone else. But as you said when the ball goes up it is not at the forefront of my mind and never will be until they change something.

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Smitty

"They" are those of you who would choose to simply ignore the tape over the ears. And claiming ignorance because you asked doesn't really let you off the hook. You know with 99.9% certainty that tape or bandaids over the ears means there are earrings underneath. Choosing to let it go makes you "they".

That's a bit over the top, but if that's what you think, I can live with that.

The fact is, I don't care either way.

Options:
1. Make him show you under the bandaids, then if he's telling the truth, at worst, he needs to replace the bandaid. Any wound too bad for a quick dressing on the sideline probably needs stitches anyway and he shouldn't be playing.

2. Talk to his coach after you talk to the kid. "Coach, #15 tells me the tape on his ears is for a bad scratch he got in a fight with his girlfriend. Is that true?"

3. Take the kid's word for it.

In the one game out of 2000 where the kid tells you the bandaids are for something besides earrings, I'll likely go with #2. If you think that makes me "they" in this context, .

Oh, and what MD Longhorn said, too.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Adam

That's a bit over the top, but if that's what you think, I can live with that.

The fact is, I don't care either way.

LOL YOU asked, did you not?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

Liability.

There's liability, and there's negligence. If I don't notice the bandaid, I'm probably negligent. If I notice the bandaid and don't address it, I'm negligent. If I notice the bandaid, ask the player about it, am lied to, and have the coach confirm that his players are legally equipped, I don't believe that I'm negligent, but I'm probably still going to have to deal with the bother of lawyers, courts, IAABO insurance, NFHS insurance, etc.

Disclaimer: I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on television.

Bottom line, I'm addressing the issue, but I'm not asking a player to remove a bandaid. But, as usual, when in Rome, check your local listings.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

There's liability, and there's negligence. If I don't notice the bandaid, I'm probably negligent. If I notice the bandaid and don't address it, I'm negligent. If I notice the bandaid, ask the player about it, am lied to, and have the coach confirm that his players are legally equipped, I don't believe that I'm negligent, but I'm probably still going to have to deal with the bother of lawyers, courts, IAABO insurance, NFHS insurance, etc.

Disclaimer: I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on television.

Bottom line, I'm addressing the issue, but I'm not asking a player to remove a bandaid. But, as usual, when in Rome, check your local listings.

You do not ask them to remove them in the first place, you just tell them they cannot play with them if on their body.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I'm addressing the issue, but I'm not asking a player to remove a bandaid.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You do not ask them to remove them in the first place, you just tell them they cannot play with them if on their body.

Bandaids?

Note: I think that I agree with you, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what I'm agreeing to.