Career No-nos.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

I do have to figure our how I am going to address my medic alert bracelet.

I'll figure it out for you. Wear it. Period. Your life is more important than some uniform directive from your association. If anyone criticizes you for wearing it, you can tell them that BillyMac says that they're a dick head. That's right. A dick head. Can I be more clear? I've got your back brother (or sister).

From my local board guidelines:

When arriving at a game site, people immediately judge you by your appearance. Make a good first impression by coming to game sites dressed professionally in business casual attire. Consider purchasing a sweater, pullover, or vest, with an IAABO logo, or a Little Corner of Connecticut board logo. Common sense dictates that some afternoon assignments may require officials to arrive in uniform, or in work clothes. Middle school sites may lack secure dressing areas, and may not have shower facilities available.

For most high school games, where secure dressing areas, and showers, are available, officials should not come dressed in uniform, and should not come dressed in sneakers, work boots, jeans, T-shirts, etc. It looks bad, and reflects poorly on our Little Corner of Connecticut board. On court, the official’s uniform should be clean, pants pressed, all black shoes shined, jacket unwrinkled, and the official should be well groomed. Officials should shower after the game and should not leave wearing a uniform. Doing so could give the impression that the official wants to “get in, get out, and get paid”, which is not the impression that Little Corner of Connecticut board officials want to present. Officials should leave the game site together. Even in this day in age when everyone has a cell phone, and many have some type of “road assistance”, it’s not fun sitting in a cold car, in a lonely parking lot, with a dead battery, or a flat tire, waiting for help to arrive.

Originally Posted by just another ref

11. If everybody else where you are does it, it must be all right.

Which is not only true for #11, but for almost anything in officiating.

"All politics is local." (Former Speaker of the U.S. House Tip O'Neill, 1935)

"The siesto, or afternoon's nap of Italy, my most dear and reverend Father, would not have alarmed you so much, if you had recollected, that when we are at Rome, we should do as the Romans do." (Pope Clement XIV, 1777)

Hey just another ref: Why didn't you make this post in my "belt" thread? I was pinned down. No way out. I could have used some backup.

Originally Posted by just another ref

98% of the officials here come to the game dressed and ready to work.

Wow. It's a 180° turn here in my little corner of Connecticut. In high school games, 98% come in street clothes, change into their uniform, shower after the game, and get back into their street clothes. It's a much lower percentage in middle school game. Most middle schools around here don't have dressing facilities for officials. For recreation, travel, AAU, etc. 99.9% come in their uniform, ready to go.

Originally Posted by just another ref

If everybody else where you are does it, it must be all right.

Wait a minute? I recall my mother saying something about everybody jumping off the Empire State Building. It was fifty years ago. What was it that she told me?