Small Mechanics tips

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

And I change things every year, so I do not know why what was told when the rule was changed has much to do with today?

And I don't either. Remember, this is Connecticut. Two person games. Pocket whistles for alternating possession. And, yes, black belts.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

And I don't either. Remember, this is Connecticut. Two person games. Pocket whistles for alternating possession. And, yes, black belts.

And two of those things have to do with you. I am sure not everyone is doing those things either.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

And two of those things have to do with you.

Just the belt, and it's neither encouraged, nor discouraged, here in my little corner of Connecticut, and since I'm comfortable with it, I will continue to wear it until someone tells me, "No more belts", at which time I will get two pairs of beltless slacks. If I don't use the pocket whistle I get marked down on my peer ratings. I do what I'm told to do by my superiors.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Just the belt, and it's neither encouraged, nor discouraged, here in my little corner of Connecticut, and since I'm comfortable with it, I will continue to wear it until someone tells me, "No more belts", at which time I will get two pairs of beltless slacks. If I don't use the pocket whistle I get marked down on my peer ratings. I do what I'm told to do by my superiors.

Once again, these are personal decisions you choose to do, just like people would choose to say those things you consider not appropriate on your little article. And that is why we disagreed about one of those items. But I know there are more people opposed to wearing a belt than if you tell someone "Don't move."

We are all independent contractors at the end of the day. But we are judged by things that right or wrong that we may do or say in different ways. But I do know one thing, I see no one wearing a belt at any major level. Just like in football I do not see someone with an adjustable hat. I do not want to be "that guy." And since no one wears a belt in a basketball contest that is participating directly, I am not going to advocate anyone wearing one. If you cannot let it go, that is on you.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

But I know there are more people opposed to wearing a belt ...

People in Chicagoland? People in the rest of the nation? People in the rest of the world? Yes. Yes. Yes. Agree. Agree. Agree. But there is one exception, here in my little corner of Connecticut. The people that I care about most, those that rate, and rank, me, are not opposed to wearing a belt. Our rookie officials are neither encouraged, nor discouraged, from wearing a belt, as long as it's black. I know, I served on that training committee. Since I don't plan on moving away from my little corner of Connecticut, and since I don't plan on moving up to the NCAA, I really don't care about all those other "people", other than for the sake of discussion here on the Forum. I do realize that if I was planning on moving away from Connecticut, let's say to Chicagoland, that I would be expected to conform to mores of that culture, and I would most certainly have to wear beltless slacks, or face failure to "fit in".

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

People in Chicagoland? People in the rest of the nation? People in the rest of the world? Yes. Yes. Yes. Agree. Agree. Agree. But there is one exception, here in my little corner of Connecticut. The people that I care about most, those that rate, and rank, me, are not opposed to wearing a belt. Our rookie officials are neither encouraged, nor discouraged, from wearing a belt, as long as it's black. I know, I served on that training committee. Since I don't plan on moving away from my little corner of Connecticut, and since I don't plan on moving up to the NCAA, I really don't care about all those other "people", other than for the sake of discussion here on the Forum. I do realize that if I was planning on moving away from Connecticut, let's say to Chicagoland, that I would be expected to conform to mores of that culture, and I would most certainly have to wear beltless slacks, or face failure to "fit in".

Billy I have been to camps across the Midwest and other parts of the country on a regular basis. Not a single time do I remember anyone wearing a belt at a camp game. And the officials have been from all over the country. Even one guy was from Canada and he did not wear a belt. And the camp supervisors never tell us what kind of pants to wear, just tells us that we are to wear full uniforms. Somehow others seem to get the memo.

Oh and I work games across my state, not just in one part. I have not worked with a single partner that has a belt. The only officials I see wearing a belt are those old guys that for some reason never go far as officials or a rookie that has not worked varsity contests. I did not see any State Final officials wearing a belt in the last couple of years and cannot remember when the last time I saw any varsity official on the boys side wearing them.

Expand your view Billy.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Expand your view Billy.

I have. I agree that belts are an official faux pas just about everywhere except my little corner of Connecticut (not sure about the rest of our beautiful state). Even here, belts are going the way of the dinosaur. I'm going to guess that less than 5% of us wear them, and almost no young officials wear them. I did see a colleague, a grizzled veteran, wear one in a state quarterfinal game last week. When I first started thirty-three years ago, going beltless was seen as a braggart college thing ("Look at me, I'm a college official"), and almost all of us strictly high school officials wore a belt. Over the years, the young whipper snappers who get onto our local board like to emulate the college guys that they see on television, and almost none choose to go with a belt, even though they can.

Bottom line. I've been wearing one for thirty-three years, and I like it. It has absolutely no effect on my rating, ranking, or the number, or level, of games that I am assigned. It has never been mentioned to me as a problem either verbally, or in writing, by my peers, by my interpreter, by my assigner, or at local, and state, high school (not college, I don't attend those) camps. I don't plan on officiating in any other part of the state, or anywhere else, for that matter, and I don't plan moving up to the college ranks. And finally, most importantly, I can. Black belts are allowed here. Belts, or beltless, are a non-issue here. We can no longer wear long sleeved striped shirts, with a bow tie, but we can wear black belts.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

And, yes, black belts.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by AremRed

BillyMac: And, yes, black belts.

Hey wait a cotton picking minute (as opposed to a New York minute). I'm only half of the debate. And I've contributed several posts on topic. Doesn't that count?