Where are the NFHS rule changes?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

No where in this conversation or in the new rules is there anything about undershirts.

New rules? You are correct. No reference to undershirts.

Conversation? You are incorrect, even if it's only me.

Question was asked:

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... why do they care what color stuff is?

An answer was offered:

Originally Posted by BillyMac

To be able to easily identify teams, and numbers.

One could speculate that another possible reason is that the NFHS wants to prevent a motley mix of uniform, and equipment, colors that could possibly take away from the integrity, and dignity, of the game.

Undershirts can be "stuff", especially to those officials who hate being "Fashion Police", and who may consider color restrictions on undershirts to be frivolous (we have a few of these officials here in my little corner of Connecticut). Perhaps if you had added a modifier, i.e., "this stuff", instead of just, "stuff", then I may not have used undershirts as an example of a necessary color restriction based on the scrimmage example that I stated.

It appears that the NFHS believes that allowing a variety of colors for wrist bands, headbands, and sleeves, may make it more difficult for officials to "easily identify teams, and numbers", just as they probably believe the same problem exists for a variety of colors for jerseys, and undershirts.

My general point, not specific to just undershirts, is that there could be, in theory, a continuum that runs from total freedom from any color restrictions (Dr. Naismith’s original Thirteen Rules Of Basketball), which we can all agree would be difficult to officiate, to color restrictions for everything worn from headbands, and hair control devices, all the way down to underwear, shorts, compression shorts, socks, and shoes ("Fashion Gestapo"), which we could all agree would be unbelievably burdensome to officiate.

The NFHS has decided on color restrictions for uniforms, and equipment, that lies somewhere along that continuum.

It's where the NFHS draws that line in the "continuum sand" that we continually debate here on the Forum.

Many, including me, could argue that color restrictions on wrist bands, headbands, and sleeves, go a little too far, and should be outside the realm of game officials (but I'm still enforcing the rule).

A few, not including me, may argue that color restrictions on undershirts go too far (and sometimes choose not to enforce said rule).

Bottom line, the NFHS does have to "care what color stuff is", to be able to easily identify teams, and numbers, and, possibly, to protect the integrity, and dignity, of the game.

The devil is in the detail.

I remember when the only NFHS color restrictions were home team light (not just white) color jerseys, and road team dark color jerseys. Period. Over the three and a half decades that I've been officiating, the NFHS has expanded their definition of "stuff" to the point where, recently, they sent out a survey asking opinions on further expanding the definition of "stuff" to include socks.

When does the madness stop? Someday, in the future, the NFHS may limit the basketball to an exact, specific, color. Wait? I'm being told ... What? Pantone Matching System Orange 151, Red-Orange 173, or Brown 1535? What the hell does that mean? ... Never mind.

[bainsey]

Finally got around to reading the NFHS rule-change release, and found this little gem:

The committee ... urged fouls to be called when violations occur.

Oof, that could get messy.

[JRutledge]

If you say so Billy, but thanks for interjecting something no one here was talking about. I am not talking about basketballs, undershirts and color of the darn rim or backboard.

I was talking about these rules the NF keeps playing around with and putting color restrictions on which no one cares about. Let the damn kids wear whatever they like. Maybe you make it where they can wear one solid color, but who cares if it is green or red or black. It causes too many conflicts that we do not need to have. The schools do not issue these things, so why cares what color they wear. All we need is to determine the jersey color. Heck the pants can be 10 different colors under the rules, but we are worried about a head band that is mostly used to keep sweat out of your eyes.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... color restrictions ... causes too many conflicts ...

We certainly agree here. I'm tired of enforcing a color restrictions on headbands, wrist bands, and sleeves, and getting an earful of, "But we were allowed to wear that Tuesday night". That's certainly not a good way to develop good rapport with a coach before the game even starts. It's also not a good way to build good rapport with a partner that choses not to enforce such rules. The NFHS should lower their color restriction standards to only those that could affect how the game is officiated.

We probably disagree on color restrictions on undershirts. As I've stated in a previous post, different color undershirts, especially opponents with the same color undershirts, can create some degree of difficultly identifying the team that a player is on, especially in a cluster of rebounding players pushing each other, that a simple "undershirt same color as jersey" rule can remedy.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

We certainly agree here. I'm tired of enforcing a color restrictions on headbands, wrist bands, and sleeves, and getting an earful of, "But we were allowed to wear that Tuesday night". That's certainly not a good way to develop good rapport with a coach before the game even starts. It's also not a good way to build good rapport with a partner that choses not to enforce such rules. The NFHS should lower their color restriction standards to only those that could affect how the game is officiated.

We probably disagree on color restrictions on undershirts. As I've stated in a previous post, different color undershirts, especially opponents with the same color undershirts, can create some degree of difficultly identifying the team that a player is on, especially in a cluster of rebounding players pushing each other, that a simple "undershirt same color as jersey" rule can remedy.

I am still trying to figure out what you are reading? I did not say anything about the undershirt needing to be a different color. I am not even saying that the rule should be changed. I am once again, only talking about an arm sleeve or a headband that can be very easily removed in most cases. You are trying to mention something that once again, I never was talking about in the context of this conversation.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I did not say anything about the undershirt needing to be a different color.

In this thread on "Fashion Police" issues, you have implied that you don't see the need for color restrictions on wrist bands, headbands, and sleeves ("stuff"), but you do seem to see the need for such restrictions on the color of the jersey, something that you, and I, seem to agree upon.

Since you never stated that you agreed with me on undershirt ("stuff") color restrictions, I just assumed that you disagreed with me. If I assumed incorrectly, then I sincerely apologize.

Unlike Felix Unger, in this case, I've only made an ass out of me.

https://youtu.be/LfvTwv5o1Qs

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

In this thread on "Fashion Police" issues, you have implied that you don't see the need for color restrictions on wrist bands, headbands, and sleeves ("stuff"), but you do seem to see the need for such restrictions on the color of the jersey, something that you, and I, seem to agree upon.

Since you never stated that you agreed with me on undershirt ("stuff") color restrictions, I just assumed that you disagreed with me. If I assumed incorrectly, then I sincerely apologize.

Again, you created a disagreement on an issue we were never talking about. And unless you have a problem officiating different kids that are different skin tones, I do not think it is impossible to officiate kids with different color items on their arms and legs that happened to be on the same team.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Unlike Felix Unger, in this case, I've only made an ass out of me.

Let the record show, these are you words, not mine.

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

If you say so Billy, but thanks for interjecting something no one here was talking about. I am not talking about basketballs, undershirts and color of the darn rim or backboard.

I was talking about these rules the NF keeps playing around with and putting color restrictions on which no one cares about. Let the damn kids wear whatever they like. Maybe you make it where they can wear one solid color, but who cares if it is green or red or black. It causes too many conflicts that we do not need to have. The schools do not issue these things, so why cares what color they wear. All we need is to determine the jersey color. Heck the pants can be 10 different colors under the rules, but we are worried about a head band that is mostly used to keep sweat out of your eyes.

Peace

I'm guessing if we saw a rash of schools using shorts with different colors, the NFHS would quickly address it.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Adam

I'm guessing if we saw a rash of schools using shorts with different colors, the NFHS would quickly address it.

Well I have seen this a few times. There are poor schools in poor areas that cannot issue everything. And if the NFHS did do something, they would be just as stupid as ever IMO.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

I'm guessing if we saw a rash of schools using shorts with different colors, the NFHS would quickly address it.

It happens here all the time. Teams will often have different color shorts for junior varsity, and varsity, uniforms. When a junior varsity player is added to the roster for the varsity game (filling in for an absent player, getting rewarded for hard work, etc.), the player is often still wearing the junior varsity shorts.