NFHS Penalty Announcement

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by ajmc

I'm still looking for, "a valid reason why a spectator needs to know the identity of a disqualified player AT THE INTERSCHOLASTIC LEVEL." at a football game. Why also should I care how other sports handle this question.

"Valid" is a value judgment and subjective. If you cannot accept what was said, then do not accept the explanations given to you. The bottom line is that the people that make the decisions decided that we announce the numbers. It really does not matter if it is valid to you or even me one way or the other. You also do not have to accept what other sports do, but so you know the NF often has rules that are similar in other sports. We know that in their process of rules and mechanics changes, these changes are reviewed by other committee members in other sports. So if basketball, for example, announces fouls and warnings to specific players, then I am sure it was hard to justify why we would not announce such unsporting act in football. And every other level of football announces penalties with numbers.

Originally Posted by ajmc

As for the playoff game information; the conference assignor should have known the answer to that Coach's question, or the Coach should have asked one of the game officials. Are you suggesting Referee's should also announce each rule, that explains each penalty?

"Because everyone else does it", is not usually a good answer.

I do not know that he should have known, but if he asked I have the ability to tell him. I know that assignor very well and gave the appropriate information to him. We worked a State Final together, no sweat off my back either way. I do not know the coach so why would the coach ask me? Fellow officials watch games they are not working all the time and often are asked opinions about things that happen. If a coach that I do not know contacts me about something in a game that he was not at, I probably would not respond as I have no allegiance to him/her. I know the assignor/fellow official and I told him what he wanted to know. It was not a secret.

Peace