Rule book?

[James Neil]

I’m figuring that since the rest of us NF dudes don't have killer bees, fire ants, blazing sun, hurricanes and tornadoes to deal with, we must be lacking the leather tough hide that would allow us to let Coaches to go sticking rule books into our faces. But what the hell are we doing out there in the first place. Maybe we should give both coaches rulebooks and let them hash it out among themselves and just stay home? I don't bring my rulebook with me when working games. I’m supposed to know my job. If a coach has one and he’s pulling it out to show me where I'm wrong then he’s trying to “show me up”. He’s supposed to do his job. I’m supposed to do mine. He studies strategy I study the rules.
If a coach wants to talk about a ruling on the field, he can call a time out. If he's right. He won't get charged for the TO. If he’s wrong. And has no TO left. It costs him 5 yards. If he wants to talk about a ruling after the game, and isn’t being an *** about it, fine. I might get my book or look at his and we can talk. But in reality I don't see this happening very often. After the game I try to leave as unconsciously as I can keep my head low making no eye contact if at all possible. Bottom line with me is doing what my association tells and this is the policy of both my FB and BB assocations I. Every senior official I’ve talked about this with says flag him. In baseball (which I also work) this is an auto eject.

BTW ... I might be sounding a little more hard a$$ here then I really am . I’ve had three occasions when I’ve had “books “ pulled out on me. Two in youth FB and once during an HS baseball game. I was able to convince all coaches to put their “books” away before panelizing any of them. The last one was during a Pop Warner game two weeks ago. I told the coach, who had come all the way to the hash to show me his “book”, “Coach you can stick that book where the....auuuu ...away before you get in trouble” LOL. He did and we mover on.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by mikesears
James,

I don't know that I could flag a coach if he simply asked me to look at a rulebook that he had. I'm not going to look at it if he offers it to me because I am confident in my own knowledge and application of the rules. If HE can locate the pertinent information, I will let him have do his homework and I will give him my ear for a short period of time. But if he can't locate the information, he won't get my ear.

My first year as the white hat, I had a coach ask me if I'd like to look at his copy of the rulebook after he didn't agree with my administration of an overtime period. He went so far as to state, "the Radio announcer is a former official and he says ..... blah blah blah..." The "former official turned radio announcer" was wrong I simply stated, "Coach, I know the rule but I'd be happy to review it with you after the game is over. We've got some more football to play." We never did discuss it after the game. It is amazing how forgetful a coach can get if he wins the game.

Now, I certainly will consider a flag if he is using the rulebook in an attempt to show up the crew. e.g. He shorts wording from the rulebook after our discussion is over.

I'm sorry but I don't agree with James at all, I agree with Mike Sears 100%. You should know the rulebook cold so when he does take it out, say coach this discussion is over, you should reread rule 2 in the book. or what ever. thats my thoughts on the subject.

[JMN]

Reality is that most coaches either don't have a book or it's in mint condition from non-use.

There are some that probably know the rules as well or better than some officials, and those guys won't waive a book in front of you. They will just recite the rules because they know them. I respect these guys.

So, the few coaches that waive a book will either be newbies or flamers looking for a fight.

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by TXMike
It is a darn good thing we don't use Fed rules down here or we would never have a coach finish a game!!!!!!! ;-)

REPLY: Mike, Believe me, a lot of what you've been reading here is not a function of the Federation USC rules (which are not that much different from their NCAA counterparts), but rather the function of officials who may not know how to deal with or when to walk away from confrontation. Sorry guys...just my opinion.