I was working a game on Friday night, in which my wing man made a block in the back call. It was an interception, and the defender returned the interception 40 yards for a TD. I was the umpire and was watching all of the blocks surrounding the runner. The wing man called the block in the back at about the 10 yard line. I was able to see the block as clear as day, and it was SO OBVIOUS that the block was on the side which anyone could tell just by the way the player fell to the ground. I tried talking to the R before he made the initial signal, but he didnt want an argument over the call, so he made the signal and had me mark off the penalty. After the play, I saw the coach chewing out his player for the block, in which I could hear the player telling his coach that the block was on his side. It took all the energy I had just to bite my tongue. I tried speaking to the wing man after the game, and his attitude was like, I made the call and that was the end of it. I couldnt beleive he wouldnt own up to his mistake. Does anyone have any good advice how to handle a situation like this?


[Edited by bjudge on Sep 26th, 2004 at 04:01 PM]

Nothing you can do. Some officials are just flag happy. I know I was my first year--and I'm definately ashamed of it. I threw too many flags without seeing the whole play. That's probably what happened here.

Some officials see someone fall and imagine that somewhere there HAD to be an illegal block. Like I said, I used to be like that. It's hard to tell yourself "See the whole play". Kick returns--with 22 bodies flying around--are real succeptable to not seeing the whole play.

I dont know how good this adavice is but I think you’ve done all you can do and all you should do. Whether he admits it or not, you’ve made the calling official aware he may have made a mistake. Hopefully he remembers what you’ve said and next time he calls a quality foul

The fact that you thought the wing man was wrong the Ref should have listened but just remeber no matter what is said or done on the field you are a CREW that is one thing that needs to remain constant.

Good comments, even though the kid got chewed I'm sure he will take it back after he sees the game film and blame the refs.

I'm most proud of my crew on flags that weren't thrown.

I'm following the quarterback flushed out of the pocket Friday night and there was a CRUSHING block from the side on a pursuer -- the block was definitely not from the front and the recipient of the block didn't see it coming -- but, contrary to popular belief, was a perfectly clean hit. Wing man saw it as did I. And then he got the pleasure of hearing crap from the sidelines -- the usual, "Someone's gonna get hurt" blah, blah, blah.

Tell us more about the experience level of you and the wing man. Understand, you are talking about a judgement call in which you and the WM have different angles - that alone could alter your judgements on a close play. As an observer and an instructor, I worry much more about the position the official is in and the area he is observing to make a call than the judgement itself. Judgement is just like an opinion - everyone has one!

No official likes his judgement questioned - not by fans, not by players or not by coaches - and especially from a fellow official who may not have his experience level. If you are inexperienced, you may have just learned your first major leason. The only friends you have on the field wears stripes and you had better learn to trust and back them even if you personally disagree with their judgement at times. Only when there is a history of poor judgement by an individual should you make it an issue. The right to critique in most officials eyes, comes with experience and longevity. Even then - you had better have more evidents than your opinion is better than his.

Are you sure?
 

As a Referee I do not question the calls of my fellow crew members. If they call it, they are guilty. The only time I would ever take an issue with a call is when I have definite information that might help them come to another conclusion. Like a tipped ball on a PI call. Other than that I will not entertain objections to a call unless a fellow official knows for 100% sure they had a different look. If someone starts a sentence with "I think...." the conversation is over.

It is also possible that you did not see the same thing he did or the same block. Maybe you saw another action and came to another conclusion.

We all make mistakes. It is not the end of the world.

Peace

Evidently not, because you had a guy closer than you call it different.... I agree with Rut...if I am a WH I don't entertain much discussion about another officials call...the proper procedure would be to get to the official in question, and ask them if they had a good look, because what you saw appeared different...but it is their call as to whether or not to change the call....and like was said above we are a crew out there...

I was working HL Friday night and there is a long runback on an interception return down my sideline and a B player delivered a solid hit to the side of an A player. It was perefectly clean. The R (who was trailing by quite some distance "parachutes" a flag near the spot of this block. At the end of the play, coach on my side (who intercepted and saw the clean block) wants to know the number of the offender. R didn't get it. It is possible he saw another BIB but my gut tells me he flagged what I was certain was a clean hit. Coach wasn't too happy but didn't press it AT ALL!

Watching the local sports highlights the next day, they showed a highlight of that exact play and it looked clean (again) and the sports announcer then says, "and I believe this hit drew a flag. Looked clean to me."

Yeah, me too.

[Edited by mikesears on Sep 26th, 2004 at 10:34 PM]

Well this is my third season, and second year of varsity. Even in our association, moving up to varsity at that speed is rare. However, I work year round doing tons of semi pro indoor and outdoor football games during the offseason, so I have worked more games than a typical third year official.

That being said, the view I had of the block was prefectly clear. Lets just say I could see the player's entire back and read his number, when this "block in the back occured." The player was thrown sideways instead of being thrown forward as a result of a typical block in the back. I was approximately 20 yards behind the block when it occured. The wing man was about parallel to the block when it occured. I beleive this is his fifth year and second year as a varsity official. When I asked the wing man about the call, all he could tell me about the block was the player was blindsided, and he couldnt tell me if the block was between the shoulder blades or not. If he had anything, it could have been a personal foul, since the block was behind the runner and the player had no chance of tackling the runner. However, unless the block was 30 yards away from the play, I would have a hard time calling a personal foul on a situation like that.

bjudge,

Maybe he did not know how to explain it. That does not make his call a bad call. And if that is all you can say, you probably had a pretty good game. Let me tell you, your time will come. You will mess up on a bunch of calls if you continue to officiate. I would not focus so much on the shortcomings of other officials. Your time WILL COME.

Peace

RUTLEDGE,

I would be the first to admit I have had my share of bad calls. As one official in my association says, you only learn from your bad calls. Also, I have had my share of games where there was a bad call. If and when I make a mistake, I dont mind another official giving me good criticism and I dont have a problem eating my flag and waving it off if I am wrong. I guess the thing that rubbed me the wrong way this time around was the WM didnt seem to care or admit he could have made a mistake. If I throw my flag, I make sure I am a 100% right. I would rather make a bad call and keep my flag in my pocket, then to throw my flag and call a bad penalty.

Get a tape of the game a review it. Point it out to the ref and wingman and ask them how it is a block in the back. There is a big misconception that anything from a player coming from behind is a block in the back, even if that player hits the other player on the side. That is probably where he is getting the thinking from.

FED rules
 

Does this matter? If so, please provide citation. I can't find where a block in the back constitutes between the shoulder blades. I have looked a t 9-3-5 and 2-17-4 and neither refers to this specific action.