Use of Profanity

[troywfields]

Some time ago I saw in the Forum a discussion on the use of profanity and one of the writers said the state association in Florida was cracking down more strictly on this foul. I believe that I am at odds with some of my fellow officials in that I think profanity must be called whenever it is heard regardless of who it is directed to or if it is in the huddle or where. If I can hear it, it is a foul.

Iey think that some would say that there are exceptions. I agree only if a player is in pain due to an injury and I have called a time out for him to receive assistance.

My thinking is that if I make exceptions, such as when a team is in the huddle, and I can hear what is said the other team can hear it too and if I call a foul on them and not on the team in the huddle, they will assume that I am not inforcing the rule equitably.

I have a meeting with the association on Saturday. They are arguing that the ejection for a second profanity call should not be. I have already agreed to violate the rule and give each team one warnning before I step off a penality.

I'd like to hear from someone in FL to see how did they inforce the rule there and what do the rest of you think.

[BktBallRef]

I honestly haven't research the football philosophy with regard to this situation. But the NFHS is very clear in basektball.

UNSPORTING BEHAVIOR
2.8.1 COMMENT: Unsporting tactics, in general, involve relationships between opponents, between the players and officials, between the spectators and officials, between the players and spectators, between the coaches and spectators, and between coaches and officials. In most situations, it does not apply to the relationship of a player to teammates, nor to the coach and members of the team. However, these standards are not without exception. For example, profanity on the part of a participant, coach or member of the team is considered to be an unsporting act, whether or not the profanity is directed at any individual or is merely a means of “letting off steam.”

Of course, I'm not going to tell you that it's enforced to the letter of the law.

[MJT]

I think you must use common sense when it comes to profanity. If one lineman says to another on the way back to the huddle, "get your damn block" I hope you are not going to flag him. Now if he yells a swear word for all to hear, or says "that was a F****ing hold" to an official, that is another story. I will tell them to watch their language or they may get a flag in most cases, but obviously if they cross the line, no warning is needed. JMHO.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: If we flagged every occasion of profanity on the field as a USC, there'd be nobody left to play the game...especially at the parochial schools!

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by Bob M.
REPLY: If we flagged every occasion of profanity on the field as a USC, there'd be nobody left to play the game...especially at the parochial schools!

Quite an exageration.


It was a POE for Lacrosse last year. Flag all cases is basically what it said.

[PSU213]

I find their is a real qualitative difference between the player who mutters, "damn, my knee" while on the field waiting for the trainers and a player who calls an opposing player an "MF SOB."

You can have a 'zero tolerance' policy for swearing, but while one is worthy of 15 yards, I don't find the other one is. I would be tempted to say to a fellow official "you have your own standard, go by that," but on the other hand I think it would be unfair if I let some profanity go, but the BJ throws a flag when a player quitely says "damn" after he drops a pass. Then again, I don't see anyway to make our system consistent. While our association may come up with one standard, what may be OK here, may be a flag in Cleveland, and what is OK there might be penalized in Arizona.

[kdf5]

The ones I let go with a warning are those where the kid is injured. If I hear it in a huddle and feel the other team didn't hear it, I'll warn them. If it's broadcast and doesn't fit the above then it's a flag. Quite honestly I would say I only have 2-3 a season.

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by Snake~eyes

Quite an exageration.

It was a POE for Lacrosse last year. Flag all cases is basically what it said.

REPLY: I said that with my tongue firmly implanted in my cheek and it was meant to be a hyperbole. But, I will say that I hear more F-bombs on the sidelines of parochial schools than I do at the public schools. Not directed at anyone, just blirted out. And I have nothing against parochial schools. I'm a product of parochial schooling myself.

[86362]

Remember, high school athletics are an exetetion of the classroom. Does you school advocates profanity within its buildings????? The Michaigan High School Athletic Association pushs the idea that the athletics is an extention of the classroom.

[SWFLguy]

35 years at HS football here (most at U):
zero tolerance is not common sense.
If I hear an "f-bmb" in normal conversation
between players of the same team, I will just
tell them--- "no f-bombs guys" !
Sometimes I might say to the offender--
"what did you say? " or "did I hear a bad word ?"
That usually is the end of it. If someone yells an expletive
or a derogatory racial slur
at a player of the other team-- it is one of the
rare times I'd pull out my flag, treating that as
I would any personal foul.
The kids today hear bad language all around them
in movies, TV, and on the street.
We cannot condone it, but must use common
sense to keep it under control in a game !

[cowbyfan1]

I also go buy that if a kid says it basically to himself I will just give a warning. If I hear it 10/15 yards away, I will flag it as at that point a number of people will have heard it.

I also had a baseball game last year where a kid let out a blare f-bomb. We could not tell who said it to be able to dump him (came from the offensive team dugout), tho I had my suspisions on who did it. Coach handled it. On a football field it is sometimes difficult to point out who actually said something, especially if in a team huddle. You may get the 15 but to actually toss someone may not be possible.

[KWH]

Originally posted by SWFLguy
...If someone yells an expletive
or a derogatory racial slur
at a player of the other team-- it is one of the
rare times I'd pull out my flag, treating that as
I would any personal foul...

SWFLguy-
While I agree with you logic of when to throw and when not to throw for clarification purposes (for the younger officials out there), the flag would be for "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" penalty rather than a "Personal Foul, as the action that drew the flag was for a non-contact penalty.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct fouls are always non-contact fouls.
Personal fouls (almost) always require contact.

[SWFLguy]

True that.
I did not mean to confuse newer officials.
I meant that if the words got "personal"
then a penalty is in order.
Thanks for pointing that out.

[Big-Tee]

Originally posted by SWFLguy
35 years at HS football here (most at U):
zero tolerance is not common sense.
If I hear an "f-bmb" in normal conversation
between players of the same team, I will just
tell them--- "no f-bombs guys" !
Sometimes I might say to the offender--
"what did you say? " or "did I hear a bad word ?"
That usually is the end of it. If someone yells an expletive
or a derogatory racial slur
at a player of the other team-- it is one of the
rare times I'd pull out my flag, treating that as
I would any personal foul.
The kids today hear bad language all around them
in movies, TV, and on the street.
We cannot condone it, but must use common
sense to keep it under control in a game !

exactly !!!

[IAUMP]

Originally posted by cowbyfan1
If I hear it 10/15 yards away, I will flag it as at that point a number of people will have heard it.

Had a situation last year in 12-13 year old football. left defensive end started complaining that he was "tackled" on a touchdown play that was run to the other side of the field. I was at the U in a three man set. As I was trailing the play, I hear "He tackled me." Fifteen yards later I hear "He tackled me." Another 10-15 yards and I hear "He F-ing tackled me." Flag flew about 5 yards into the air. No comments from his coach as I am sure they heard it to.