Advice for first year ref...

[Rich]

Originally Posted by referee20

My first year on a varsity crew I had the ultimate error, an IW. Here's my advice, get it out of your way early and hope you never have another one

If IWs didn't happen, they wouldn't devote a section of the rulebook to it. I've seen two D-I deep guys blow IWs on muffed punts in the last year.

It's a mistake, yes, but not a thing that should define your career as an official, certainly not at the high school level. In other words, the guy that puts his career inadvertant whistles in his signature is going too far. Why highlight something like that?

Guys on my crew have had IWs. Now, they do get to buy all night at the watering hole, but I'm more interested in seeing if they go in the tank after such a mistake. Being able to put such a mistake behind you is very important.

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

...I've seen two D-I deep guys blow IWs on muffed punts in the last year.

REPLY: And I'll bet this evening's game check that they were blown on situations where R signalled for a fair catch...right?

OK, here's my soapbox rant and many of you have heard it before. But for the newer guys:


There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to hurry your whistle when a receiver makes a fair catch. Too many officials think it's their sworn duty on such plays to 'protect the receiver' with a quick whistle. It's not!!! R's signal has already done that. Everyone in the stadium knows that the ball will become dead when R catches or recovers it. Let the play reach its logical conclusion and only blow the whistle after it's absolutely clear that R has possessed the ball. And do you think that your quick whistle would prevent a hit on R in this case. Of course it wouldn't. All it does is increase the risk of an IW exponentially. On some occasions, I haven't sounded the whistle until the receiver turns to toss me the ball or set it on the ground.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: And I'll bet this evening's game check that they were blown on situations where R signalled for a fair catch...right?

OK, here's my soapbox rant and many of you have heard it before. But for the newer guys:


There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to hurry your whistle when a receiver makes a fair catch. Too many officials think it's their sworn duty on such plays to 'protect the receiver' with a quick whistle. It's not!!! R's signal has already done that. Everyone in the stadium knows that the ball will become dead when R catches or recovers it. Let the play reach its logical conclusion and only blow the whistle after it's absolutely clear that R has possessed the ball. And do you think that your quick whistle would prevent a hit on R in this case. Of course it wouldn't. All it does is increase the risk of an IW exponentially. On some occasions, I haven't sounded the whistle until the receiver turns to toss me the ball or set it on the ground.

Believe it or not, Bob, I pregame this with my crew (and especially the back judge) every week. To me it's the ultimate nightmare scenario.

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

Believe it or not, Bob, I pregame this with my crew (and especially the back judge) every week. To me it's the ultimate nightmare scenario.

REPLY: Was I right...or do I owe you my game check from tonight? Actually, I can't really lose since we don't have a game tonight!

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: Was I right...or do I owe you my game check from tonight? Actually, I can't really lose since we don't have a game tonight!

Of course you're right. But I wouldn't take that bet