Measurement "courtesy"

[Rich]

Last night I was in the fourth quarter of a 47-7 game with a running clock.

Visiting team is winning and has the ball with second/third string players in. Third down. Play leaves the offense a ball length or two short, but definitely short. I came up to the ball, looked across, declared it short, heard my umpire say it definitely was short, and was getting ready to put it in play.

Then the offensive coordinator requests a measurement. I declined. I told him, "it's definitely short," and marked it ready for play.

Next, the offense calls a timeout and decides that they want to spend the minute arguing the fact that I wouldn't measure. The offensive coordinator walked behind the post of the chain and was saying that it was definitely a first down.

I'll be quite honest here. Little piggies could've started falling from the sky at this point and I still wouldn't have called for the chains. Instead of getting his second and third string players some valuable experience converting a fourth down, the coach decided to take it out on me and my linesman. I ignored the coaches for 45 seconds, talking with the umpire marking my card, and then blew my whistle calling for the teams.

They got a yard on fourth down and moved the chains.

I'm convinced that some officials bring the chains out whenever a coach requests it. Unfortunately, my experience is that coaches always think we should measure anytime it's less than a yard for a first down and I have no problem declining the request when it's CLEAR to me that we are short of a first down.

I have no problem measuring when warranted. We brought the chains out four times last night. I will use the chains to move the football when it's stopped in the side zone and getting an extremely accurate spot at the hash mark is crucial.

OK, white hats. Is a request for a measurement a rubber stamp for you guys, or what?

--Rich