Sportmanship--What can officials do?
 

I’m sure most of you have heard of the running back from Matewan High who ran for 658 yards in a 64-0 win. Matewan was playing a team that hadn’t scored a TD against them in seven years and barely had enough players to field a team. During the second half, Matewan played their starters, ran a no-huddle offense and on defense refused to return punts, allowing the ball to roll backwards so that RB McCoy could have more yards to gain. It was a calculated effort to break the record.

Now, I have seen a few reporters who have commented on this story and have asked the question if the officials could have done anything to stop it. They point to Section 9, Article 3 of the NFHS rulebook. “Neither team shall commit any act, which in the opinion of the referee, tends to make a travesty of the game.” Violations for this can be “any penalty the referee considers equitable.”

Would any of you consider using this rule to do something in a situation like this?

“Records are sometimes worth pursuing, sportsmanship be damned.”
Yogi Kinder, Matewan High School Coach

I would not do anything specific because that is not part of my job as an official. I would not let much go if it were against the winning team - I'd cut them no slack.

Keeping the score down or protecting the ego of the less talented team would not be something we as officials should do.

In Austria (we play NCAA rules) we have an additional rule called the "Mercy Rule". This rule applies only in 2nd half if one of the team is leading with 35 or more than 35 points difference. When Mercy-Rule applies we always have a running clock. It only stops with team time outs, scores, injury time out ...

If the score difference gets fewer than 35points ... the clock doesn't go back to normal. It keeps running.

That's how we keep teams from running up the score. Normally they send out the backup players if there is too much difference on the score.

Amazed
 

I'm amazed that this post didn't open a can of worms. As officials it is our responsibility to ensure, at the high school level, that the integrity of the game is protected and that, as much as possible, the experience is positive for the participants. Kinder's conduct and comments, if reported accuractly, should be actionable by the state authority.

I do not know of any rule that forces a punt return; so there isn't any room there. On the other hand, the rule book does not stipulate that a hold or illegal use of hands MUST affect the play in order to be flaged. We, as officials, simply use common sense in that area, aided by a mechanics manual. It's the rare High School play that doesn't have something happen on the field that could be flaged. A blockers hands slightly ourside the frame? Flagable! A back twitching ever so slightly before the snap? Flagable! The center moving the ball forward ever so slightly as opposed to simply tilting the ball? Flagable! As a Referee, after it becomes apparent what the winning team is doing in a case like presented in the post, my crew and I are getting together to very briefly review when flags are to be thrown. Make up the foul? OF COURSE NOT. But call everything we see, everywhere on the field - you bet! Problem probably solved. If my crew gets scratched from that school next year, GOOD! It would be hard for me to forget that quote from the coach - even a year later.

Our BJ has decided to do something off the field. He started a non-profit Org. called Team Sports in WI. His plan is to be asked to be a speaker at schools, typically in conjunction with the mandatory athletic meetings, but could be at any time. His discussions will key on what good sportsmanship is, relating to players, parents, coaches, etc. in all sports.

Our State athletic association distributes data related to ejections in our annual required officials/coaches sports meetings. Football had been on the increase but has leveled off, but some other sports such as soccer are continuing to increase in ejections of players and coaches. Maybe our BJ can help out in this area.

I have yet to attend a presentation of his (he's only been in it for about 3 months), but I intend to, and will keep you posted on results. One of our officials is a principal at a local HS and did invite BJ in, and said it was well received by all (parents, coaches, players).

I would not recommend getting together to discuss what fouls are called and then calling every ticky-tack foul. That would look as unprofessional as the coach. Maybe at half-time you can discuss it. Surely in pregame, these officials knew this would be a blowout.

If I recall from the story, a 70-something yard TD was called back in that game. I wonder if this was an example of what you're proposing.

I think officials should maybe call the game a little tighter, but don't go overboard. I would recommend trying to keep the clock running. Player is hit near sideline and goes OB, maybe you saw his forward progress end on the field of play. These guys were running a hurry-up offense - slow down the officiating pace. Hold of on the RFP for a few seconds whenever the clock is running. Take your time getting the ball from the spot to the U to set it down. There are lots of things that can be done to make it harder to run up the score without having to throw phantom flags. Remember, you still have an obligation to call it the same both ways.

We have a coach in the area that is notorious for throwing the ball late in the 4th quarter when up by 50 or 60 points. My crew's solution is to never take a game that they play in. I know it doesn't solve the problem, but we refuse to work their games. All of the crews in the area that are worth their salt do the same thing. The coach doesn't see a good officiating crew until the playoffs, and by then he's usually more evenly matched with his opponents.

Had a game with a team losing 0-40 mid way thru the 4th. Losing team ends up marching down to B's 3 yard line on 3rd down.

Then they fumble.

Then A player is kinda going for the ball, team B player kinda knocks him outta the way to get the ball. I decide to flag for interference on a loose ball. Penalty: A 1D @ PF. It was a bit of a stretch of a call, and I knew it.

They ended up scoring. Winning team scored one more time. Final score: 47-6. No harm done, team A was happy to score a TD.

As said earlier we can't stretch the rules and impose on our integrality. As hard as it may seem we just have to stand by and watch this travesty of a game and a coach that has no business working with kids. It is our job to enforce sportsmanship within the framework of the rules given to us by the NFHS and our own state. This has generated a lot a discussion around the country and hopefully the next coach that decides to do something like this thinks twice.

“Records are sometimes worth pursuing, sportsmanship be damned.”

Did the guy really say that?

Sportsmanship should never, never, never, never never be damned. Ever. It was true with the "Florida Flop" of 1971 and it's true today.

Some guys need to be b!tchslapped.

More than some!

I mean, don't get me wrong....I don't think there's anything we could actually do as officials in the context of the game itself. In our state, the clock would already be running continuously, but I can't think of anything else we could do.

I have had partners actually tell me "see if we can't get a holding penalty in here against this team soon," but I refused. I'm not going to go there. If I see one, I'll flag it, but I'm not going to make one up.

Being impartial means being impartial, even if it burns sometime.

But I'd hold that coach in much lower regard in the future, that's for sure. And if I could avoid doing his games, I would. I'm not sure that's a realistic option in that part of the country, where there may not be a whole lot of officials in and around those small towns (just a guess on my part - I have no idea).

What is the definition of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty? Could you flag something like not returning a punt just to rack up yards as "unsportsmanlike?" Now that I think about it, you probably can't get into "intent," but if there is unsportsmanlike conduct on the field in this instance, there would be an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for it.

Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part. I would have loved to see the running back and head coach ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct. But that would probably open up a can of worms unnecessarily.

I wonder if that's true. In fact, if officials refused to work his games, and there was a limited supply of officials ...

2 problems. The RB was not exhibiting UC - so it would not be appropriate to penalize him. Also - penalizing them for UC for not returning a punt would only HELP their cause - remember, they were trying to make the field as long as possible for this kid.

Surprised the OTHER coach didn't take matters into his own hands. Why punt - ever? Why limit themselves to 11 on the field? Incur the 15 yard penalty for IP if necessary (perhaps explaining what you're doing so you don't get the normal DB IS instead). Heck, put 15 guys out there - you stop the kid's run if they decline the penalty, and you shorten the field if they take it, and this kid doesn't get his yards. I don't see this as any less sportsmanlike than the offending team letting punts roll. Intentionally false start or DOG when on offense, running the clock (surely in THIS case the R wouldn't invoke the "clock at the snap" thing).

I don't know ... just thinking out loud.

In Connecticut we have the so called 50 point rule but that has done little to keep scores down. We do not have a Mercy Rule...however we as R's have been known to run the clock when we shouldn't which basically means the "old timing rules". But, no we don't get together and try to figure out what fouls we should call. The idea is survival...to get everyone out healthy and the like. There is nothing good that is going to happen the longer we are on the field.

Game becomes a travesty, then. You might as well play APBA.

You're probably right.

It seems like you disagree.

Are you telling me that you call a hold the same for 19 year old vs. 10 year olds? I didn't think so. I merely decided that in this game, that loose ball contact is a foul. Another game it likely won't be. If the loosing team came back to score 42 unanswered points in less than 6 minutes, then my call that I could have flagged/could have not flagged is the least of the other team's worries.

I don't condone making up fouls, but geesh mister Goodwill, where's your goodwill?

Are you saying running up the score is a travesty? I don't agree with your statement that the coach does not having any business working with kids. What if the disparity between the teams is such that even with the winning team having their 2nd/3rd stringers in, they still score points. Do you want to tell the 3rd stringers to not try their hardest to score points? Don't we afford these players the chance to learn, expand their skill, and try their hardest?

This may not be in the same vein as some of the other post, but it has to deal with sportsmanship and my game last night. I'm the LJ. Ball is on my hash. Incomplete screen pass with a defender hitting the reciever (team on other side of the field) a fraction of a second after the ball was incomplete...I have no penalty. Reciever, respectfully, ask me why there was no penalty on the late hit. As I try to explain it to him I hear from an assistant behind me (maybe 5 yards away) "go back to your sidelines cry-baby"...not believeing what I just heard I turn around and see this assistant leaning over and rubbing his eyes in the cry baby sort of sign saying "wa, wa". I know the opponent player say and hear this as he was right by me.

Without a second thought flag was out and we asses a 15 USC on the coach. Later, at the half, the white hat suggested that the best way to handle that is to talk to the head coach and if it doesn't get better then you flag it. I've thought on it since then and have come to the conclusion that I did the right thing and I'd do it again in a second if the same thing happened.

I'm in my third full year as a varsity official (all as LJ). I've been insulted, called names and had my judgement questioned more time that I can count. I've never had an USC on a coach. I have very thick skin and I'm willing to allow a coach some room to vent. I will use preventative officiating in those instances and allow the HC to take care of assistants. But I draw the line at a coach taunting opposing players. Thats one of those things that in my book, gets no warning and no second chances. I'm glad I did what I did despite the objections of the rest of my crew.

You are, without a doubt, correct. This is a very appropriate flag for USC. If a player did this, it would be taunting and a USC -- should we hold coaches to LOWER standards?

[QUOTE=JugglingReferee]Then A player is kinda going for the ball, team B player kinda knocks him outta the way to get the ball. I decide to flag for interference on a loose ball. Penalty: A 1D @ PF. It was a bit of a stretch of a call, and I knew it.QUOTE]

A bit of a stretch? The only kind of interference I know of can only be called during a legal forward pass, which no fumble could ever meet the definition of. How was this explained to the coach? And was it received well?

Maybe you didn't know that I'm Canadian. We have a rule that says when the ball is loose, playing an opponent and not the ball is a loose ball interference foul if the foul is against an opponent directly making a play to recover the ball. The penalty it AFD at PF for the non-offending team.

It did not have to be explained to the coach, and he received it well.

That makes sense then.

REPLY: I agree with Rich...coach deserved the USC in sloth's situation. If he said it out into the open air after the player returned to his huddle and couldn't hear him, I would have let it go with a warning. But as soon as it's directed to the player himself, flag flies. And I make sure that the head coach is aware that his assistant acted like an 8-year old.

Football is a competitve sport. The best way to stop blowouts is for the other team to play better. Why ask the third string FB on the winning team to not try and score in his first carry of his life just because his team is ahead. Likewise, why should we penalize the coach when he does score. In my opinion the Connecticut rule is a joke. We want our kids to compete and reap the benefits of athletics. However, we don't want to damage their fragile self esteems by letting the result. Instead we try and protect them from losing. Why? Isn't that what athletics is all about.

What's next. In the 100 meter dash you can not get more than 10 meter ahead of your competitors or you are DQ'ed.

While I'm at it. Why is team L still playing team W if they haven't scored in seven years. Sounds like the AD might have some questions to answer. Is team W coach a jerk. Absolutely. Does he have the right to be a jerk. Absolutely! Why? Because in a fair competition he trounced team L. How do we prevent this. Team L improves.

Or I could be wrong and the teams could sing Cum Bah Yah instead.

Winning team playing their 3rd stringers and still scoring is one thing.

Winning team keeping their starters in, calling time outs with seconds to go, throwing bombs, etc is a completely different thing.

As I said, coach of team W is a jerk. But, a jerk within his rights.

I've found that in a blowout Team W's 3rd string will still crush Team L's 3rd string.

[QUOTE=parepat]Football is a competitve sport. The best way to stop blowouts is for the other team to play better. Why ask the third string FB on the winning team to not try and score in his first carry of his life just because his team is ahead. Likewise, why should we penalize the coach when he does score. In my opinion the Connecticut rule is a joke. We want our kids to compete and reap the benefits of athletics. However, we don't want to damage their fragile self esteems by letting the result. Instead we try and protect them from losing. Why? Isn't that what athletics is all about."

In college I might agree with you. I definitely agree with you in the NFL. This is high school. These kids can't help which side of the school district line they live on. Maybe the AD shouldn't schedule this butt-kicking every year, but nothing gives a high school head coach the right to intentionally embarrass kids to satisfy his own ego trip. This guy ran a no-huddle offense, let punts roll unfielded to add to the yardage for his running back, called time-outs with a huge lead - - all intended to get a record. That's not the point of the game. What lesson did those kids on either side learn? Athletics, especially high school athletics is not "all about" being humiliated. Yes, the other team can get better. Yes, the other team should use a little more discretion in scheduling. But that does not excuse the unsportsmanlike behavior of the head coach. Sportsmanship is what high school athletics is all about.

[QUOTE=simpson]Your right I shouldn't have said competiton is what it is ALL about. There is more to sports. However, I believe it to be the primary reason we play. Now in this case, as previously stated, coach of team W is a jerk. Losing is a consequence of competing. We should not legislate it. Let society's condemnation of this jerk's actions be the punishment. Better yet, maybe he'll run into a buzz saw and have it happen to him. My point is that we as officials or our state associations should not be punishing players for being to good, or having a jerk for a coach or coaches because their kids scored too many points. As much as we don't like it.

Wow. Just... wow. I've met some sorry coaches in my day (and some damn fine ones, too). But that is a new low. Not only would I have flagged this coach, but he's done in my game - I don't care what level it is, crap like that doesn't belong on the football field at all, and from a coach it's inexcusable.

Good flag. One thing that burns me is when you do throw this type of flag and it's suggested that you should warn the coach or player first. My opinion is that they try this crap because they expect to get off with a warning because that's how someone else handled it in the past.

Throw that flag and consider that the warning for next week.

And what exactly would you flag the coach for? Do you have a case book cite that calls for a foul against a team for being too good?

I guess you don't know much about high school sports. High schools really don't have a whole lot of say in who they play. The school I coached at the football team had one game that they could schedule on their own. The rest of the games were already scheduled based on conference and district obligations and those are set by the state. You can ask to be moved to another conference or district, but the state is going to need a lot better reason than the other teams are better if they are going to make all those schedule changes.

Yes he did say that when asked if all the calls and emails and grief he has taken over all this was worth it.

I suspect we're talking about different things - I was referring to sloth's post in which the coach called an opposing player a "cry baby." I suspect you're talking about the original, running-up-the-score scenario.

What you probably meant to say was "in our god forsaken part of the country the AD does not have control over the schedule." I can tell you that in many, many areas the school does have control over what teams and conferences they play. Maybe neither one of us knows much about high school sports.:D

You are exactly right. I am wrong. My apologies.

Had a game tonight get out of hand, freshman A game, second game of a doubleheader on a cold night, last game of the season for both teams.

Home team was on us (I was on their sideline) from the get-go. Wanted me to call a clip all the way on the other side of the field (of course it was "right in front of me," like anything 53 yards away is), wanted this, wanted that, wanted a late hit on a shove on the sideline that didn't even send the runner to the ground, wanted a face guarding call on a pass downfield on the opposite side, yadda yadda yadda.

Anyway, they were losing 35-0 in the fourth, they finally score and a kid on their team drops an f-bomb in the direction of an opponent. By that point, with only a few minutes left in the game, I was going to pretend I didn't hear it just for the good of the order and to get us out of there, but the WH heard it and flagged it, which, of course, incensed the home sideline even more.

First play after the kickoff goes to the other side, and two kids completely behind the play and out of range of everything get to wrasslin' and take each other down, I go over to break it up and one kid grabs the other's facemask. The WH's flag comes in before I can get mine out, but the assistant coach on my side cops an attitude (don't know why, we got the flag).

Now, I'm trying to get better at sideline decorum, so I don't bark at the guy, but I just look at him, and that sets him off: "I haven't given you any crap all night, why are you staring me down?"

So shortly thereafter, visiting team gets a first down on a run on 4th and 1 and the play's over and all of a sudden I hear a fracas and two kids are into it. I didn't see it start, just the fight as they're already into it. I'm trying to make sure people don't come in off the bench on my side to make it worse (and, this being the first fight I've had in three years, I forget to beanbag the spot, which I should have). We end up throwing the instigator out (home team player) and the other kid from the other team (I shudder to think of what might have happened if it hadn't been even).

The last 3 minutes plus just would not end, despite the fact the winning team did nothing but run up the middle. We got the hell out of there.

Anyway, it's odd that some teams that know they're not as good as the team they're playing will be calm enough on the sidelines when they're getting pounded, and others seem to find us an easy target. You just never know what you're going to get. I've even had some teams that were winning big who just wouldn't let stuff go.

I honestly don't think we had that bad a game, certainly no worse than any other 42-8 game you've ever seen, and there were only three of us (two wings and a referee) so what are you going to do?

Couple of lessons learned, though - the kid who instigated the fight was ticked off a few minutes prior on a touchdown play that just broke the plane, and the WH had to talk to him. In retrospect, we probably should have told the coach that for the good of the order, maybe #48 should sit out a series to cool out.

And I learned to remember to beanbag the spot before you go in to break up a fight.

Fights in a freshmen game is really sad.

I had a similar experience with the visiting coaches in a JV game this week. I was on their sideline and listened to the crap from an assistant coach for the better part of 3 quarters. He cried about EVERYTHING. That's a clip! That's a hold! How can you can that? How can that be roughing the kicker when we blocked the punt?!

I let all of this slide without even turning to look at the bench but I finally had enough when this coach started saying that they wouldn't get a call because they were the visiting team. I finally turned and asked him, "Are you questioning my integrity?"

He was startled at first but then replied that he was talking to another coach and it was just his opinion.

My final words to him, "It stops right here. I've heard enough!"

Shame of it was this was a very close game that was decided in the final minute.

Ooh, I could have used that one when I heard a "Of course, you're not going to call anything on them."

I try not to have rabbit ears, but "are you questioning my integrity?" sounds like it would be a good conversation stopper.

Different sport, I know, but one you learn from one you can apply to another...

I've had exactly 1 nose to nose shouting match with a baseball manager. This was 10+ years ago. Afterwards I promised myself that I'd never get engaged in an argument like that again. I choose to stay calm, listen to the manager or coach, tell him why I made the call I did and then I walk away. If he wants to continue I tell him that the discussion is over and it's time to get back to the game. Anything he says after that may subject him to the appropriate penalty.

Isn't it odd how the dynamics of official/coach interaction seem to differ from sport to sport?

In baseball, managers seem to have no qualms about coming all the way out, getting in your face and taking their sweet time about making their displeasure known.

In basketball, because of the proximity between them and us, you get a little of that, but rarely is it to the same degree.

In football, the space seems wider, there are more of us than there are in other sports, and I can't remember seeing too many instances where a coach (besides Bill Cowher) goes after an official.

Just interesting to note.

I have my last sophomore game tonight, last night of the regular season, and I'm going to make a conscious effort to remain calm at all times and not do anything to antagonize anybody.