One key thing coach's evaluations do tell us

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by FootballRef05

As we have stated, how can you glean rules knowledge from coaches "feedback"? As I, and many others have stated, coached do not know the rules so taking away that I need to improve my rules knowledge my a coaches feedback is not something I am willing to do. As Rich said so well, these guys know little if nothing about what we do and how we do it. They should focus on coaching the game and not worrying about what we do.

Believe it or not, SOME coaches know the rules or at least some specific rules. I have seen some of the situations and the coaches were right and the official was wrong. They have legitimate questions sometimes and we must respond to those questions. I am not quite willing to believe that ALL of our officials know ALL of the rules and apply them correctly ALL of the time. If they did, they wouldn't be signing on to this forum.

As for me, I haven't quite got the entire rule book memorized so I AM willing to improve my rules knowledge every year. For those of you who have it memorized, congratulations!

[bisonlj]

We often hear "I can't believe you made that call. I'll make sure you get a '1' vote for the playoffs." Many wing officials are afraid to be too strict on enforcing sideline decorum because they feel it will negatively affect their score. It's really not a healthy environment and most coaches don't like it either. They have more important things to do than evaluate the crew. As hard as our job is at least our livelihood doesn't depend on it. If a coach makes enough mistakes, he's fired!

[sloth]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

We often hear "I can't believe you made that call. I'll make sure you get a '1' vote for the playoffs." Many wing officials are afraid to be too strict on enforcing sideline decorum because they feel it will negatively affect their score. It's really not a healthy environment and most coaches don't like it either. They have more important things to do than evaluate the crew. As hard as our job is at least our livelihood doesn't depend on it. If a coach makes enough mistakes, he's fired!

As a wing official you do feel a certain amount of pressure to not offend a coach. I posted earlier this year about a USC that I threw on a coach for taunting an opposing player. Fortunately, that happened after the post season vote, but that should never have to enter your mind. If you have conduct that need to be puinished the last thing you should be thinking is "do I really want to do this, it might cost us advancing in the post season". As much as I hate to say it that is something that will always be in the back of my mind as I work the sideline.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

We often hear "I can't believe you made that call. I'll make sure you get a '1' vote for the playoffs." Many wing officials are afraid to be too strict on enforcing sideline decorum because they feel it will negatively affect their score. It's really not a healthy environment and most coaches don't like it either. They have more important things to do than evaluate the crew. As hard as our job is at least our livelihood doesn't depend on it. If a coach makes enough mistakes, he's fired!

If a coach used this line...

"I can't believe you made that call. I'll make sure you get a '1' vote for the playoffs."

...there would be an immediate 15 yard USC tacked on. It's right up there with "you'll never work here again" or "you're through in this conference."

My crew got blackballed from a conference after I gave a USC to a coach who ran out to the hashmarks to argue a spearing ejection last season. My only regret looking back was not tossing the idiot when he tried to continue his nonsense at halftime.

Oh well, my schedule's full. And live and learn.

[ToGreySt]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

If a coach used this line...

"I can't believe you made that call. I'll make sure you get a '1' vote for the playoffs."

...there would be an immediate 15 yard USC tacked on. It's right up there with "you'll never work here again" or "you're through in this conference."

My crew got blackballed from a conference after I gave a USC to a coach who ran out to the hashmarks to argue a spearing ejection last season. My only regret looking back was not tossing the idiot when he tried to continue his nonsense at halftime.

Oh well, my schedule's full. And live and learn.

you say live and learn, i'm just curious if there was anything you could have done to avoid being blackballed. I'm just curious because I'm sure this happens more often than I would like to believe. I would like to avoid being blackballed, but I also don't want to become a " " out on the field

Joe

[FootballRef05]

Originally Posted by Forksref

Believe it or not, SOME coaches know the rules or at least some specific rules. I have seen some of the situations and the coaches were right and the official was wrong. They have legitimate questions sometimes and we must respond to those questions. I am not quite willing to believe that ALL of our officials know ALL of the rules and apply them correctly ALL of the time. If they did, they wouldn't be signing on to this forum.

As for me, I haven't quite got the entire rule book memorized so I AM willing to improve my rules knowledge every year. For those of you who have it memorized, congratulations!

I never said I know all of the rules nor have I said not a single coach knows any of the rules. The majority don't know enough to be rating my preformance on the field; that I know for sure. As far as officials go, with 4 or 5 men out there we get it correct 99.9999% of the time. Sure, there is the time when something is admisistered wrong or interperted incorrectly, none of us on the field are perfect.

I don't think your assessment of officials signing on to this forum has any bearing on ones rules knowledge. Most come here to IMPROVE their rules knowledge and share their on field experiences with other officials. Comments like that only bolster my optnion that coaches know little of what we do and the time we put in to become officials and master our profession.