Two Scenarios from Last Night

[sloth]

...on the issue of 12 men breaking the huddle, I've had this fight with several other officials...some of which I would say are excellent officials. Some just can't accept the discression the white hat is given by the federation over the NCAA. In fact I have simply given up trying to educate others. When I wear the white hat, I call it the right way; when I'm not, I let it go and don't say a word.

My issues is and always has been that the federation allows the referee the discression to decide when the replaced player has stayed on the field too long. There is the discression to allow an inexperienced player to linger a little longer if he doesn't realize that he should have already left the field. The NCAA statute gives a very solid, concret measure for illegal substitution. While I agree that breaking the huddle with 12 players should alert the referee to pay attendtion that no advantage is being gained , it in NOT an automatic foul as in NCAA.