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Stranger in a Strange Land
Had my first game in my new state last night (finally, after getting a place to live and sorting through a crazy work schedule). Felt good. Had the chains in a four-man crew for a freshman game (apparently a lack of officials has them staggering lower-level games through the week, with freshmen on Wednesdays and Jayvee on Thursday and then varsity on Fridays).
Felt like old times (even though it had only been just over a month since I did a game). Guys I worked with were great. All the non-verbal hand signals between officials are different here from what I was used to. The signals for "double sticks," "clock killer," "ten men," all different. Took a little getting used to. Coach on my side was pretty well-behaved. He did lose his mind on one long play against his team's defense. Team A had 7 on the line, but the tackle on my side was uncovered. There were no backs or ends on my side of the field (turns out A only had 10 men to begin with). The coach chased me the length of the field to tell me it was an illegal formation, that you can't leave a tackle uncovered. He wasn't appeased by the referee's explanation. "Why not?" "Because that's the rule." He was still talking about it five minutes later, but I tuned him out. Weather was nice. Apparently the season goes a little bit longer here, another couple weeks. I think next week is the last week of the regular season back in Illinois. Anyway, I just wanted to get a run out or two before the season ended. |
Welcome to Arizona. The staggered games are common statewide. I'm up in Flagstaff, and I'll be doing a varsity game this afternoon up on the reservation in addition to one Friday night. We are just short on officials everywhere.
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Coach thinks he coaching in the NFL.
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I've seen officials communicate "double sticks" all the time, but why? It seems kind of pointless to me... Also, what's a "clock killer" and why do you signal it? |
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REPLY: Just interested...what signal do you use for that?
signal # 19 |
We hit our fists on top of each other as a clock killer and make in X with our forearms to indicate double sticks. Others?
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What other non-standard signals do you folks use out there?
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As back judge, I've swept the arm's to the side to indicate a receiver caught a pass beyond the end line. I personally use the NF signal for touchback, but I know the NFL version is the one most guys in stripes like to use. For me, I know some of the signals I use are "non-standard" but in my opinion signals or hand gestures are just extensions of our ability to communicate, not only to each other, but to the coaches and the fans. I realize the fans don't come to watch the refs, but I do feel it is our duty to "communicate" what is happening on the field as best as we can. |
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Clock killer here is apparently thumbs waggled back and forth with hands waist-high. |
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