The Official Forum - Sideline control

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Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ_NV

so here's what I do. I never throw a sideline warning during a dead-ball period. It has little affect other than to annoy everyone in attendance for something "administrative" in their opinion and the coaches just keep talking into their headsets anyway. So what I do is wait for the "big play". The one where their defense intercepts a pass and runs it back or they have a long gain or a great special teams play. Inevitably you're going to bump into one of the coaches, especially when they're excited and right on the sideline because they want to see. Bonus points for hitting an assistant coach...the point being is that you let it fly nice and high while their team is running back a pick for 6. Then you take your time talking to the R at the same time calling your opposite wing over for a quick conference...meanwhile the coaches know it's on them and the assistant knows he's probably going to get his *** chewed for getting a TD called back. Let them sweat for 30 seconds and then jog back over after the "conference" and advise the HC that this was a sideline warning and it's either a warning (or ding them with a 5 yarder but it's still a NP/SS foul so they get to keep the score). Then you're the great guy for "just warning them" and "letting them" keep the points--which they would know anyway if they read the rulebook. Then point out the offender to the HC if it's not the HC and watch the fireworks.
As an added bonus, the offside wing gets to tell his coach that the other guy is getting a sideline warning and if he doesn't want the same thing, he needs to control his sideline as well.

That's righteous.

The other school of thought is that you nail 'em early.

I'm lenient, even though my (former) state made sideline control a POE a couple of years back. As long as everybody can do their job, we don't have a problem. But persuasiveness only goes so far before I need to nail 'em.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ_NV

Remember to always throw your flag for an official sideline warning. Just because the first one is "free", doesn't make it any less of a penalty per the rulebook

We go with no flag for the sideline warning. Is this correct under Fed mechanics? (Personally, I think there should be a flag, however, what I think does not amount to very much.)

Anyway, my theories on the sideline warning:

1. It is a 'freebie' for them. They don't lose yardarge on the first one, so do not be afraid of giving it to them.

2. Discuss it with your referee in the pregame. Not saying you should call it in advance, but have the confidence that he will back you up 100% on it. I know mine will, so that makes it easier for me to call one knowing that he will not, in any way, question its validity.

3. Don't kill the other team's momentum with it. In other words, A is putting together a long drive. The 4th coach puts his toenail in the box for B. At this point, I would not stop A's momentum and give B a 'free' timeout as a result of their doing something 'illegal.'

4. Teams are usually (95% of the time) not upset at you for giving one. In my not very long career I have not had many. One time, out of all of those, I got a snide, under-the-breath comment from the coach (something to the effect of "worry about what's happening on the field, not on the bench"). All the other times, the coaches have gotten on the players and I have gotten a lot more room over there.