Getting rolled over
 

Sort of embarrasing, but I figure I'd share and see if it's happened to anyone else.

Working a 5th grade game yesterday as LJ, and there's a run down the sideline. I believe I was running in out-of-bounds territory at the time, too. Atleast one player gets knocked down in front of me, and i can't stop or move in time and trip right over and roll on the ground. I got back up right away, and luckily the play ended a few yards later so I could mark the spot, but everyone on my crew had a good laugh about it.

Had one
 

Varsity game about 2 years ago. It was a KO and I had R's restraining line. R breaks it for a long one on my side and, surprised by the long return, my only thought was "Beat him to the GL". I turned tail and ran, actually turning my field of vision completely away,so I could accelerate. Got to top speed (That's my top speed, somewhere between a turtle and a sloth) and looked back at the field. R runner was right next to me and, guess what.....K player takes him out, in from of me, out of bounds. I tripped over them both.......Long story short, I bought the first round at the restaurant.....

I have no idea where the concept that, "beating him to the goal line" matters, comes from. Following the runner, perhaps as closely as practical, is the usual objective as your primary responsibility would be to observe whether, or not, he may touch the sideline and the legality of any blocks in the runner's immediate vicinity.

Working with 5, or even as few as 4, men is a completely different world than working with 6 or 7 men, as far as the wing positions are concerned.

Sadly, it's human nature for many people on the sideline to tend to step forward to watch a runner who has run past them, which is why there is such emphasis on sideline control at every level.

Umpires, good ones, usually lead their crews in bumps, blocks and sometimes tackles, but it's the wing officials, who when they go down, go down hard and are too often unable to get back up. Sideline collisions can be extremely dangerous and damaging and when they happen surprise everyone involved, much like the first time an old dog bites.

I keep hearing the words from my R keep that DARN WHISTLE OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!!! I had my first this year. Beer on me!!!

As for getting rolled,

This happened twice last year. The first time I had a run to my side (HL) and I was running just behind the play paying close attention so the runner does not step on the line. Team B player came in from the side trying to tackle and missed. I thought I would jump over the downed player and keep up with the play. I guess I miss judged everything, team B's player got back up as I was in the air. End result, he got my front foot & over I went. The play ended about 8 yards in front of me as I was getting up. Thankfully I got the spot. I killed the play & marked the spot. The coach came up with my hat and everything I lost inside the hat. He told me that was the funniest thing he has seen in a long time, and good job getting the spot. My Friday night knickers turned into JH & JV pants.

About 2 weeks later I have a long pass play, I cheat down about 8 yards the throw is away. I turn and start down the side lines. As team A catches the ball I see stars. Team A's coach was standing about 5 yards on the field and I got taken out by him. When I got up my knee was killing me, my lip was bleeding & my head hurt. I found out the next Monday my MCL was torn and it might require surgery to repair it. My knee still hurts after that game but I have not had surgery yet.

Flagged, I hope?

I've gone down 3 times (as a BJ) in college games, twice by D-backs right after the whistle.

Our U smoked the ball boy on a play last week. It was on a fumble return on a free kick. The U was running the sideline and looking onto the field when the ballboy, who was too young and too small to be one, ran onto the field for some reason during the play. The U didn't see him and ran him over. On the same play the BJ went down while trying to stop at the end of the play.

Fodder for good laughs later.

Other than the normal bumps as an U, I have been taken down once - 2 OL block a DL straight backwards, and I couldn't back out fast enough.
I've taken myself out once - backpeddling out of the field I fell on my padded end.
And on the sidleines I've taken out one player (QB who then complemented me on the best hit of the game), and 2 coaches - all flagged, never had anyone hurt.

Had a play last week where I went to the line on a pass and the QB decided to shoot up the middle when no one got open. Found myself between a defender and the QB. The kid hit me from behind but I stayed up. Later in the series, he smiled at me and said "you've got good balance there, ref." I just smiled back and joked "no, you just have to hit harder." :)

I...have no comment lest I jinx myself. :rolleyes: I could've been credited with a couple of tackles while working at umpire though.

It comes from the need to go directly to the goal line when the ball is snapped inside the 5 yard line.

Our BJ was backing up last Friday night on a run down the sideline. The next I know, all I see is the soles of his shoes and the seat and backside inseam of his legs. We got a lot of enjoyment out of that. :D

Thanks BktBalRef for reminding me of something I've understood, pretty clearly, for the past 40+ years. My question was directed at a previous comment suggesting, "R breaks it for a long one on my side and, surprised by the long return, my only thought was "Beat him to the GL".

Sometimes you need to read what's said in the immediate context of when it's said, so you really understand what it relates to.

I'm U in a Varsity game. Normally, on runs up the middle I key off the lead blocker. If he goes to my left, I move to my right, and vice-versa. Lead blocker goes to my right, so I step to my left. As soon as I do, the left-side LB hits me in my back, drives me into the blocker, MLB, AND runner, and we all go down in a heap. To make matters worse, the area is completely void of grass, and the dust flies all over the place. And, to compound the absurdity of the situation, the referee walks over and drops his flag ON ME, and says, "I've got the umpire for blocking below the waist".

Bob

Few years back I was working the wing. Long pass to my side end zone. I was about the fifteen running toward the end zone (at a speed approaching 3mph). The next thing I know I am face down in the grass. I later found out that the chain crew picked up the stick to get out of my way and tripped me with the chain. I looked up just in time to see the receiver out of bounds in the end zone with the ball. I had no idea whether he caught it or not. Thankfully our BJ picked up the slack and called the TD.

Lesson learned: Park the chain crew back to track if you can!

I crew that I used to work worth with has a referee a little long in the tooth. They have a running pool whereby each of the other four members of the crew put in money each game. They then draw numbers one thru four representing your quarter for that game. If the codger R goes down in your quarter, then you win the pool. Pot carries over from week to week. If he does not go down the whole year, the R wins the pot. Great fun for Umpires as well.

[QUOTE=PA-28-181;542852]The coach came up with my hat and everything I lost inside the hat. He told me that was the funniest thing he has seen in a long time, and good job getting the spot. My Friday night knickers turned into JH & JV pants.

What else do you keep in your hat?

These items in your hat could be the problem. If its a microwave oven or something you could really hurt yourself.