NFHS Survey up

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by ODJ

The survey is wanting our opinions about adding NCAA rules; the 'horse collar' penalty, a visible play clock, a 40/25 clock, no LoD on OPI, ending A-11, no free kick after fair catch, B can earn a 2-pt. conversion on A's turnover during PAT, fouls by offense enforced at PS.

Apparently, helmets coming off the runner is a big problem. Who knew.

1) Horse collar...fine by me, it is a safety thing.
2) Play clock...the coaches around here don't even want the BJ visible count. Most schools don't have the money.
3) 40/25 clock...the clock operators we have get confused enough as it is, no thank you please.
4) No LoD on OPI...either that or make the yardage penalty less, maybe like illegal touching.
5) Ending A-11...by all that is holy, yes.
6) No free kick after fair catch...who cares, I mean really?
7) B scores on a try...no.
8) Fouls by offense behind the LoS...besides the occasional holding call, is this really a big deal?

I'm surprised the ability to bring a kick out of the EZ vs it being an auto-TB is not up for consideration.

[ajmc]

The offense has earned the opportunity to "try" for a bonus point. The defense has earned nothing, but is given a fair opportunity to prevent the offense from earning their bonus.

Why would you want to reward the defense for allowing their opponent to score a TD?

[TXMike]

The NCAA rule was changed in 1988 as there was thought that the extra point was too much in favor of the offense and the change was needed to restore some balance. They also hoped to reduce the number of PAT kicks. They achieved the 1st goal but did not do much on the 2d.

[KurtBryan]

Dear Officials:

Two great pieces coming out this month: a) ESPN Magazine - should be a great piece,

and b) the NY Times called today, and the A-11 Offense will be featured as one of great inventions in the Country in 2008 in their annual issue.

* That is great news for: the kids, the coaches, the Refs, the fans and the NFHS and CIF...plus all of the other teams, coaches, players and states who ramped up the A-11 in 2008.

[JRutledge]

I guess if you call an invention that cannot be used the following year great.

Peace

[TXMike]

This will the 8th installment of the series by the NY Times Magazine

Interesting disclaimer from last year's list:


"They're not the best, not all the most promising .... They're not even the most popular. The ideas are not necessarily good ideas."

And an example of some of the great ideas from last year's list:

Lap dancers get better tips when they are ovulating.

You are in great company there KB!

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by TXMike

The NCAA rule was changed in 1988 as there was thought that the extra point was too much in favor of the offense and the change was needed to restore some balance. They also hoped to reduce the number of PAT kicks. They achieved the 1st goal but did not do much on the 2d.

The solution was so simple (abolishing the try outright) they couldn't see it.

Darn, I should've multi-quoted. But at least now the thread won't be so dominated by A-11 discussion.

Robert

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by Mike L

1) Horse collar...fine by me, it is a safety thing.

Where are all the horse collar injuries? I'm not seeing them.

[aschramm]

Originally Posted by waltjp

Where are all the horse collar injuries? I'm not seeing them.

I haven't seen any either (This is my first year though), but I sure do hear the coaches and fans yelling for a call though.

[Sonofanump]

Originally Posted by aschramm

but I sure do hear the coaches and fans yelling for a call though.

Welcome to officiating. It is funny sometimes when you hear fans yelling for something that is not part of the high school rules.

[aschramm]

Originally Posted by Sonofanump

Welcome to officiating. It is funny sometimes when you hear fans yelling for something that is not part of the high school rules.

Yes, and I do expect to hear it from fans, since most are unaware that high school athletics have their own rule set. However when I have the youth coaches yelling about it, that's another problem.

[Bullycon]

Originally Posted by Sonofanump

Welcome to officiating. It is funny sometimes when you hear fans yelling for something that is not part of the high school rules.

It can get funnier. I saw one horse collar tackle at a youth game this year. I hear a woman behind me yell, "Watch the clipping ref! He pulled him down from behind! That's just as bad as a face mask!"

[aschramm]

I think my favorite was in baseball this year, I believe it was U12 or U10, late in the game. Defensive team wants to intentionally walk a batter, plate umpire calls time/dead ball and awards batter first base (NFHS rules). Offensive coaches and parents are up in arms because they believe the pitcher has to throw four balls (OBR), and because they think there's a chance of the pitcher throwing over the catchers head so that other runners can advance. They were very critical of the plate umpire, but I saw that umpire a few weeks later and said he received a call from the coach after the game saying that he made the correct call.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by aschramm

I haven't seen any either (This is my first year though), but I sure do hear the coaches and fans yelling for a call though.

The concern I've heard (and largely agree with) is the true horse collar tackle is very rare at the high school level. Most HS players are not strong enough to reach out with one hand of a player at full speed, grab his shoulder pads/jersey, and immediately pull him down backwards. Coaches, players, and fans will assume any tackle involving the shoulder pads should be a penalty and there will be a lot of inconsistent application by officials. It is a safety issue but a true horse collar is so rare in HS that I don't know if we need a rule specifically about it. It wouldn't surprise me if we see it in the next couple years though.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by waltjp

Where are all the horse collar injuries? I'm not seeing them.

I find it strange that this is a concern all of a sudden. It's not as if the mechanics of the game have recently changed, nor the construction of the harness style shoulder pads AFAIK (or shirt collars). Previous efforts to curb knee injuries have resulted in rule changes only after long study & deliberation. How could this danger have been lurking unrecognized for so long? And why, of all the ways a player can wind up folded under like that, must this particular technique, and only against a ballcarrier, be singled out as a cause?

Robert