Federation Quarterly FB POE's

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Robert, in addition to safety and fair play, the NFHS also considers sportsmanship to be an important tenet of high school athletics. Their rules in all sports relfect this thinking.

What has face painting or stripes on a belt or arm to do with sportsmanship? Why's it "sporting" to have designs created by stitching, but not tape or makeup? How about tattoos? I've seen stickers on helmets.

Robert in the Bronx

[Brandon Kincer]

If its in the rule book it has a reason to be there. im sure the committee doesn't sit around and make rules just to be making them. It is the job of the officials to enforce those rules whether we agree with them or not.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by Brandon Kincer

If its in the rule book it has a reason to be there. im sure the committee doesn't sit around and make rules just to be making them. It is the job of the officials to enforce those rules whether we agree with them or not.

Brandon, you're new here.

What NFHS is telling us is some officials are not doing their job for whatever reason. I personally know a group of officials that pretty much let everything go because to enforce the rules might mean they don't get a playoff game.

You'll see

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

I personally know a group of officials that pretty much let everything go...

I'm sure you're talking about the guy last week, as in "The guy last week said it was okay."

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by SC Ump

I'm sure you're talking about the guy last week, as in "The guy last week said it was okay."

You know him!?

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

What NFHS is telling us is some officials are not doing their job for whatever reason. I personally know a group of officials that pretty much let everything go because to enforce the rules might mean they don't get a playoff game.

You'll see

Originally Posted by SC Ump

I'm sure you're talking about the guy last week, as in "The guy last week said it was okay."

And I've told the guys on my crew - we don't want to be the crew in, "The crew last week said it was okay."

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by SC Ump

I'm sure you're talking about the guy last week, as in "The guy last week said it was okay."

I have NEVER met that guy. Can't find him for the life of me!

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I have NEVER met that guy. Can't find him for the life of me!

I know the guy. He lives around here, has some teeth missing, brews his own liquor, showers sparingly, and last touched a rule book in 1974.

[ajmc]

The problem is really not somone trying to fake you out with an updated version of a basic excuse we've all used, in one form or another, since early childhood. The problem is being dumb enough tho buy into this transparent nonsense.

"He said it was legal/illegal last week" is right up there with, "the dog ate my homework" or, "the devil made me do it".

[Reffing Rev.]

In western chicago suburbs we used to get game films for training purposes.

We had a local meeting one Wednesday and watched some film from the previous week. I paid close attention because we had one of those 2 teams the following Saturday. We talked at length about an illegal formation they used and got flagged for.

Sure enough it happened:
Saturday, we flagged their illegal formation. I was on their sideline. Coach was screaming it was legal last week. Our R walked over and said, "Coach, I saw the game film from last week, Bob Smith, flagged it then and we're going to flag it tonight."

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

What has face painting or stripes on a belt or arm to do with sportsmanship? Why's it "sporting" to have designs created by stitching, but not tape or makeup? How about tattoos? I've seen stickers on helmets.

Robert in the Bronx

You're going to have to ask the Federation about why they consider those things to be sportsmanship issues, I'm simply conveying their reasoning for prohibiting those things.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Welpe

You're going to have to ask the Federation about why they consider those things to be sportsmanship issues, I'm simply conveying their reasoning for prohibiting those things.

So you're guessing that they're matters of sportsmanship, but you can't see why they would be?

One poster said they don't just sit around and cook these rules up from nothing, but sometimes I wonder! Usually something like this comes up from state ***'ns. Were there some state ***'ns that had regulations on taped belts and face paint that Fed looked at and decided to adopt as rules? Could it have been a way of banning certain gang insignia without appearing discriminatory (at the cost of appearing weird & inscrutable)?

Robert in the Bronx

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

So you're guessing that they're matters of sportsmanship, but you can't see why they would be?

No I'm not guessing, I'm taking the Federation at their word based upon POEs, case book plays, etc.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Welpe

No I'm not guessing, I'm taking the Federation at their word based upon POEs, case book plays, etc.

You mean they say somewhere, "...because this is a matter of sportsmanship."?

Is anyone else the least bit curious about these provisions? Seems like there must be a story there.

Robert in the Bronx

[ajmc]

Nothing more than a personal opinion (of questionable value at best), but it seems like when given the choice of opening a door, and then dealing with a never ending possibility of what might develop behind that door, or keeping it shut, NFHS decisions often fall on the side of keeping the door closed. Which keeps things a lot simpler.

I suspect opening the door behind, "uniform adornments" could generate a discussion that would never get close to ending, whereas currently written the rules prohibit ANYTHING/EVERYTHING other than a 4" x 12" to
12" x 18" white, absorbent towel and an absorbent "sweatband worn beginning at the base of the thumb and extending no more than 3 inches below the elbow."

That makes our job that much easier.