Opinions on this........
 

What are your opinions on carrying a rulebook with you on to the field?

never!

Leave it in the car or bag for discussion in pre-game or post-game. NEVER take it on the field.

You shouldn't have room for it anyway- bag, flag, 2nd bag, 2nd flag, zip ties, golf tee, back up whistle, pencil, back-up pencil, car key, spare coin, game card, gum, game check, handwarmer packs, reading glasses- where am I going to put a rule book?

You HLs carry too much crap. :)

What these guys said, don't carry one. In the middle of the game is the wrong time to be digging through it to prove a point.

From what I understand, Ohio, or certain parts, has a requirement that the chain crew have one with them, which is provided by the officials. Glad I don't work in Ohio in that regard.

Golf tee?

Zip ties, Reading Glasses, Back up whistle?

Zip ties - To facilitate a quick repair on a broken chain

Reading Glasses - You'll find out. Wait til your 45-50.

Back up whistle - Obvious, used to signal those behind you when you're about to back up.

:D

You have to either be an umpire or have been an umpire at one time to utilize this technique. :D

Brandon, when I work HL, I use flourescent colored zip ties for two reasons, one is to mark the half way point on the chains (tape also works) and another is in case the chains break. I mark the half way point on the chains so I can quickly tell if a foul such as encroachment by the defense will result in a first down or not.

Or, Long Island!

Years ago our Interpreter disallowed a field goal when a R player tipped the ball in an attempt to block it but the ball still went over the crossbar. The "brains" that run our Association decided the rule book should be available at each varsity game.

Would have made much more sense to replace your interpreter!

That does make a lot more sense, in many ways.

Zip ties (cable ties) will save your bacon if the chains break. As mentioned, the flourescent ones can also be used to mark the mid-point in the chains- thus allowing you to tell instantly if you are past the mid-point-you can then tell the R on a 5 yard penalty against B that it will be a first down.

Back-up whistle- technically, I wear my back-up on a neck lanyard and my primary is a finger whistle. I broke my primary once, seconds before the opening kickoff, so I had to borrow one off an assistant coach on my sideline. My spare whistle was in my bag in the WH's car. I never take the field now without two.

Golf tees- harder to use now on Field Turf but can be used to mark the box inside the 10 yard line in case he pulls out or also to mark the box on 4th down on a punt where we miss a penalty and the chains have moved. The mechanics manual now tells us to give the box man a beanbag to mark the box location inside the 10.

Reading glasses- as I told an assistant one time on my sideline when he questioned me why I took off my regular glasses after halftime (it was humid that night and they kept fogging up) "Hey, I can see the big stuff, like the ball or your tackle moving. I just can't read my card."

Where do you carry your back up whistle?

Some things are better left unsaid.

Oh God! lol :D

This argument always amuses me. I admit, I am one of the poor abused officials who is required to have a rulebook available to me. And, I must admit, I respectfully disagree with each and every one of you that opposes that idea.

We need look no further than this situation to show why having one available is a good idea. This situation is kind of wacky and the official blew it. If he had the book he could have taken a minute to check the rule. Instead, out of ego or stubborness this error stood. I don't get it.

Accessing a rule book on the field during a game may be the single worst idea I can think of. That act will shatter any credibility you may have had, or the credibility of any official that may follow you with either of those teams.

You need to understand, and more importantly accept, that although we all pursue perfection we never attain it, and that's just part of the game.

Years ago when i first started my first local had the practice that the U on each crew carried a rulebook on the field in case we HAD to consult it. In the 2 years I worked with those guys we never consulted a rule book on the field. We did use it at halftime, and since we were locked out of our locker room it was handy the U had one.

When i moved my new local pretty much had us specialized.
Everyone was responsible to read the whole book and work it independently, but each member of the crew had some specialized areas.
Everyone was to "memorize" rule 2!, then break it up as follows.
R - Penalty Enforcement & Passing
U - Blocking/Contact & Equipment
BJ - Kicking
HL - Formation & Movement
LJ - Force/Scoring
Then on the field when there was a question on Force we knew who to talk to.

After several more moves I take a book on the field with me every time, its just memorized. There is no substitute for study.

Pre-Season I read and re-read each book twice. (Rule Book, Case Book, Official's Manual) and then I get a picture-book (illustrated) every other year.
During season I read 1 book each week.
Out of season I read 1 book each month.

Study until the point you don't have to think to know the rules. ANd then study some more.

AJMC, thank you for being so concerned about my needs.

Your self esteem must be very low if you think that by having available to you a resource which could correct errors would "shatter any credibility you may have had".

Just think how those NFL officials must feel with those pesky replay camera's destroying their delicate psychies.

Give me a break. In fourteen years I have had to go the book 2 or three times. And, if the result is that I fix a mistake that I made, I am more than willing to assume the risk to my self esteem.

This is a good way to divide and conquer Rev. And, if everyone on your crew is as diligent as you suggest then you would never need to go to the book. WHat happens when you aren't sure?

I compare it to a condem in the wallet of the college student. Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

Sorry Rev. probably not the best analogy.

Self esteem is really not the issue, parepat, that's something we each have total, and unilateral, control over. Credibility is a different matter, although much has to do with our competency and how we project ourselves, there's a whole other side of it that is determined by our audience, who may at times be totally out of self control.

As always, things may well be different where you are, but where I am, and where I've been, pulling a rule book out for reference during a ball game ( which does not include the halftime break) would be an absolute kiss of death.

Perhaps that's why you don't hear a lot about surgeons pulling our instruction manuals in the operating room with the patient on the table.

If you don't think physicians review reference material when in doubt, you are kidding yourself.

I am not willing to let a correctible error go for the sake of my credibility. The players and coaches deserve better.

I have no doubt competent physicians constantly review reference material, they just don't do it in the operating room while a patient is on the table.

I'm not suggesting, or inferring, that anyone should let a correctable error go for the sake of credibility, but I am stating that pulling out a rule book during a game, on the field (or sideline) is the wrong way to go about it.

I fully expect that my physician uses regularly those books on his shelf, but I don't really want him referencing them while my spleen is sliced open. I might choose a new doctor, and if he suddenly forgets to stich up my spleen, I'll probably find a new doctor too.

So using your analogy...an official who demonstrates a lack of proficiency with the rule book is probably not going to get hired again, and for that matter an official who consults the reference manual on the field, looks like he doesn't know the rule book, and as we all know appearance is reality. So he's probably not getting hired again either.

You propose that rules proficiency and having the rule book available are mutually exclusive. They are not. However, I've never met an official who has never kicked a rule or its application. Faced with a situation where a mistake is made, I am comfortable using any allowable resource to fix my mistake despite the effect it may have on others' opinions of me.

It's not that rules proficiency, and having a rules book are mutually exclisive, it's that they each apply to a certain, completely different, setting. Rule books are wondeful for an open book test, unfortunately working an actual game is the ultimate "closed book test" setting.

The "allowable resources" you have to work with during a contest, are limited to your preparation, your common sense and judgment and each of the other officials on your crew. When you step on the game field, the rule book is NOT part of your tool kit.

Whether you like it, or not, your credibility, as perceived by the coaches and players, is a vital part of your performance and probability of success. If their view, of your credibility is weakened, their confidence in you is weakened which starts a downward spiral, often impossible to reverse.

As close as I can come to guaranteeing anything, pulling out a rule book on the field during a game, is not going to build confidence or enhance your credibility or do you, your crew, or either team any good and it sets a horrible presedence that might take a much bigger bite out of your backside than any rule mistake you, and your crew, might ever make.

If I were to hire an electrician, I hope he is capable of doing the job without the need to consult the electrical code. If I find him consulting the code frequently, my opinion of his knowledge is going to suffer. However, if he consults it for some obscure isolated thing which very few electricians encounter, I'd be more understanding.

Zip Ties.
Every chain set of the teams I work has one of my (bright yellow) zip ties at its midpoint, easier to see than tape that gets dirty over time. So I can see where the down box is in comparison with the ziptie and know whether a 5yd penalty (eg offside) on the D gives us a 1st down or not. When the crew go round the horn with the down, HL adds the distance so that the white hat will know it too.
We try to stick to a set vocabulary for distance - inches, short, five, long, ten, two stakes. Very occasionally might use other exact distances, 15, 20 or 25, etc.

I also keep a black or white zip tie with me for repairing the chains if they break. I keep one inside the band of each of my hats, that way I never have to remember to take one out on the field - if I remember to wear a hat, I've got one with me. I've needed it several times so far in my career.

Backup whistle.
I always make sure I got two of everything out there with me - and that includes a whistle. Where do you put all this stuff? That's why officials pants have 4 pockets.

Reading glasses
Well in my case, I've worn regular glasses since I was a kid. Now I'm old, I get to wear varifocals.

Now that is a really great idea and an ideal spot to keep what may a really important piece of repair equipment. It's not like a chain breaks every game, so putting that tie in your hat inside band may cover you for an entire season, or longer. Great, and practical, tip.

Great idea on the hat, never thought of that. Something to add to the "toolbox"!

Thankee

I like the idea of the zip tie.

My crew toolbag has extra clips, reading glasses and quick links -- for broken chains.

Quick links are great and we have different sizes for the different chains we encounter. Had a big playoff game where the chain broke away from the stake which usually requires a massive tape job and quite a few minutes. We took a big quick link hooked it to the stake and the first link of the chain in less than a minute.

3. Rules Knowledge
Be a rules expert! When a rule is “kicked” all crew members are equally to blame. When a coach requests a conference to review a perceived misapplication of a rule, use the rule book.

OHSAA Football Manual for coaches and officials!
Page 18 #3
http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/ft/boys/manual.pdf

With all due rspect to OHSAA, their guidelines relate only to Ohio. Of course the above quote could be construed
to simply mean use what is, specifically, in the rule book to determine the proper decision, not necessarily to actually, physically use the rule book, asa prop, at the moment of discussion.

Does the OSAA manual also require, or even allow, reference to the NFHS Case Book, or NFHS Officials Manual to be of assistance in explaining approved interpretations?

Such information may often be referred to when discussing an issue of dispute regarding a rule application and this information is usually available through the experience and capability of the field officials, as is the case with the rule book itself.

Pretty sure the OHSAA officials mechanics book even states that the HL shall carry the rules book!

There was an official that posted this on NFHS website.


http://www.nfhs.org/cgi-bin/ultimate...c;f=9;t=003666

I thought that was a bigjohn that posted that on the NFHS web site.

John, without going back, is that the post that someone called BS on?

OHref
Member
Member # 4754

Rate Member posted September 25, 2008 01:17 PM
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I believe the mechanics book says the Headlinesman should bring one to the field, not sure. I know someone is suppose to. I also know the MAJORITY of the WH's I have ever worked with would never bring it out. Says "It looks bad". I don't agree. If the coach wants a rules conference for misapplication, how can you determine if the rule was misapplied without looking at a copy of the rule? When the coach/official conference was implimented, it was a point at all the State clinics in Ohio, that a Rules Book would be on the field. Have not heard about it since nor have I ever heard of a crew being critized for not having one available.

A coach has the right to question a ruling, that does not mean a coach has some right to demand seeing anything, or having a ruling proved to him. In the world of adults, the coach questions a ruling, the referee considers the coach's position and then decides whether there has been a misapplication of rule. No debate is necessary, no argument nor detailed explanation is required, although often such may be provided as a professional curtesy.

A coach can provide information for a Referee's consideration to assist his decision making, and a smart Referee will accept and consider the information provided.

There's nothing suggesting anyone needs to "prove" anything, or have anything "proven to them. NF: 1-1-6 answers that question, "....The referee's decisions are final in all matters pertaining to the game". Coaches do not have to agree with a Referee's decision, nor is there any requirement they be persuaded by them, although that may frequently be the Referee's objective.

Coaches do however, have to accept thoise decisions and the Referee must accept the responsibility for making them.

Zip ties,&etc.
 

Some of us have never had those things happen but I like the ideas about the zip ties. My back up whistle sounds more like a frrrrrt.

This has been an interesting thread.

Now when I work a game I will bring zip ties, back up whistles, a swiss army knife, bread crumbs (to find my way back to the locker room), food and water rations, a flare gun, and, my last will and testament.

However, under no circumstances will I ever have the audacity to bring with me the rules for the game which I am charged to officiate.

Got it.

These message boards are very helpful in making me a better official.

It sounds as if you are implying that the burden is on the official to prove to a coach that the the rule was not misapplied. I would suggest it's the other way around - the burden is on the coach to prove to the officials that the rule was misapplied. Hence, the coach better have a rule book with him if he wants to challenge.

Considering the amount of time it sometimes takes to track down the exact right quotation in the rule book, or Case Book, Officials Manual or various bulletins, to address questions brought up on these forums, thumbing through any book on the field, no matter who brings it out, is a mistake.