R without a mic

[verticalStripes]

Do you verbalize the call whenever you have games without a mic? The annoucer should indicate the call to everyone, but sometimes they do not.

[umpirebob71]

Our WH doesn't. In the five years I've been with him, I think he's been asked one time to wear a mic.

[SouthGARef]

I've seen some Rs do it. I've seen some Rs not do it.

I would advise that Rs should do it every time -- if nothing else, it gives you practice so that when you are asked to wear a mic announcing penalties isn't totally foreign to you.

I see way too many HS games on television where the Rs are HORRIBLE at accouncing the penalties on mic. Is this a huge deal? No. As long as we get the call and the enforcement spot correct, it doesn't matter. But a good announcement and presentation by the R makes the crew look good. This is one of the reasons I like Steve Shaw from the SEC. He articulates well.

Another thing: Get in the habit of saying where the penalty is enforced from. "Holding, On the Offense, 10 yard penalty from the previous spot, second down." Why? Because that's important information. And if you are wearing a mic and we enforced it from the wrong spot -- maybe an official who was too far away to actually see the error can hear it and make sure the crew gets it right.

It may be all for show, but if we're going to do it it needs to be a good show.

My .02

[whitehat]

Originally Posted by verticalStripes

Do you verbalize the call whenever you have games without a mic? The annoucer should indicate the call to everyone, but sometimes they do not.

Since we do have larger venue games where a mic is available at one particular stadium I still "verbalize" the words as I give the signals in those stadiums where I am not micked up, just to keep me in good form. No one except the players (if they are even listening) and maybe the coaches can here it though without a mic.
I have found that a good preliminary signal is something too many Rs forget or simply don't do. As soon as the foul is reported to me I give a prelim signal, before I even start considering enforcement options, so coachs can have an idea of what's up.

[voiceoflg]

I always try to get a feed from the ref's mic for radio when they wear one. It helps the broadcast and keeps me from guessing when I just don't know. I wish they had referee microphones at every stadium.

[SouthGARef]

Originally Posted by whitehat

I have found that a good preliminary signal is something too many Rs forget or simply don't do. As soon as the foul is reported to me I give a prelim signal, before I even start considering enforcement options, so coachs can have an idea of what's up.

Agreed. This, in my opinion, is especially a problem when the foul is called on the visiting team's sideline. I see way too may Rs coming all the way across the field before giving the preliminary signal. This can sometimes take some time.

As soon as you get the penalty from the crew, give the prelim. This does two things. 1) It speeds the process up, as time is wasted waiting for you to get to the press box side of the field. 2) Everyone's dying to know what the penalty is. Let 'em know.

[Texas Aggie]

I always verbalize a call whether I'm doing a jr. high game or a varsity game with or without a mic. Sometimes people hear me, sometimes they don't, but I wanted to be fully prepared when I did have a mic attached.

Think about this: you are doing smaller school games at the R without a mic for, say, 2 years. Then, boom, you get a playoff assignment with that same set of schools but in a bigger stadium with all the bells and whistles. Pregame, the stadium admin hands you the mic. You want your playoff game to go smooth, so you need to be prepared.

Remember guys, whether its officiating or any other professional endeavor, work the game/job like you're working the level you want to get to.

[JRutledge]

I always verbalized calls when I was a Referee. Now my current Referee (who is a mentor of mine) also verbalizes calls which is where I got it from. It slowed me down and helped me be more deliberate. And as a basketball official that is what we do in that sport, so it comes naturally on some level with when signaling in football.

Peace