Responding to sideline / bleacher chatter

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Bullycon

Ignore them. Half the time, they don't know the rules anyway.

I'm a second year official myself. I've never held back from throwing a flag because of someone yelling for it. In fact, I've sometimes even found it helpful. I've found in my second year one of my biggest problems on the field is not having the confidence to throw the flag. Sometimes, a coach or fan yelling is enough to trigger me into thinking, "Yes, that was a foul. Yes, I do need to throw the flag." Other times, a flag from another official is a trigger.

Other times, I will see a play and hear a call for a face mask, hold, false start, whatever. I have already decided in my head that it was not a foul. Their calling for a flag isn't going to make me change my mind. It's only when in the back of my head, I know it was a foul, but for some reason my conscious mind hasn't processed that yet.

Finally, there are the times when the coaches, players or fans are calling for fouls and I don't even know which player they are talking about. I know that either a) there was a foul and I completely missed it because I was not in position, not looking where I should have been or was just screen out, or b) there was no foul and they were just whining. These are the ones that really drive me crazy, because I don't know which it is. Am I missing the call, or are they just whiny babies? Probably doesn't help my confidence problem.

Fun story from earlier this year:
A ran a toss sweep to my side, the B sideline. B coaches start yelling, "His mouthpiece is out! His mouthpiece is out!" I scan the players in front of me, looking for someone with their mouthpiece out, but trying to maintain focus on the blocking. B defender comes through and tackles A runner for a two or three yard loss.

I hear a person behind me say, "He's not going to let you call that." That's true. But if I had seen it, I would have called it. The man on box (former official) said to me, "I know you had to have seen that." I said, "No. Who was it?" He said the runner was running this way with the ball in one hand and frantically trying to get his mouthpiece in with his other hand. He succeeded, because by the time he was tackled, he had it in. I spent my whole first year training myself not to look at the runner. Looks like I succeeded.

I wonder, would coaches have more success in getting calls if they called out a number or position? "He's holding!" OK. Who is he? There are 22 guys out here. I'm probably not looking where you are.

How do you know the mouthguard didn't come out after the snap (which is not a foul)? If you don't se it presnap, let it go and talk to the kid afterwards.

[HLin NC]

Speaking as one who was warned early on about rabbit ears, if you stay with it long enough, you will eventually find the "zone" and tune all that out.

It helps to be married

[whitehat]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

How do you know the mouthguard didn't come out after the snap (which is not a foul)? If you don't se it presnap, let it go and talk to the kid afterwards.

Good point Rich.
I'd be real hesitant to throw that flag anyway...This is where some preventive officiating and talking to kids is valuable.

[Bullycon]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

How do you know the mouthguard didn't come out after the snap (which is not a foul)? If you don't se it presnap, let it go and talk to the kid afterwards.

Excellent point, RichMSN. I had not considered that. I do think it would have been highly unlikely. All he had done was take the toss from the QB and run to the outside.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Bullycon

Excellent point, RichMSN. I had not considered that. I do think it would have been highly unlikely. All he had done was take the toss from the QB and run to the outside.

But you don't *know*. So you don't throw a flag.

[Canned Heat]

If you never learn to tune out crowd or sideline comments or complaints, you'll have a short career in officiating. I had a hard time the first year or two and find myself perplexed by some of the comments that come out of the crowd or a coach's mouth. I do a good bit of AAYFL youth ball every Saturday in addition to our weekly assignments and I don't think I have to tell you how many parents think they know the rules better than our whole crew. If I had a $5 spot for every time I've heard some parent ot coach scream "HORSECOLLAR" this year, I could take off until Christmas.

[Durham]

I have a very serious question to a very big problem i have with the advice "Ignore them!" Why do we as football officials choose to ignore them and just live with it? Why don't we enforce the code of ethics/sportsmanship?

I began my officiating as a baseball umpire and have worked every level of baseball and there we do not just ignore. We don't go looking for it, but when someone steps out of line, we respectfully and professionally are asked to help show them back into the light.

So why is it different in football? I am in my 2nd year of football and spending a lot of time at the white hat and back judge positions and one of the reasons that I am doing well is my learned ability to effectivly communicate with coaches and players.

There is nothing wrong with turning around durring dead ball time and telling the coach that each of you has a role, you''l do your best to do yours and it would be best that he stick to his. They usually get the hint and tactics like this have usually worked and been understood after a side-line warning, a 5, and or a 15. I am not saying just throw them, but if after speaking with them, it isn't hard to find a toe in the box.

So, vet's please explain to me.

Thanks.