Responding to sideline / bleacher chatter

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by stegenref

I guess what I hated was that I wasn't able to come to my own conclusion before my thought process was interupted.

Aw, poor baby. That'd be a great excuse for the players too, huh? "I thought I had an open receiver until someone in the audience yelled, `Throw it!'"

[InsideTheStripe]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Aw, poor baby. That'd be a great excuse for the players too, huh? "I thought I had an open receiver until someone in the audience yelled, `Throw it!'"

Wow. We don't normally see this level of snark from Robert.


stegenref -

I have the feeling that you still struggle with the rules. As your understanding of the application of the rules improves, I bet your observation to decision time will decrease. Until then... ignore the peanut gallery.

[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.

[chymechowder]

Originally Posted by Canned Heat

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.

haha, awesome.

I hear it all the time, too. Kid gets pulled down by his shirt tail and Team A sideline is screaming for a horsecollar tackle penalty.

[parepat]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Aw, poor baby. That'd be a great excuse for the players too, huh? "I thought I had an open receiver until someone in the audience yelled, `Throw it!'"

Haven't we all spotted a foul and reached for our flag. In the meantime that coach that has been giving us grief all game points it out. You throw it, but on the inside you think. "great, now he thinks that I'm taking pointers from him" Has happened to me many times.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by parepat

Haven't we all spotted a foul and reached for our flag. In the meantime that coach that has been giving us grief all game points it out. You throw it, but on the inside you think. "great, now he thinks that I'm taking pointers from him" Has happened to me many times.

The best part is when he calls it out and you throw the flag but you are actually calling a foul against his team

[stegenref]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Aw, poor baby. That'd be a great excuse for the players too, huh? "I thought I had an open receiver until someone in the audience yelled, `Throw it!'"

Hmmm....

Originally Posted by LDUB

The best part is when he calls it out and you throw the flag but you are actually calling a foul against his team

Did that once. Had a coach screaming for a personal foul for what looked like a late hit. From my vantage point, it wasn't. Coach was running out of the team area screaming. I threw the flag for USC. Coach said "Finally!" He went to attend to his player who had been injured on the play. When he turned his attention back to the field, he noticed his offense had lost yardage. He asked my white hat why. The explanation led to coach going ballastic and getting his 2nd USC and the trip off the field.

[Bullycon]

Originally Posted by Canned Heat

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.

Amazingly, I had more complaints last year than this year. I've had two plays where the runner was grabbed by the back collar, but not pulled down. Not a word. The one time a coach called for it, the defender clearly had him by the back of the jersey, not the collar of the jersey.

[RMR]

Originally Posted by LDUB

The best part is when he calls it out and you throw the flag but you are actually calling a foul against his team

Along those same lines, how many times have you dropped a flag and the coach raises all kinds of hell complaining about it and the foul you have is against the opponent?

Similar situation this past Friday:

Our R gives a preliminary signal for intentional grounding and the defensive coach is screaming and hollering that there is "no way in hell..."

Oooops, learn the signals coach, I know they're similar but someone who does this for a living should be able to distinguish between roughing the passer and intentional grounding.

Originally Posted by RMR

Along those same lines, how many times have you dropped a flag and the coach raises all kinds of hell complaining about it and the foul you have is against the opponent?

Similar situation this past Friday:

Our R gives a preliminary signal for intentional grounding and the defensive coach is screaming and hollering that there is "no way in hell..."

Oooops, learn the signals coach, I know they're similar but someone who does this for a living should be able to distinguish between roughing the passer and intentional grounding.

I would say this defensive coach apparently needs an eye exam!

[Canned Heat]

Originally Posted by Bullycon

Amazingly, I had more complaints last year than this year. I've had two plays where the runner was grabbed by the back collar, but not pulled down. Not a word. The one time a coach called for it, the defender clearly had him by the back of the jersey, not the collar of the jersey.

I had a boatload of those the first year it was implemented in the NFL, but had yet to be instilled in the NCAA or NFHS. One time a guy in the crowd (youth game, no less) was so extremely adamant, the coaches of the home team asked ME to settle him down. I reluctantly called time out and approached the sideline and stated to the gentleman that the horsecollar was a rule only in the NFL. I then mentioned that if he did not restrain himself any further, he would be removed from the venue. Got some ovation from the stands on the way back out to the field. This year, I've had at least 5 instances of coaches yelling for the HC and they weren't anything near an HC. All going down forward and one getting pulled forward from the name placket over onto his head. We did have a textbook one 2 weeks ago on a breakaway interception.

[Reffing Rev.]

1. Everybody wants a flag thrown, just not at them.

2. NEVER talk to anyone in the crowd. Nothing good can come from it.

[Canned Heat]

Originally Posted by Reffing Rev.

1. Everybody wants a flag thrown, just not at them.

2. NEVER talk to anyone in the crowd. Nothing good can come from it.

I agree. That's the only time it's ever been done...and I'd never recommend it. As apprehensive as I was, it took care of a situation that was going to turn worse before it got better and the game management there was "lacking" in all forms...if you know what I mean. Had it not been a youth game (7th graders) with the next game's kids sitting in the stands and some more warming up next to the bleachers...it may have never happened.
I still get "thank you's" from that staff, due in large part because none of them had a set of seeds to set the parent straight.

[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.