Newbie chain clip question
 

I'm a new official and have a quick question (I hope).

I understand the reasoning behind clipping the chain. I also understand that it's standard practice to clip the chain on the back of the 5-yard line closest to the back stake (farthest away from the line-to-gain).


My question is, who keeps up with which yard line the chain is clipped at? Does the linesman write this down at the beginning of every new series, or is this duty given to the box (or clip) man?


Thanks in advance guys.

Huh? What are you needing to write down or keep track of? You lost me.

If the stakes were accidentally moved, wouldn't you have to know the yard line where the chain was clipped if you needed to return the stakes to their previous positions?


I guess I should clarify my reason for asking: Some fellow officials suggested making your own clip instead of purchasing a clip with a yard line indicator on it (like the disc or slider types). There reasoning was that the linesman doesn't have time to be twisting the dial every time the chains move. But if the clip doesn't have a mechanism for recording which yard line it was on, then someone has to keep up with that.

The linesman isn't responsible for working with the clip. That is the responsibility of the chain crew.

So do most of you guys use the disc or slider style clip and have the clip man change it each time the chain is clipped for a new series?

Anyone using a homemade variation?

I use a homemade version of the chain clip (i.e., a double-sided pet lead clip with a washer through the other end for weight). The chain crew guy in charge of the clip and I use our extensive memories to remember what yard line was clipped.

... Now, where'd I put my rule book? ...

Whoever sets the clip should be keeping up with that. Of course it's still the HL's responsibility to know where it is anyway in the event you allow the chains to move before they are supposed to move.

As for which type I use, I like the slider. Once had someone step on the plastic disc and broke it. Hard to break fabric.

I work HL & have the chain crew use a 2 clip system. Keep the orginal clip on until the next play after you've moved the chains. When using 2 clips, I have one of each. That way I can take a quick look back & see if they are doing it & if the chains get moved, we'll know which one to go back to.

At sub-varsity level, I only use one & hope we have crew that will use it & stay with us.

I'm on the same page as Mike L. Nowadays I prefer the fabric clip with the slider as I too have had a plastic disk type trodden on and broken. I like to carry a spare lightweight home-made clip just in case. I bought the cheapest doglead I could find and simply cut off the clip part, discarded the rest of the lead.

A related tip I would give you about working the HL position is about zip ties.

http://www.9thtee.com/images/images2/zipties.jpg

I have my local area guys carry a zip tie for emergency chain repair. I keep one inside the band of every one of my hats. I might forget to put a zip tie in my pocket, but I'm unlikely to forget my hat!

Maybe once a season you'll have a chain set break on you. Panic ensues.... :eek:
You walk up and fix it in seconds with a zip tie. ;)

In addition, I use a coloured zip tie (I find that yellow is the most visible) for the halfway mark on the chain as atletic tape can get dirty and be less visible. That way the HL can let your White Hat know before the snap whether we are short - i.e. 5yd penalty marched against the D gives us a new 1st down or long (5 ain't enough).

Great suggestion about the colored zip ties, Two Flakes. I got that tip from you a couple of years ago and picked up a set of neon zip ties. They work really well.

Consider the idea of using a coloured cable tie stolen.

Our HL uses a neon yellow or pink electrical tape rather than athletic tape. Works just as well and we are usually covering someone else's athletic tape.

I like that too.

That slight disagreement we had about the tea is long forgotten, so happy to help out our American cousins across the pond.....;)

I carry a small piece of bright yellow & a piece of red electrical tape on the vynil folder I keep my penalty card in. We have some chains that are orange & I'll use the red tape on those. I have options. It's a great conversation starter with the chain crew as well.

You're aware, I trust, that Jug is Canadian, and so in only a degenerate sense an "American." :D

Ah - I see now. I use a real clip (slider), so didn't get your intent. In fact, if you use the proper equipment, the issue you're asking about isn't an issue.

Thanks for the heads-up! My apologies to JugglingReferee....

On the rare occassions I get to work HL anymore if the chain is not marked, I just mark it with the nearest available athletic tape and then I tell the box man to tell me "under 5" I hate turning my back on the field, my partners can tell me when a box isn't showing the correct down (We flash the correct down at HL until he gets it fixed), and if the box man can tell me we're under five I don't need to be looking for a piece of tape or a colored zip tie and miss that late substitution or what ever else might accidentally happen.

On our Friday night crew our HL usually is checking the equipment and we've gotten dinged twice for him having his head turned away from the field, and I agree it looks unprofessional. Just my 2 cents.

A good idea and if you are doing games where you get usually get pretty good guys on the chains a workable one. if you are working lower level games and you get a crew who dont want to be there (I once had 3 kids who were on the chains as a punishment for misbehaviour in class) then its somewhat less workable.


We do similar over here in the UK - it is the LJ responsibility to let the HL know. We use the uncatchable pass signal to indicate the box is wrong.


If I'm HL and I have counting responsibilities then I'll look for the short/long mark before I count the team.

I've been officiating for over 25 years, so I now do a lot of assessing.
I would certainly ding him if he looks round to see where the front stake is at the end of a play.
I would certainly ding him if he looks round to check the down number.
I would certainly ding him if he looks for the short/long mark when the snap is immenent or looks for it after he'd done his player count.
I would certainly ding him if he is one of those HL's who are constantly turning around when setting new first downs and can't run them while facing the field.

But I'd consider it harsh to ding him for a 1 second glance at the short/long mark. That smacks of an assessor who follows assessment advice notes such as "ding the HL for turning round" too literally without understanding what is actually intended.

Get the downxbox to verbalize the down. "2 on the box" whenever the HL needs to know...

And nw about the Tea thing. Yes I'm Cdn. We don't drink tea, we drink beer.

As I know only too well and I have had the hangovers to prove it...

I was working a few years ago on an Air Traffic Control project with a couple of ex-RCAF radar engineers who were on secondment to our office in the UK.

Thanks for all the replies guys! I think my question has been answered.

I carry a spare key ring in my pants, it is approx the same size as a chain link. Zip ties work as well.