Taking A Knee

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by ppaltice

This thread has ballooned.

My thought is if you are going to tell Team B to play differently because of something Team A told you, you might as well just hold the ball up and end the quarter. Why even go through the motions?

Team B may be holding onto the glimmer of hope that there will be a muffed snap. And in the event that there is a muffed snap, Team B may be handcuffed from the possibility of recovering the loose ball because the officials have interjected themselves into the game.

When Team A tells me they are taking a knee, I tell them that they still have to block, but we will have a fast whistle.

I only talk to Team B if we have had issues leading up to this point that would make me think they would take a cheap shot. But I probably would have already had that discussion prior to the end of the game.

Sometimes there seems to be a breakdown in the understanding of who is responsible for what during a football game. Coaches absolutely deserve our respect and have earned our civility as far as answering, reasonable, questions or clarifying rule matters, but their area of responsibility and control ENDS at the sideline. From there in, it’s our area of control and responsibility and we deserve, and have earned, the respect of those outside the sideline.

Sadly, the place to look for the cause of years of progressive breakdown in some of the behaviors displayed regarding inappropriate interactions from outside the lines may well be in our in OUR own mirrors. When the envelope bursts from the inside, it’s more likely the fault of the envelope, far more often than the inside pressure, because the envelope usually has the power to deflate the pressure long before it builds to the bursting point, and may have chosen to ignore the build up.

The only “absolute” about a football game is that NOTHING is absolute. “One size NEVER fits all”, and never will. Players, coaches and fans share one attribute that officials must never embrace; it's really important and matters to them who is going to win. That competitive edge is a vital, necessary and acceptable part of the game but, unfortunately, at times can cause players, coaches or fans to get carried away and exceed acceptable standards and behavior.

That’s why we’re there; to keep things in balance and insure the rules, and their intent are followed and to insure that whatever pressure builds, it’s kept within acceptable limits. We have been given (almost) absolute authority to accomplish that, and we will be held accountable and responsible for how we dispence that authority.

As for this “taking a knee” question. YOU have to decide what YOU think is appropriate for THAT particular situation, which may be totally different than the last similar situation YOU experienced, much less what might have happened elsewhere with someone else. What players, coaches or fans think should be done about a variety of situations under our control and authority is IRRELEVANT, what matters is how we use the authority we’ve been given to do what WE judge to be appropriate and correct.

It's usually wise to take the opportunity to explain unusual or complicated decisions to sidelines, as long as such discussions can be completed in a civil, respectful manner in both directions.

The other side of the coin giving us all that authority is that we will be held totally responsible for how we apply it. When competitive juices, at times can boil over and adversely affect the rational judgment of others, we (and we alone) are expected and responsible to remain calm, exercise sound judgment and maintain control.

Personally, not that “personally” really matters a lick to anyone but me, but if a Captain or Coach tells me they’re taking a knee (busted plays aside), and the situation calls for taking a knee, there will be no fakes and I am perfectly willing to deal with any consequences my judgments might produce.