Punt blocked, can I punt again?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

Is refumpire aware there are multiple rulesets out there? And that one can usually look up the easy ones like this one?

Sorry if you consider this being difficult... but with that moniker, I'm assuming you work football. If you can't already answer this before stepping on the field the very first time ... you shouldn't be stepping on the field and shame on your association.

No offense.

Why don't you give him the rules sets that you are aware of and go from there? Usually someone asking these questions is not familiar with the fact there is a difference if they are not an official. And if an official is asking this question they are likely asking HS/NF rules. It is really not that hard, just give a summary and let him/her tell you if they want further information. And you must not deal with a lot of newer officials as all of them are not dealing with an association and all of them are not rules expects if they have never worked a game. But oh well, Lord forgive those that do not have your experience right?

Peace

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Why don't you give him the rules sets that you are aware of and go from there? Usually someone asking these questions is not familiar with the fact there is a difference if they are not an official. And if an official is asking this question they are likely asking HS/NF rules. It is really not that hard, just give a summary and let him/her tell you if they want further information. And you must not deal with a lot of newer officials as all of them are not dealing with an association and all of them are not rules expects if they have never worked a game. But oh well, Lord forgive those that do not have your experience right?

Peace

I am more than willing to help a newbie along when something slightly unexpected happens, or a play has a twist to it... or they have looked it up and found applicable rules but have a question about how to apply them.

Something like this one? I'm worried if someone is on the field and can't already answer this one... someone ELSE is not doing their job. Further, as an experienced official yourself, you know that you learn more by looking up answers than just having them given to you. Asking an easy one like this completely smacks of laziness.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I am more than willing to help a newbie along when something slightly unexpected happens, or a play has a twist to it... or they have looked it up and found applicable rules but have a question about how to apply them.

Something like this one? I'm worried if someone is on the field and can't already answer this one... someone ELSE is not doing their job. Further, as an experienced official yourself, you know that you learn more by looking up answers than just having them given to you. Asking an easy one like this completely smacks of laziness.

I teach a football class and a basketball class to brand new officials for an organization that I am apart of in conjunction with several area local official's associations in Northern Illinois. The questions these newer officials ask often appear to us to be the silliest questions around but are something they have yet to experience so they ask them for clarification. This might be one of them to you and me, but if he is knew and does not know this it is not only common, but nothing to be surprised by. Football rules are very complicated and often people learn rules by what they see on TV which has nothing to do with the level they will be officiating. We cannot assume this is even an official at this point. I am sure they will come back and explain but they are probably overwhelmed by all the material and start thinking of things they will never see realistically (and they do not know this). I have never seen a kicking team try to kick the ball again, but that worries some people as someone probably said "Can we do this?" Or in some cases I am sure this happen at the youth level and someone suggested they got it wrong. We all were rookies at one time and I know it took me years to learn certain rules very well because many of them did not happen on a regular basis. Then when you screw up the rule, you learn it for life until they change some aspect of the rule and you have to relearn it all over again.

Peace