Philosophy of not flagging something when it wouldn't otherwise matter

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

There is too much tape to be passing on obvious fouls like this. I have thrown a couple of flags for OPI and had the interception run back for a TD. I try to call what I see and if I can wait I will, but obvious fouls I do not pass on.

Even in blowouts?

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Suudy

Even in blowouts?

I had a HS game last year. 4-man crew in a blowout. I was the R and my LJ was my college supervisor. U had no impact on this one play. HL was a guy who can be a good official, but comes up with a weird call every now and again.

Sure enough, mid-4th, losing team (by 4 or 5 TDs) marches with some momentum. Slot is held by his defender about 10-12 yards downfield - they both fall to the ground, and the runner uses the additional open space for a nice 25-yard gain. HL has holding. I didn't call it because it required stopping the clock, etc, and A would decline the B hold anyways.

HL tells me Team A holding. I said what? I said to him that B fell back while grabbing A and that it was a B hold. He says no - I have A holding. He wouldn't pick up his flag. Grrrr. Had I flagged it, I could have done more to waive off his flag.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Suudy

Even in blowouts?

Yes, even in blowouts. The only thing I try not to call is overly technical plays. I am very diliberate anyway what I call no matter what the sitation. Obvious things need to be called. And in our state if you get to 40 points the clock runs.

Peace

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Obvious things need to be called.

When I was a new official, I was like this. The noseguard obviously lines up in the NZ, I'd flag it (we are NFHS), regardless of the game situation. But when B is down by 35 in the last 5 minutes of the game, why bother? What real advantage does he gain? It just slows things down.

I want to re-iterate that this is not my philosophy regarding safety issues (FM, chop blocks, RTP, etc). But technical (and as Robert puts it, tactical) stuff? Why bother.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

And in our state if you get to 40 points the clock runs.

That would be nice. We have a mercy rule for 8 man football, but the clock doesn't come into play. I've done games that ended 70+ to 35. They never reached the threshold for the mercy rule, but it was an obvious blowout. And for 11 man, there is no mercy rule. I've had 70+ to 0 games that took forever. The team behind would not stop passing, and the team ahead would score too quickly. It wasn't unusual to have 4 hour games sometimes. In these games, we definitely don't scrutinize too closely the little stuff.

[JRutledge]

I was always taught to not call holding just because "actual" holding took place. I call holding when there is an advantage. On passing plays there are a lot of contact sometimes and no advantage. I would only try my best to call when there is a clear advantage. So could the score come into play? I guess it could, but not likely. I know where the ball is thrown would come into play. I know if there was an advantage would come into play. I know if it was so obvious it would show up on tape would come into play. There is no hard fast rule that applies to everything in these cases. I just know that if the foul is there an obvious, I am going to call it. I do not sit back and base calls on the score very often unless it is marginal.

Peace