message to the officials

[BLUEMOM]

I have seen good and bad calls this year. Being married to a long time official, I have sat in the stands and heard my other half called everything but an official when the fans just didn't know the rules. (In high school, it is a touchback if the ball enters the end zone on a kick off -- they really can't bring it out for a run!)

 

The officials I know do not want one of their calls deciding the outcome of a game -- but if that must be the case, so be it. One should also look at whether their team played the perfect game!

[canefan72]

My issue that I have with officials is that they make calls in reference to a rule that they know nothing about. They also make calls that they do not see clearly. Rule of thumb should be this. When in doubt, don't make the call. If you think you know every rule, you may be wrong. Just this friday, they called illegal formation on us that brought back a td. The wideout asked the ref if he was on or off and the ref said on but then threw the flag for not enough men on the line and said the wideout was the one. It cost us 7 and we lost 14-7 in overtime. That was the key play in the game and I am not sure if it was a penalty. I think there needs to be more accountability among refs as they have done a poor job from what I have seen in 07.

[wad]

My issue that I have with officials is that they make calls in reference to a rule that they know nothing about. They also make calls that they do not see clearly. Rule of thumb should be this. When in doubt, don't make the call. If you think you know every rule, you may be wrong. Just this Friday, they called illegal formation on us that brought back a td. The wideout asked the ref if he was on or off and the ref said on but then threw the flag for not enough men on the line and said the wideout was the one. It cost us 7 and we lost 14-7 in overtime. That was the key play in the game and I am not sure if it was a penalty. I think there needs to be more accountability among refs as they have done a poor job from what I have seen in 07.

 

 

I bet that flag was on the ground long before the ball was in the end zone. which means he did not coast you a TD. You just happened to score on a play that a penalty was called. I have to ask you, is that the only play you ran all night or did you have another 30 of 40 chances to score.

[tnsparty]

I have seen good and bad calls this year. Being married to a long time official, I have sat in the stands and heard my other half called everything but an official when the fans just didn't know the rules. (In high school, it is a touchback if the ball enters the end zone on a kick off -- they really can't bring it out for a run!)

 

The officials I know do not want one of their calls deciding the outcome of a game -- but if that must be the case, so be it. One should also look at whether their team played the perfect game!

 

I do agree with you there. Coaches and players make more mistakes than the officials do but the officials mistakes get noticed more. It comes with the territory. I never officiated a football game (did baseball) but the problem I see is the lack of good quality officials number one. It takes a special person to go out there and take the grief they get. If they are doing it because of the money then it is for the wrong reason. A good official has to manage the game and not search for penalties to call. If you concentrate on looking for a particular thing you will find it and miss a lot more.

 

You can't call everything that happens. Safety penalties need to be stressed. I see too many easy calls being made and then late hits, spearing, chop blocking and illegal blocking below the waist go uncalled. Also please cut the arrogance out and tuck the rabbit ears away. People are there to watch the game and not the officials. It doesn't matter if you have perfect hand signals or not, just get into the best position to give yourself a chance to make the right call.

 

There are some very good officials out there and some very bad ones, just like there are some very good coaches/plaerys and very bad ones. My final advice is that just like coaching, if you do it because you get paid then you are doing it for the wrong reason and you need to get out now.

[Crock1615]

sure officials are going to blow calls, and make some judgment calls that we don't agree with, but what drives me crazy is when they don't know the rules and make a bad call or are completely out of position and make a call that there is no way they could see.

 

a few examples:

 

1. after a missed field goal attempt the ball was spotted at the spot of the kick. (NFL rule) not the 20 (NFHS Rule - scrimmage kick that enters the end zone is a touchback)

 

2. A wide receiver who was on the line was called for illegal motion and the play was allowed to continue. IF he is ON the line and moves prior to the snap it is a dead ball.

 

3. receiver is clearly off the ball, but official makes no hand signal. pass is completed 25 yards downfield to the tight end. official on the other side of the field throws a flag when the TE comes off the ball because he thinks he is ineligible due to no hand signal from the sideline official. penalty is illegal touch by an ineligible receiver. 5 yards from previous spot and loss of down.

 

4. receiver makes a diving catch in the back corner of the end zone. official near the goal line makes no call. official at the 25 yard line on the opposite side of the field makes the incomplete pass signal. There is no way he could have seen something the the official that was right there could not see.

 

3 out of these 4 examples were the SAME CREW of officials.

 

so there are good crews and bad crews, and when a good crew does their job well they don't get the credit they deserve because if they are doing their job right then you really don't notice them.

[uoftfanatic]

I bet that flag was on the ground long before the ball was in the end zone. which means he did not coast you a TD. You just happened to score on a play that a penalty was called. I have to ask you, is that the only play you ran all night or did you have another 30 of 40 chances to score.

 

 

I don't know what team your watching but no way the games I am watching has 30 -40 chances to score I would guess at best your offense has possesion 15-18 times and thats pretty high. Anyway thats besides the point. I don't care if you have 50 chances to score if you have a score taken away because of a bad or no call is unexecuseable thats what this topic is about. Look every single poster on these boards could come on this topic and share bad calls this subject is about the calls that a man with a seeing eye dog could almost call and that have a very important outcome of a game. The teams only have ten games to make their playoff bids and postion themselves the best they can. That leaves no room for losing a game because and overweight, too old, half blind official couldn't give a flip about whats gone into each and every game. Come on TSSAA lets at least have three strikes and your out. My question to the official at the Brentwood/Frankline game that called a fair catch signal and then was allowed to run it in for a touch down is this Why do you think the player just stood there not running? I am not and have never been an official but I am guessing that there is at least one zebra who's job is to only have his eye on the runner. I ask was he doing his job when every single person in the stadium saw the fair catch signal but him? I think not. All I am saying is its now playoff time PLEASE don't send a team home packing because YOU didnt do your job their whole season done because you can't pay attention and DO YOUR JOB!!!!!!!!!

[canefan72]

I bet that flag was on the ground long before the ball was in the end zone. which means he did not coast you a TD. You just happened to score on a play that a penalty was called. I have to ask you, is that the only play you ran all night or did you have another 30 of 40 chances to score.

 

It did not coast us a TD it cost us a TD and the flag was on the ground when he got around the 10 yd line. That would have made the score 7-7. The final was 14-7 in overtime. My point is that when you are in a deffensive battle and points are at a premium, you can't afford for somebody that is either in training or just does not know the game to cost you a td. It can cost you the game. I have to ask you, How long have you been a ref or related to one because that is about the only people whom take up for their poor effort.

[Dist11fan]

It did not coast us a TD it cost us a TD and the flag was on the ground when he got around the 10 yd line. That would have made the score 7-7. The final was 14-7 in overtime. My point is that when you are in a deffensive battle and points are at a premium, you can't afford for somebody that is either in training or just does not know the game to cost you a td. It can cost you the game. I have to ask you, How long have you been a ref or related to one because that is about the only people whom take up for their poor effort.

 

 

deffensive; "whom take up for"; People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

 

I do agree, however, with the substance of your post. /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

[Wildcat77]

Mount Juliet sure has some good home field officiating.....

[TDCman]

Lincoln County is famous for their 'good' home field officiating. /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

 

My only suggestion to officials would be to call what you see, and only what you see. Not what you think happened or what you think might happen. For instance, if a ball goes up in the air after leaving the QBs hand, it can't be incomplete until it touches the ground. Another for instance, just because someone is moving in a certain direction or falls down, it does not mean that a player from the other team caused it...unless you actually saw it with your eyes. There is a lot of good acting going on these days and people are taking advantage of the officials' eagerness to throw their flags.

 

90% of the officials do a great job and should be commended for the job they do.

 

I do agree with the first post though. Please step up your game as well during the playoffs...nobody wants to see a team's season end due to a bad call from an official. Let the players decide the games.

[LSMFT]

How about this situation: Every time a PAT/FG is attempted there is only one (1) striped shirt on the line. How can that person see holding on the other side of the ball?

[hctigerfan]

How about this situation: Every time a PAT/FG is attempted there is only one (1) striped shirt on the line. How can that person see holding on the other side of the ball?

 

Pay for the sixth official and you can have two. Mechanics are written to give the best coverage to a particular situation. On a FG/PAT the coverage emphasis is placed on the uprights and the kicker/holder. Sacrifices in coverage are made in particular areas to provide the best available coverage on the field.