TSSAA to enforce restraining line rule

[cooterhooter]

Amen. The College rule is a great feature. /flower.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":flower:" border="0" alt="flower.gif" />

The federation guidlines have the chain crew, setting the chains, placing the clip, and backing off the sidelines. How many oldtimer chain crews are gonna listen to that? /ph34r.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ph34r:" border="0" alt="ph34r.gif" />

 

We delt with it as a chain crew in Chattanooga for the first time last year and it really stunk. It is real hard to set the chains then move them back 3 yards. It is stupid to move then chain off the sideline. The coaches and players have a hard time finding the 1st down marker in side the player box. We had to move right back in the middle of the team on the "get back" line.

[LSMFT]

So no media should be near the field? If that's what you mean then do you think that no pictures should be in the papers? No footage on TV?

 

What are you trying to say??

 

And just out of curiosity are you a coach, player, fan or ref?

 

DL /unsure.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":unsure:" border="0" alt="unsure.gif" />

 

Stay back from the restraining line. There are many times when someone is trying to take a picture and gets steamrolled by a player(s). Personally I think they should adopt the college rule, or I think it is a rule. Chains in the first 3 feet, coaches in the second 3 feet, players in the next 3 feet.

 

Former player. current fan.

 

What is your category, Deltavian?

[DelTavian]

Stay back from the restraining line. There are many times when someone is trying to take a picture and gets steamrolled by a player(s). Personally I think they should adopt the college rule, or I think it is a rule. Chains in the first 3 feet, coaches in the second 3 feet, players in the next 3 feet.

 

Former player. current fan.

 

What is your category, Deltavian?

 

 

I figured that would be easy to figure out. I'm a camera jockey/sportswriter. I spent the first 10 years or so of doing this for next to nothing. Pretty much charity work for my county paper. Editors changed and I finally started getting paid minium wage. I have always done what I do to promote the kids so it kind of freaks me out when some seem to want to run the media out of the picture. I think high school sports is one of the main reasons to even have a small county paper. If the kids aren't worth the ink what is?

 

DL.

[MRJD07]

Since I had to deal with this a little during the Sequatchie Valley Jamboree I'll address it too. I have no problem with the line being enforced. Many are right, you can't go to a college game and shoot any closer...except places like Sewanee and Maryville and even those may have changed since the last time I shot there.

 

However, I have a real problem with newbie refs (who are in training mode and only being allowed to run the chains at the jamboree) acting all big and bad and threatening to throw media out. You just got the shirt and the whistle don't let all the power go to your head. Especially when I've been doing this for 18 years and several of the veteran refs are friends of mine.....and the White Hat on the field is a GOOD friend of mine. If anybody was going to toss me it would have to have been Larry cause I'm not leaving for a newbie with an ego. PLUS I wasn't inside the box when he threatened to toss me. Dude must have some serious ego issues.

 

Several are right about too many trying to take pictures. It should be restricted to a reasonable amount. I can only think of 3 to 4 photographers (still cameras) that should be on any sideline. 1. Local newspaper for school. 2. Regional big paper like the Times Free Press. 3. Student photographer for yearbook. 4. Studio photographer like Lifetouch that's also shooting for the school yearbook.

 

A good lens will get you what you need just as easy from 6 feet back as it will right on the sideline. But those aren't cheap. The ones you see on the college sidelines run around $10,000 just for the lens. I've got a $2,000 one that I got last year and it does the trick very well.

 

Anybody who's been around a while will be in and out of their own team's area if they have a good relationship with their team. You hang out in there for a little bit getting the shots you need and then you'll move back out to the outside areas to get clear shots of the action.

 

The vast majority of refs I deal with are very gracious to the media. We understand they have a job and they understand we have a job. Usually everyone takes care of each other. I expect this to continue. However I will keep a copy of the rule with me so that when I run into one of those big egos I can be sure we're on the same page about what it says. The guy that gave me grief last week said he was really supposed to make me stand 6 feet behind the dotted restraining line. Clueless. If I'm following the rules and some nut tosses me I will file a lawsuit for restricting commerce against the ref individually and all others possible. You cannot restrict commerce as a state agency. If I'm following the rules and followed the process to be there I have every right to be on the sidelines shooting for my paper and my site.

 

DL.

 

 

AMEN!

[Utkman]

I can't speak for all of my Chatt officials, but I was at that Sequacthie Jamboree (1st Qtr) and if I heard the chain crew saying anything to anyone I would have told them not to - that is my job. As for the media, I have no problem with them being there, but as I explained in my first response this rule was needed for all non-player personnel. Personally, I really only get anal about "violaters" downfield from me. For example, if we are at the 15 going in, I don't really care so much about a photog standing at the 20 with a foot over the line. It is from the 15 to the goalline where I need to move that I am concerned with.

 

As for the chains, moving them back is fantastic. I can't tell you how many times in the past I would step back on the stakes while watching the play because they were right on top of me. If executed properly as mentioned above, the crew should be just as accurate although two yards off the sideline.

[DelTavian]

I can't speak for all of my Chatt officials, but I was at that Sequacthie Jamboree (1st Qtr) and if I heard the chain crew saying anything to anyone I would have told them not to - that is my job. As for the media, I have no problem with them being there, but as I explained in my first response this rule was needed for all non-player personnel. Personally, I really only get anal about "violaters" downfield from me. For example, if we are at the 15 going in, I don't really care so much about a photog standing at the 20 with a foot over the line. It is from the 15 to the goalline where I need to move that I am concerned with.

 

As for the chains, moving them back is fantastic. I can't tell you how many times in the past I would step back on the stakes while watching the play because they were right on top of me. If executed properly as mentioned above, the crew should be just as accurate although two yards off the sideline.

 

 

Great response. Thank you. I have a question about the chains having to move. A coworker of mine and longtime ref....the famous Dr. Gomez /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> ...told me the chains deal comes from a player being impaled in another state due to the chains being right on the sideline. Is that what motivated the change from the national level? It's my understanding that player died.

 

The only real problem with moving the chains back will be the added number of measurements that will come. Especially on fields that aren't painted just perfect. Other than that everyone ought to be able to deal with it.

 

DL.

[JCShots]

I certainly do not have a problem with the media and photographers being limited on the sideline as long as we are all given equal access. I was born on the day of a high school football game and I've been going to football games for going on 48 years... I'll be 48 next month and I've seen a lot of changes during these years. Some changes for the better and some for the worst. This year I too have notice the 2 yard area is being enforced... even in the team box. My initial thoughts were "Great... this will allow the chain crews better access to the side lines!" I used to work with a chain crew and I know first hand that for years they have constantly told the players to ???Back-Up, Make Room???. The next thing I noticed was the chain crews were being backed up into the team 2 yards off the field as well. The concept seemed to work okay between the goal line and the 25 yard line. There were only a hand full of statisticians, the ball girl and a coach or two that continually were in the way while the chains were being set and each time the chains were called for a measurement. The problem intensified 10 fold when the chain crews moved into the player??™s area. They not only had to deal with the coaches, ball girls, & statisticians, they were then force to backup into 40+ players all crowded around the precious line 2 yards off the field. Once again, I felt sorry for the chain crew! I realize this rule is for the safety of all involved. I have no problem with keeping the kids safe but let??™s be smart about this. Either move the chain crew forward 1 yard or move the team back another yard. The game officials need the area to work. As for me, I??™ll be 2 yards off the field, minding my business and taking my pictures!

 

Regards,

JCarmack

http://www.JCShots.com

[mcsportswriter]

I want to thank all the readers for their opinions on this topic. There are some here who do not seem to respect what the media does for a living and there are others who understand. I stayed behind the restraining line in week zero and it was tough getting in position for a good picture. I don't sell pictures, I take them for my newspaper, that is my job. I will deal with it like some of you say who know nothing about our profession, but just want to sound off for some reason. The chain crew struggled all night and I felt bad for them. I forsee a lot of penalties this season becuase of the players not staying behind the line. I don't think they move into the box on purpose, it is just the game it is. There is a lot of emotion and sometimes we all just get carried away and move into the box. We will work it out.

[chuckm]

I want to thank all the readers for their opinions on this topic. There are some here who do not seem to respect what the media does for a living and there are others who understand. I stayed behind the restraining line in week zero and it was tough getting in position for a good picture. I don't sell pictures, I take them for my newspaper, that is my job. I will deal with it like some of you say who know nothing about our profession, but just want to sound off for some reason. The chain crew struggled all night and I felt bad for them. I forsee a lot of penalties this season becuase of the players not staying behind the line. I don't think they move into the box on purpose, it is just the game it is. There is a lot of emotion and sometimes we all just get carried away and move into the box. We will work it out.

 

 

Players have always had to stay behind the line in the team area. It was like that when I played in the 80s and it's still like that today.

 

As an official, it is a comfort that the sideline should be cleaner so you won't hit anyone.

 

I think most officials respect what the reporters are doing. I always spoke with them during basketball and football games when I was behind the lens. When action came my way during football, I bailed and got out of the way. Never got run over.

 

In softball, I hated when umpires started requiring the designated media area. I was told to leave more than once or had to stand in the dugout and be in everyone's way.