Congratulations to all who participated in the 2007/08 Grand Final. Who would have thought the Eagles would have 2 scores before the half time. What a way for the Razorbacks to come back and the Eagles take it right up to them to the end of the game.
I wish to thank those people who have been proactive in learning the rules, its interpretations and making the necessary adjustments to become better players and teams. You should all be proud of your efforts.
As the game comes to a close many participants turn to what the future will hold for them in the game of gridiron. Some will retire and leave the game for a break while others will move onto other duties within the league or club. Don't forget to come join the officials to help boost the ranks. Wouldn't it be great to have 10 officials who only do 1 game a week and not have to double up any games in 1 night. 2 or 3 extra people would be great so come join SAGOA.
While SAGOA have used the blog as a tool to improve communication and rules knowledge for 2007/08 the desired outcomes have not been produced, in fact players are now arguing the blog comments on the field during a game and some people just disregard the information at their own peril saying that in particular circumstances the rules don't apply to them.
A few weeks ago I wrote about a player saying that 'it's not our job to teach the rules.' Since then I have reflected the use of the blog and weekly newsletters previously used. It appears such efforts are a waste of time across the league. Because of this incident I have also looked at my own goals and involvement in gridiron for the future. While I have not absolutely made up my mind I am considering leaving onfield duties to take up another role in officiating or leaving SAGOA altogether.
While I do make some errors in officiating because I am only human the comments from players and sideline personnel are disrespectful and many a time uneducated. The worse thing is a player or other team member in uniform 'telling' an official how to do something or a rule is something that is not even NCAA, rather it is NFL, or that a rule doesn't apply to Australia.
Just how often has an official gone up to a player and verbally told him how silly he was for dropping a pass or for missing a block that allowed his player to be tackled? The reality is that SAGOA is not the keeper of the rules and have no responsibility to take on the role of teaching the rules to clubs, unless the clubs invite the officials to attend a rules training session. But how effective would this be? Probably very ineffective as from experience nothing would actually change but rather cause more arguments.
Those 'arguments' are something I no longer want to be a part of nor have to continue justifying a rule that some people have never taken the time to actually read in the context of all the rules. What the future will now hold and if and how I continue will depend on what my family expects and how participants reflect back on their conduct as well. Apologising after the fact about your own personal conduct towards myself and officials is to late.
Regards
Grant Martin
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Thankyou to the Gridiron SA Community
This is a big thank you to those of you who stayed to watch the second game last night and celebrated Daryl's 500th game. Thanks to the retired officials who managed to attend the game and those that gave their support and best wishes from around Australia.
Below is the Crunchtime article celebrating this milestone in Gridiron SA.
Again thanks to all those who have truly supported the officials over the past years.
Grant Martin
Below is the Crunchtime article celebrating this milestone in Gridiron SA.
Daryl Argent
Over 20 seasons ago no one would have thought an original official from the first season would still be on the field 500 games later. Tonight SAGOA and GASA invite you all to celebrate 500 games with Daryl Argent. He has been a part of 60% of GASA games, officiated in each junior season as well being a life member for services to GASA.
Daryl has been loyal to gridiron in South Australia and to officiating, giving up his time to serve on the GASA Board and be a part of the junior committee before work commitments took up this time in the latter years. He has always expressed that he enjoyed attending those meetings and the interactions he has had.
Tonight we welcome back the ‘older’ crew of officials that Daryl has worked with over time, some of those officials also being in the inaugural season, including Wes Neal, ‘Doc’ Sabine and Bruce Daley. It must be great for them to see the game continuing on in SA and that SAGOA is still an active member of the league.
SAGOA is only 1 of 2 states in Australia to use full time officials and rarely has had to call on GASA to help provide club officials. Hopefully this will continue with some new officials joining and they can also have a long and prosperous career as an official in Gridiron here in SA. They could well be on their way to 500 games like Darryl is tonight.
When you decide to retire from the game come and watch from the best seat in the house and become an official on the field. If you have made plans to retire then give SAGOA an email on secretary@sagoa.info
Grant Martin
SAGOA Coordinator of OfficialsAgain thanks to all those who have truly supported the officials over the past years.
Grant Martin
Friday, February 15, 2008
Proposed Rules Changes NCAA 2008
NCAA News Release
NCAA Football Rules Committee Proposes Rules to Enhance Student-Athlete Safety and Encourage Consistent Pace of Play
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Contact(s)
Ty Halpin
Associate Director for Playing Rules Administration
317/917-6136
INDIANAPOLIS --- The NCAA Football Rules Committee proposed changes intended to enhance and more strictly enforce rules related to student-athlete safety. The committee, which met February 11-13, addressed helmet contact, players that target a defenseless opponent, horse collar tackling, and enhanced rules dealing with dangerous chop blocks. Additionally, after a year of consideration, the committee proposed a 40/25 second play clock system to encourage a consistent pace of play. All rules proposals will be sent for membership comment and considered by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel before taking effect.
“A main charge of the rules committee is to enhance the safety of our student-athletes,” said Michael Clark, chair of the committee and head coach at Bridgewater (Virginia) College. “In recent years, the committee has attempted to address head-down contact and dangerous helmet contact in general. The committee is directing game officials to strictly penalize head-down contact as well as players that target defenseless opponents.”
The committee has proposed adjusted wording to curb the incidences of dangerous helmet-related contact. In this change, the committee is giving game officials better guidance to penalize these hits.
“The committee is giving our game officials more tools to penalize potentially dangerous contact,” said Rogers Redding, coordinator of officials at the Southeastern Conference and secretary-editor of the committee starting March 1. “Specifically, the committee is addressing players that use the crown of their helmet and players that target defenseless opponents when making contact above the shoulders.”
A proposal relating to the chop block rule clarifies this area and will assist in officials and coaches in the understanding of this foul.
“Previously, this rule had many factors that officials had to consider,” said Redding. “We have eliminated many of the conditions which made this difficult to officiate while retaining the illegality of the dangerous aspects of this foul.”
Another safety proposal deals with a dangerous tackle – commonly referred to as a “horse collar.” Any player will now be prohibited from grabbing the inside back collar of the shoulder pads or jersey, or the inside collar of the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and immediately pulling the runner down.
Two other major proposals deal with the pace of play. The rules committee passed a 40/25 second play clock system in an effort to standardize the pace of play. Unless the game is stopped for administrative reasons (e.g., change of possession, injury, etc.), the offensive team will have 40 seconds to snap the ball after it is declared dead.
Additionally, the committee made a change in the timing of the game after a play in which a runner goes out of bounds. Except in the last two minutes of each half, the game clock will start on a signal from the referee, rather than on the snap.
“This is a part of the continuing efforts to maintain a reasonable length of games and create a consistent pace of play at all levels,” said Clark.
The committee also made the following proposals:
In the rules relating to instant replay, plays where a fumble leads to an immediate recovery may be reviewed.
In replay rules, a coach that challenges a play and is successful will retain the right to challenge one more time for a maximum of two.
When a kickoff goes out of bounds, the receiving team may accept the ball at the 40-yard line instead of the 35.
The incidental five-yard face mask foul was removed. All face mask fouls (pulling, twisting or turning) will be a 15-yard penalty.
A yardage penalty for sideline control was instituted.
NCAA Football Rules Committee Proposes Rules to Enhance Student-Athlete Safety and Encourage Consistent Pace of Play
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Contact(s)
Ty Halpin
Associate Director for Playing Rules Administration
317/917-6136
INDIANAPOLIS --- The NCAA Football Rules Committee proposed changes intended to enhance and more strictly enforce rules related to student-athlete safety. The committee, which met February 11-13, addressed helmet contact, players that target a defenseless opponent, horse collar tackling, and enhanced rules dealing with dangerous chop blocks. Additionally, after a year of consideration, the committee proposed a 40/25 second play clock system to encourage a consistent pace of play. All rules proposals will be sent for membership comment and considered by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel before taking effect.
“A main charge of the rules committee is to enhance the safety of our student-athletes,” said Michael Clark, chair of the committee and head coach at Bridgewater (Virginia) College. “In recent years, the committee has attempted to address head-down contact and dangerous helmet contact in general. The committee is directing game officials to strictly penalize head-down contact as well as players that target defenseless opponents.”
The committee has proposed adjusted wording to curb the incidences of dangerous helmet-related contact. In this change, the committee is giving game officials better guidance to penalize these hits.
“The committee is giving our game officials more tools to penalize potentially dangerous contact,” said Rogers Redding, coordinator of officials at the Southeastern Conference and secretary-editor of the committee starting March 1. “Specifically, the committee is addressing players that use the crown of their helmet and players that target defenseless opponents when making contact above the shoulders.”
A proposal relating to the chop block rule clarifies this area and will assist in officials and coaches in the understanding of this foul.
“Previously, this rule had many factors that officials had to consider,” said Redding. “We have eliminated many of the conditions which made this difficult to officiate while retaining the illegality of the dangerous aspects of this foul.”
Another safety proposal deals with a dangerous tackle – commonly referred to as a “horse collar.” Any player will now be prohibited from grabbing the inside back collar of the shoulder pads or jersey, or the inside collar of the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and immediately pulling the runner down.
Two other major proposals deal with the pace of play. The rules committee passed a 40/25 second play clock system in an effort to standardize the pace of play. Unless the game is stopped for administrative reasons (e.g., change of possession, injury, etc.), the offensive team will have 40 seconds to snap the ball after it is declared dead.
Additionally, the committee made a change in the timing of the game after a play in which a runner goes out of bounds. Except in the last two minutes of each half, the game clock will start on a signal from the referee, rather than on the snap.
“This is a part of the continuing efforts to maintain a reasonable length of games and create a consistent pace of play at all levels,” said Clark.
The committee also made the following proposals:
In the rules relating to instant replay, plays where a fumble leads to an immediate recovery may be reviewed.
In replay rules, a coach that challenges a play and is successful will retain the right to challenge one more time for a maximum of two.
When a kickoff goes out of bounds, the receiving team may accept the ball at the 40-yard line instead of the 35.
The incidental five-yard face mask foul was removed. All face mask fouls (pulling, twisting or turning) will be a 15-yard penalty.
A yardage penalty for sideline control was instituted.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
500 Games
While people say that officials/umpires should be seen and not heard there are some milestones that should be shouted from the rooftop for all to hear and celebrate no matter how well liked or disliked these people are.
This weekend 16th February 2008 Daryl Argent will be celebrating his 500th game. This is a huge milestone in that he has been a part of 60% of GASA games since the beginning. He is certainly rare as he has not missed a season since the beginning. He was even at the very first meeting to help organise gridiron in South Australia. There are some of us who were a part of the first season but have gone and come back after a short break or working elsewhere.
So this weekend come and celebrate Daryl's 500th game and support the game for the last minor round before the finals.
Grant Martin
This weekend 16th February 2008 Daryl Argent will be celebrating his 500th game. This is a huge milestone in that he has been a part of 60% of GASA games since the beginning. He is certainly rare as he has not missed a season since the beginning. He was even at the very first meeting to help organise gridiron in South Australia. There are some of us who were a part of the first season but have gone and come back after a short break or working elsewhere.
So this weekend come and celebrate Daryl's 500th game and support the game for the last minor round before the finals.
Grant Martin
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Just how many times do we need to say these things?
The same points are reminded here again for the safety of participants of this game.
1. Sideline warnings - it is becoming apparent that one team is having a number of sideline warnings for coaches standing in the area between the sideline and the sideline numbers that mark the coaches/players box area. After posting on here a very serious injury that occurred to an assistant coach who has not worked his job or a game since he sustained the injury we still have coaching staff in the wrong area. This is a serious matter that must be addressed by the club.
Just to clarify that the penalty will always be on the head coach even if he is not the one standing in the wrong spot. That it will be 2 warnings, 5 yards for the third and 15 for the fourth and subsequent infraction or whatever the Referee deems necessary to get the head coach to understand that it is his responsibility to have all team personnel behind the orange numbers on the sideline. You shouldn't need clarification half way through a game.
2. Use of helmet - it DOESN"T matter if your hands touch an opponent first and then you use your helmet illegally. It is a safety issue for you and your opponent. So why do players persist in arguing about this? Whipping your head back and then forward to make contact with your helmet is a deliberate act to punish your opponent and falls under the category of a flagrant foul.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/flagrant
Flagrant fouls also draw an ejection.
Grant Martin
1. Sideline warnings - it is becoming apparent that one team is having a number of sideline warnings for coaches standing in the area between the sideline and the sideline numbers that mark the coaches/players box area. After posting on here a very serious injury that occurred to an assistant coach who has not worked his job or a game since he sustained the injury we still have coaching staff in the wrong area. This is a serious matter that must be addressed by the club.
Just to clarify that the penalty will always be on the head coach even if he is not the one standing in the wrong spot. That it will be 2 warnings, 5 yards for the third and 15 for the fourth and subsequent infraction or whatever the Referee deems necessary to get the head coach to understand that it is his responsibility to have all team personnel behind the orange numbers on the sideline. You shouldn't need clarification half way through a game.
2. Use of helmet - it DOESN"T matter if your hands touch an opponent first and then you use your helmet illegally. It is a safety issue for you and your opponent. So why do players persist in arguing about this? Whipping your head back and then forward to make contact with your helmet is a deliberate act to punish your opponent and falls under the category of a flagrant foul.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/flagrant
Flagrant fouls also draw an ejection.
Grant Martin
Monday, February 4, 2008
Some good to go with the bad!
First up, let me echo Grant's comment about the "it is not our job to teach him the rules" comment. In playing, coaching and officiating I don't think I have heard a more ridiculous statement come out of the mouth of even the most uneducated fan - let alone a senior, experienced player.
I would like to however take the chance to give some public acknowledgement to particular captains that are very straightforward to deal with (this is not an exhaustive list by any means, just the ones that stand out to me the most):
Chiefs: #30, #70
Eagles: #44
Oilers: #87
Razorbacks: #6
Spartans: #5
More than once in the last couple of weeks have each of these guys acted just like a captain should and pulled their players into line - well done, and keep it up.
I also have to make a particular comment to the couple of players that asked about the spearing post last week: no, I'm not going to complain if you want to talk about a post - but probably in the middle of a game isn't the best of times to do it!
Regards,
Simon
I would like to however take the chance to give some public acknowledgement to particular captains that are very straightforward to deal with (this is not an exhaustive list by any means, just the ones that stand out to me the most):
Chiefs: #30, #70
Eagles: #44
Oilers: #87
Razorbacks: #6
Spartans: #5
More than once in the last couple of weeks have each of these guys acted just like a captain should and pulled their players into line - well done, and keep it up.
I also have to make a particular comment to the couple of players that asked about the spearing post last week: no, I'm not going to complain if you want to talk about a post - but probably in the middle of a game isn't the best of times to do it!
Regards,
Simon
Haha you guys are so funny! What's the point?
Oh my god you guys can be so funny on the field that it makes no sense at all. Some of the comments I heard on the weekend would be better published in a book for entertainment for people to read.
2 comments I heard that should be commented on go as follows.
In game 1 a player commits a PF close to the end of the game. A captain replies to an official that the player is a rookie. (Is this to mean that it somehow diminishes his responsibilities?) The captain is told that it is the teams job to ensure the rookie knows what to do with a particular rule. The captain replies "But it is not our job to teach him the rules!"
So now with cooler heads prevailing just whose job is it to teach the player the rules? Surely not the officials on the field? You want us calling your tactics on the field as well?
The second comment comes from a scrambling QB who gets hit from pillar to post. He continues to run play after play. Well done to him for taking it up to the other teams. What surprises me is that from the sideline a coaching staff member calls out to protect the QB. Well once he begins to run he is no longer a QB but now a ball carrier RB. The QB no longer has any protection dealing with a passer. If the QB clearly slides at the end of a play to show he is giving up then he will have protection provided to him as a defenseless player. But while he stands up and takes the hits right down to the ground to end the play by rule he is a ball carrier. The thing is the people on the sideline were told the correct advice about this and then argued about it and totally disregarded the official's advice. So why try and teach you this?
So what is the point in teaching people the rules of the game if we continue to have our comments disregarded and rules interpretations from the blog not passed on to participants of the game? I would say none. So why waste the time of typing this up to improve the standard of play on the field and continue a game in a speedy manner so that we do not have to stop and answer queries on rulings? I would say a waste of time for both anyhow.
I sent out notes to coaching staff in 2004/05 season and put in articles to the Crunchtime. Nothing changed. I stopped sending out notes for the next few years but returned to write ups for 2007/08. SAGOA has used modern technology this season to inform all tech savvy participants of GASA about rulings and interpretations. What has changed? Nothing.
I thank the captains who have worked out they need to control some of their players when making comments and I thank the captains who have worked out how to approach an official in a smart and respectful manner. These teams will have a much lower penalty yardage for sportsmanship and their games have been the best to officiate and concentrate on knowing the captains are in there stopping and preventing players continually verbally challenging the official's call.
If this trend continues I can see a few more ejections for flagrant fouls and players even accumulating 2 or more USC penalties before the season breaks into the finals series. As to the player of one team threatening to punch other opposition players after a game he is lucky not to have been ejected on the spot and only asked to sit out a few plays. Such behaviour should never occur on the field and captains must stamp out such behaviour when they hear it on the field.
I wonder if this message reaches the personnel that need to know and read and understand? Probably not. But hey you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. I make no apologies in saying this the way it needs to be and calling a spade a spade.
Grant Martin
SAGOA Training Officer
2 comments I heard that should be commented on go as follows.
In game 1 a player commits a PF close to the end of the game. A captain replies to an official that the player is a rookie. (Is this to mean that it somehow diminishes his responsibilities?) The captain is told that it is the teams job to ensure the rookie knows what to do with a particular rule. The captain replies "But it is not our job to teach him the rules!"
So now with cooler heads prevailing just whose job is it to teach the player the rules? Surely not the officials on the field? You want us calling your tactics on the field as well?
The second comment comes from a scrambling QB who gets hit from pillar to post. He continues to run play after play. Well done to him for taking it up to the other teams. What surprises me is that from the sideline a coaching staff member calls out to protect the QB. Well once he begins to run he is no longer a QB but now a ball carrier RB. The QB no longer has any protection dealing with a passer. If the QB clearly slides at the end of a play to show he is giving up then he will have protection provided to him as a defenseless player. But while he stands up and takes the hits right down to the ground to end the play by rule he is a ball carrier. The thing is the people on the sideline were told the correct advice about this and then argued about it and totally disregarded the official's advice. So why try and teach you this?
So what is the point in teaching people the rules of the game if we continue to have our comments disregarded and rules interpretations from the blog not passed on to participants of the game? I would say none. So why waste the time of typing this up to improve the standard of play on the field and continue a game in a speedy manner so that we do not have to stop and answer queries on rulings? I would say a waste of time for both anyhow.
I sent out notes to coaching staff in 2004/05 season and put in articles to the Crunchtime. Nothing changed. I stopped sending out notes for the next few years but returned to write ups for 2007/08. SAGOA has used modern technology this season to inform all tech savvy participants of GASA about rulings and interpretations. What has changed? Nothing.
I thank the captains who have worked out they need to control some of their players when making comments and I thank the captains who have worked out how to approach an official in a smart and respectful manner. These teams will have a much lower penalty yardage for sportsmanship and their games have been the best to officiate and concentrate on knowing the captains are in there stopping and preventing players continually verbally challenging the official's call.
If this trend continues I can see a few more ejections for flagrant fouls and players even accumulating 2 or more USC penalties before the season breaks into the finals series. As to the player of one team threatening to punch other opposition players after a game he is lucky not to have been ejected on the spot and only asked to sit out a few plays. Such behaviour should never occur on the field and captains must stamp out such behaviour when they hear it on the field.
I wonder if this message reaches the personnel that need to know and read and understand? Probably not. But hey you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. I make no apologies in saying this the way it needs to be and calling a spade a spade.
Grant Martin
SAGOA Training Officer
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