It's official: Steve Shaw new SEC Supervisor

[refdawg]

See the link below from The Birmingham News

http://mobile.al.com/advbirm/pm_31141/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=BBDF192B2FFA7CE253E059DA18321F4F?contentguid=plzwvXRp

[Frank in FL]

I guess this means we won't see Shaw on the field.  Pity.  I always thought he was one of the best. 

[Rulesman]

Great for the SEC on one respect - they've got a proven leader who is well-respected.
Horrible in another - they lose one of their best Rs on the field.

[refdawg]

definitely bittersweet for the SEC officials.  Steve will certainly be missed on the field, but he'll be a great ambassador for the conference as a whole. 

[zebra99]

and combining the two jobs (National Coordinator and Rules Editor) makes a lot of sense!

[Diablo]

and combining the two jobs (National Coordinator and Rules Editor) makes a lot of sense!

Have the two positions merged?

[Atlanta Blue]

Have the two positions merged?

Well, at the moment, the same person holds both positions, so from a practical position, they have for now.  But that probably is not an official merger, as it may not always be that way.

[JasonTX]

I guess this means we won't see Shaw on the field.  Pity.  I always thought he was one of the best. 

What prevents him from still working on the field as well? 

[Andrew McCarthy]

What prevents him from still working on the field as well?  

Because it would be a real or perceived conflict of interest.  To be in charge of crew assignments, evaluating and critiquing the on field officials, scheduling, and bowl assignments while maintaining his position as a crew chief would undermine the credibility of the post.

There could be an enormous amount of perceived favoritism towards himself, his crew, or members of his crew which would lead to morale problems on the staff.

I think we've all worked with these officials who think the deck is stacked against them.  I wouldn't want a majority of my staff becoming "that guy".

[JasonTX]

Because it would be a real or perceived conflict of interest.  To be in charge of crew assignments, evaluating and critiquing the on field officials, scheduling, and bowl assignments while maintaining his position as a crew chief would undermine the credibility of the post.

There could be an enormous amount of perceived favoritism towards himself, his crew, or members of his crew which would lead to morale problems on the staff.

I think we've all worked with these officials who think the deck is stacked against them.  I wouldn't want a majority of my staff becoming "that guy".

I never did even think of it like that, but you are correct.

[Rulesman]

Good article in Wednesday's Birmingham paper: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/01/shaw_discusses_goals_and_ideas.html

[Reff54]

I would not have thought he was  51.....he's the youngest looking  51 year old I've ever seen....I would be have put at no more than 40....

[Joe Stack]

I would not have a problem working on the field as a supervisor, but I would limit it somewhat. Nonconference games only, perhaps, or fill in on conference games. Something like that. No postseason games for sure. Working with crews makes it harder than in a sport such as hoops, but unless it was too difficult from a logistics standpoint, I wouldn't leave the field completely. A lot depends on how they like to evaluate -- do they want to go to games, or let the guys breaking down tape deal with all that. I feel like I could still work some and see each crew twice a season.

[Rulesman]

I think the expectation in most conferences is that the supervisor be in attendance at games to evaluate, not officiate.