Pop Warner officials banned

[James]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/2012/10/20/one-pop-warner-game-results-five-concussions/nkJydxoAsEGOF0jPjimtWK/story.html

According to this report three officials presiding over a game where there where 5 concussions in a pop-warner game have been banned by by 'Central Mass. Pop Warner'

[HLinNC]

The officials failed to enforce a point spread rule and stop the game.  Both coaches were also suspended.  There were also suspicions the winning team failed to have their pre-game weigh-in according to the article.  It doesn't say who examined the palyers and let them back in the game.

Sounds as if some league administrators have some questions to answer too, IMO.

[AlUpstateNY]

Presuming the 28 point "Mercy Rule" is included in Massachusettes Pop Warner rules, restrictions placed on play after that point differential is reached, are directed at Coaching staffs regarding the type plays called and restricting certain players from participating further at certain positions.  Field Officials are responsible for altering the game timing to adjust to "running" time, to shorten the contest. Once a "Running Clock" is started it does not revert to standard football timing rules, no matter what happens regarding scoring, for either team.

As is the case with NFHS rules, Field Officials are responsible for removing players showing signs of potential injury (not limited to only concussion suspicion) to their repective sidelines for evaluation.  The teams bear full responsibility for having qualified medical personnel on site for determining if a player is fit to continue participating.  Should a player, returning to play after being sent to the sideline for evaluation, display questionable symptoms of concussion (or other injury), field Officials are limited to sending him back to the sideline for further evaluation.

Other than a vague suggestion about an alledged dead ball injury, what are the field officials accused of?  Concussion injuries are not necessarily the result of "illegal" contacts, and are far more likely the result of inadequate instruction and coaching.  Field officials have little pre-emptive control, and no authority, over contacts, legal or illegal, prior to their being applied.   

[TXMike]

You guys are missing the point....$$$$$$$$$$

There are likely lawsuits on the way.  By taking this action the League makes it look like they are doing all they can and are placing the blame elsewhere.  Not saying that is gonna help them at the end of the day but if they had not done anything then they would have been easily argued to have been in agreement with what had or had not been done

[TampaSteve]

'bad officiating', for a 52-0 game?
Hmmmm....
I am scratching my head though about no no one apparently invoking the mercy rule.  Goodness, if it shoulda ended @28-0, someone, somewhere, it seems, should have known this.
I know my State's mercy rule VERY well.  No way I want to hang around for some of that madness.

Reason #426 not to work youth.

 

[chymechowder]

I'm in Mass.

You don't end the game when it's a 28 pt difference. But you do go to a running clock; the team that's ahead can't pass; they can only run between the tackles; they can't blitz on defense.  Stuff like that.

I guess the 3 guys working the game weren't familiar with the 28-pt rules. (How else to explain their NOT running the clock  )

But it doesn't make sense to blame them for the concussions. I guess if the team that was up 40 points blitzed and concussed the losing team's QB, you can hang some of that on the officials mismanaging the rules.

[TampaSteve]

I know chowder didnt write the rule, but how dangerous can this mercy rule be for the RB?  A must run between the tackles?
In other words B can put all 11 guys between the tackles and tee off on A's RB.
 
Heck let's face it, with a full, running clock game wont be lasting much longer.  Tell you what, A passing up by 28 or more those A linemen sure get sloppy with their blocking technique & for whatever reason they tend to hold more.

[AlUpstateNY]

I'm in Mass.

You don't end the game when it's a 28 pt difference. But you do go to a running clock; the team that's ahead can't pass; they can only run between the tackles; they can't blitz on defense.  Stuff like that.

I guess the 3 guys working the game weren't familiar with the 28-pt rules. (How else to explain their NOT running the clock  )

But it doesn't make sense to blame them for the concussions. I guess if the team that was up 40 points blitzed and concussed the losing team's QB, you can hang some of that on the officials mismanaging the rules.

"Guessing" about what actually happened in any game is a fools bet, and almost as dangerous as presuming a local news article on a Pop Warner game has any resemblance to what actually happened.  Across the border from Mass in NYS, we have a very active Pop Warner involvement, who also have a 28 point level where "THE TEAMS" are responsible to alter their play selection and restrict the type of plays.  A running clock is started, and doesn't stop.  Game management deals with violations of "mercy" rules.

I'm not sure wher you found any "mismanaging of rules" by the field officials.  When the players are taught, or simply encouraged and allowed to continue pummeling an opponent, the problem is coaching, not officiating.  Officials have very limited impact on what players may decided to do, before actually doing it, especially if their sideline encourages dangerous, but legal, behavior.

Thankfully, our Pop Warner organizations realized the inadequacy of trying to manage a football game, even at the "Mighty Mite" level with a 3 man officiating crew, 20 years ago.  Of course for some, that only shows or matters, after there's a problem.