Crew Communication 2-Way Radios / Headsets Prohibited

[blindref757]

So the hundreds of us who are mature and capable of using the Midland or Cobra radios (be reminded that we make $70/game on a good Friday night) as a tool to improve our crews are punished because a couple of crews were immature and couldn't handle it?  That is how the oligarchy thinks..."we better make a law because these people are too dumb to control themselves, and we don't want to get voted out by punishing the guilty ones."

This is the kind of crap that drives people away from officiating and creates the shortages that have people wringing their hands over!  The older I get, the less I like being told what to do...and the more I value my time with my family.  There is going to come a point soon where I tell TASO/UIL to find another sucker!  The TASO apologists on this board need to relay the message.  This thread is proof that there are a lot of people who are unhappy about this knee-jerk reaction.  TASO may not have "come up with this", but they could have left well enough alone and just shut up about it already.  The ruling class needs to be reminded that we make $70 a game...and our coaches make $80K...not $2+ Million.  We don't work for the SEC or Big 12 where buying a $3000 set of radios are like me buying a pack of gum.

I'm going to go to VistaPrint and have some $10 TASO stickers printed to slap on my Midland radios...and then they'll be TASO certified!

[TXMike]

 You do know that these things are covered in the actual book right?    TASO is not asking for anything beyond what is in the rulebook. If you think the little walkie-talkies are going to make you a better official and you can articulate that then take it to the UIL rules committee and see if you can get a UIL exception.

[williebe]

It's real funny that TASO wants to follow rules and policies, but when it came to this last years state playoff games the crews got to wear the NEW shirts. These shirts were approved for wear in 2015, not 2014. Humm funny how TASO made an exception to this policy.

[TXMike]

You really do not see the difference between a jersey and an electronic communication system ?

[Etref]

You do know that these things are covered in the actual book right?    TASO is not asking for anything beyond what is in the rulebook. If you think the little walkie-talkies are going to make you a better official and you can articulate that then take it to the UIL rules committee and see if you can get a UIL exception.

No one is saying it makes you a better official! But the systems can make the game go a lot smoother by allowing cross field communication, and other on field communication.
The rule book says protected it does not say secure.

[TXMike]

Protected and secured are the same for this issue

[Johnponz]

I am not from Texas, but exclusively utilizing protected or secure radios to use as an officiating tool makes perfect sense.  It is not hard for any fan (or press) to pick up the radio conversation.  All that is needed is a portable scanner with frequency scanning capabilities.  Go to any NASCAR event, and you can see how easy it is.

With the way social media works today even an "innocent" comment can be misconstrued, and taken out of context.  I would not want any of my conversations with my crew mates to potentially be made public.  This rule not only seems reasonable, it is probably the only way to go.

It seems prudent that the radios in use be secure, or officials just communicate the "old fashioned" way.

[clearwall]

I am not from Texas, but exclusively utilizing protected or secure radios to use as an officiating tool makes perfect sense.  It is not hard for any fan (or press) to pick up the radio conversation.  All that is needed is a portable scanner with frequency scanning capabilities.  Go to any NASCAR event, and you can see how easy it is.

With the way social media works today even an "innocent" comment can be misconstrued, and taken out of context.  I would not want any of my conversations with my crew mates to potentially be made public.  This rule not only seems reasonable, it is probably the only way to go.

It seems prudent that the radios in use be secure, or officials just communicate the "old fashioned" way.

Two things to this:
A) How often do you really think anyone would go to that length? One person in a crowd of 3-4000 every 4 or 5 games maybe? How big of a problem would that be?
B) What kind of "secret" communique are they going to uncover? "Hey bob, do you want another opinion on that DPI call or did you see it all the way?" "Sure Terry, what did you see?" "Well, it looked like feet got tangled before the contact happened from my angle."

Mountain out of a molehill here.

[Johnponz]

How about take a look at that mom up in the stands, or I wish that coach would stop screaming? 

We are humans and sometimes light-hearted or off the cuff things are said. 

I would not want to have unsecured radios on during any controversial situation either.  Perhaps 2 officials disagree (eg, one believes the call is DPI and the other does not).  Do you really want to take the chance that the crew or association will have to explain why the crew went one way or the other.

We may be making a mountain out of a molehill, but that is exactly what social media does (or the press).

[Rulesman]

We may be making a mountain out of a molehill, but that is exactly what social media does (or the press).

We even do it here on occasion.

[Joe Stack]

How about take a look at that mom up in the stands, or I wish that coach would stop screaming?

Neither of which are likely to be said over the radio.

[mccormicw]

I see the benefits of radios.  But not having them secure is a bad plan.  Recent history of official's blabbing on social media should be a example of how all officials are not created equal and how some will not think before they use a radio inappropriately.  I carry a frequency scanner with me often.  Call me nosey but first thing I do when I see someone with a radio is check to see if I can pick up their radio on my scanner.

[backjudge85]

It's real funny that TASO wants to follow rules and policies, but when it came to this last years state playoff games the crews got to wear the NEW shirts. These shirts were approved for wear in 2015, not 2014. Humm funny how TASO made an exception to this policy.

The TASO Football BOD made an exception to display the new shirts at the championship games.  There was no violation of the uniform policy. 

On the headset issue for officials and the need for them to be protected or secure, there were 3 instances last season where a crew used them in a game and someone in the stands had prior knowledge that these devices were being used and was able to bring a compatible device and listen in and in all 3 occasions, interrupt the conversation and talk to the officials.

If we are going to allow this, there is no question that the devices need to be protected and secured.

[clearwall]

Three times out of...how many hundred HS FB games? Someone said mountain out of a molehill earlier...

[hefnerjm]

Interupting the officials conversation uninvited is a serious problem imo.  If the person simply didnt clear the channel, it would completely invalidate the use of the radio in the first place.  The more I read (granted, as the new guy to Texas) the more I understand the rationale of having the requirement for secure comms.