averagezac
Junior Member
Meaningless: What 18-0 is when it doesn't become 19-0.
Posts: 53
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Post by averagezac on Dec 8, 2010 3:02:36 GMT -6
Prepare yourself kids, the ride might get a little bumpy.
Issue 1-- Nobody Knows the Rules.
Well, everyone seems to think that its logical for everyone to sit down and read the rulebook, but its not. Because the rulebook is dumb. Not the rules, the rulebook. I tried. Its like reading the U.S. Tax Code. Okay, we play dodgeball, the rulebook should not be so esoteric. It should read simpler, be more concise, and frankly, not require a full day to soak in.
No one wants to read it because, its hard. Yeah, that's kind of lame to say, but its true. Jardine read the whole thing, because he's a dork. Bomis read it, because he wrote it. Raymer read it, because what else does Raymer really have to do? The point is, not all of us have time to sit down and leisure read the rulebook, so its not gonna happen, until its either shortened, or simplified in some way.
Issue 2 -- Officiating in Games.
There are 3 things we all need to wrap our heads around, and they are simple:
1. What the ref says goes. 2. The ref will be wrong at least part of the time. 3. The ref is still right, even when he is wrong.
Yeah, it sucks when blown calls cost you a game, or a season, or even a single point, but them's the breaks, its that way in every sport, and it always will be. Even in the NFL, where they have the miracle of instant replay, the booth review, and the little red flag, REFS STILL MAKE BAD CALLS, and they don't always get fixed. You get over it, and you keep playing.
Issue 3 -- The Commissioner.
We solve this one by doing one of about 3 things:
1. Electing one. 2. Appointing someone who is either neutral, or has no problem actually being that way. 3. Not having a commissioner.
1. Well this is a pain in the ass, because we're only all together once a year, and even then, we aren't ALL together. Picking a commissioner should be like electing a pope. A BIG DEAL. If you want to have one, EVERYONE should be involved, or at the very least, everyone who cares.
2. I like Bomis, he's a nice guy, and his heart is in the right place, but if it comes down to it, he's always going to favor MSU, and even Michigan in general, at least it seems that way to me. I understand its the college dodgeball hotbed, and the cradle of life for this league, but outward expansion is the best thing we can do for this league, and that includes someone who I feel would be more progressive, and geographically neutral than Bomis.
I could do the job, I think, but I don't know that I'd want to, because it seems that accepting the title and its powers, comes with painting a bullseye on your forehead. I would love the honor of being CHOSEN as the commissioner, but it would be hard to accept that, knowing how people tend to attack the office.
3. Which leaves us with just not having one. Which is dumb. Don't do this one.
That's all I can think of off-hand. If anyone else has some sort of grievance, or any comments, post them... IF THEY'RE GOOD, we might talk about them in the podcast.
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Post by stokesj on Dec 8, 2010 9:19:42 GMT -6
My issue with Issue 1: It is logical for people to sit down and read the rulebook. Let's face it, we're all college students or even college graduates. I think by now you've had a couple years to learn how to read. I understand that the rulebook isn't some fantastic short story or a pulitzer prize book... it's a rulebook. Teams are given nearly an ENTIRE YEAR to read the rule book and learn the rules. There are so many rules in the rule book in order to protect the safety of the players and for continuation of play. If you look at any other legitimate sport and you'll see that their rulebook is of equivalent length if not larger. If you refuse to read the rulebook then I think that's just laziness. Even a lot of the Depaul guys know the rules and they HATE rules, but they learn them out of respect for the league. If you want to play in this league then learn the rules and how would you do that? Read. The. Rulebook.
Issue 2: I agree with you completely.
Issue 3: I don't even see this as an issue. Bomis does a good job, and of course not everyone is going to agree with him. He's the only person thus far that has shown he's willing to do it. Him being the commissioner doesn't even give him any power except power in the forums. What happened during the SVSU-MSU? game happened while he was being a ref, not commissioner. So far I haven't seen him issue legislation that favors msu, in fact he hasn't issued ANY legislation. He's only suggested rule changes for the end of the year... which he's going to let US decide. I think Bomis is good as a commissioner because he's been there ever since day 1 (besides the 5 years or so that Depaul was just by themselves). So by now I think Bomis knows the ropes. Not only that but he knows how to write and speak professionally which is what you'd expect out of a commissioner. As far as the bias, I'm pretty sure he's as biased as anyone else in the league would be. Until the NCDA gets bigger where people from the outside would want to run things, the commissioner will always be Bomis or an ex-player.
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Post by Zigmister on Dec 8, 2010 9:51:37 GMT -6
In recodifing the NCDA Rulebook i read 90% of the NCAA basketball and football, 192 pages and 272 pages respectively. I also looked at numerous other rulebooks and officiating manuals from different sports and at different levels of play, high school, college, professional. Most legitamate rulebook is over 38 pages of garbage
The new version has just about 10 pages of rules, a 4 page Officiating Manual, and a 2 page Casebook that might grow to a page by the end of the year 95% of all actual gameplay takes up 2 pages in the Rulebook section [3.4 Gameplay], maybe one more page if you include the Shot Clock - in comparison i wrote down DePaul rules and it came out to about two pages.
I have found that this two page rule applies to most dodgeball clubs that have written down their rules, so you might consider those two pages to contain the purity of dodgeball. Those clubs, groups and organizations get along just fine. But they don't have a competitive sector that takes advantage of the limits of the rules in order to win, so NCDA rules are forced into being more indepth.
Have you read the new book Zac? how does it stand up to the legacy version? how can i improve the wording?
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Post by svcard27 on Dec 8, 2010 10:31:05 GMT -6
issue 1: everyone should know the rules in the sport they are playing. ignorance of the law is not a defense of breaking it. the rulebook on the website is only 12 pages long and isnt really that hard of a read, especially at 12 pages. Even the new "proposed" one depaul wrote isnt that bad at 27 pages, and if it goes through as the official rulebook, then everyone should read it as well.. again, ignorance is not an acceptable excuse.
issue 2: completely agree. crap happens. but i think if everyone has read the rulebook, the most obvious calls wouldnt be argued as much. there is always going to be 2 different POV's for some calls and thats when the ref needs to stand their ground and the players need to realize that what the ref says, goes.
issue 3: the only issue i have with the current commissioner is the fact that i didnt have a say. there was NO vote. he was just appointed to be the commish. to all those who will say that i am saying this because i personally dont like him, that's not true. it is true i personally do not like bomis, but i would respect what he says if he were to be elected. this philosophy is easily traced back to "taxation without representation". i dont want someone making decisions or representing me that i havent had some say in. even if i didnt vote for him and he was elected, i would respect what he said bc he was elected.
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Post by sweeter9 on Dec 8, 2010 11:25:12 GMT -6
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Post by Spencer Jardine - SVSU on Dec 8, 2010 11:39:15 GMT -6
We are all college students. That means we all spend ridiculous amounts of time in our dorms doing nothing or having a lot of free time besides Facebook. It takes nothing to read a 10 page rule book.
Just do it
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averagezac
Junior Member
Meaningless: What 18-0 is when it doesn't become 19-0.
Posts: 53
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Post by averagezac on Dec 8, 2010 12:42:32 GMT -6
I have no problems with the job Bomis has done, I agree with you there, so I won't broach that one.
But on the subject of the rulebook, I agree, its not that its too long, or too difficult, its just that its sort of long and a rulebook, so no one wants to read it. And you can't really force people to read it. I am pretty sure that for Nationals at WKU, we will have trained refs from the IM/REC department officiating games, with a few dodgeball alums/affiliates assisting.
If I have my way, and we can swing it, we may add instant replay for plays that effect the outcome of points/games. Since this wouldn't exist at every tournament we would come up with conditional rules for its use; but that way, even if we used refs who are bipartisan, and educated, we can try to correct the mistakes they make.
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Post by Spencer Jardine - SVSU on Dec 8, 2010 12:49:56 GMT -6
Well thats the core problem right now. People who want refs and players who know what the rules are, but are to lazy to read it. Then you have people trying to argue rules or calls based on rules the read 2 years ago or what they where told from a team mate incorrectly.
We want people to know the rules, but we just dont expect them to? Come on, we can be better than that.
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Post by WKU-Perrone-76 on Dec 8, 2010 12:58:51 GMT -6
I had a meeting last week with our sport club/intramural referees and we have decided to hire them to work the National Tournament in 2011. They were each given a rule book and were instructed to read it over the winter break, when we return in the spring they will be coming to our practices to officiate our scrimmages to get used to the game. There will also be two dodgeball rules clinics that I will be teaching to the officials so they can ask questions and be confident come tournament time. The officials were actually really excited about getting the opportunity to officiate a national tournament so I am confident they will take it seriously and we will have excellent officials for April.
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Post by murphy7 on Dec 8, 2010 18:02:35 GMT -6
Nice work Felix!
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Post by mccarthy55cmu on Dec 8, 2010 19:00:53 GMT -6
Felix let me know if you don't want this, but I know I will be going to Nationals and am more than willing to ref some games. Would you want former players head reffing games at all?
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Post by WKU-Perrone-76 on Dec 8, 2010 20:06:30 GMT -6
Felix let me know if you don't want this, but I know I will be going to Nationals and am more than willing to ref some games. Would you want former players head reffing games at all? I think we could probably do that, it would save some money too because right now it looks like officials will be the most expensive part of the tournament. I would more than likely have you officiate non-Michigan games though, just as a precaution for favoritism (I know that would probably not happen, but it would make me feel better haha). I may have you officiate the All Star game with myself also. But we'll see what quality I will get with the hired officials.
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Post by Spencer Jardine - SVSU on Dec 9, 2010 0:12:03 GMT -6
If McCarty is a ref I cant guarantee the accuracy of my throws along the side lines by the refs.
(Kidding)
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Post by mccarthy55cmu on Dec 9, 2010 0:17:15 GMT -6
I heard the allstar game was McCarthy vs. the dodgeball world. haha That would SUCK! For the dodgeball world that is. hahaha jk.
But yeah Felix I would love to ref, and I mean in all fairness I understand not reffing Michigan games, but if michigan teams/whoever they would be playing don't care I could still do Michigan games, cause I get along with everyone.
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Post by mccarthy55cmu on Dec 9, 2010 0:17:56 GMT -6
Spencer I woulnd't mind getting blasted though. It'd make me feel like a part of everything again.
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