Pink Baloons Illegal

[coach_jshelton]

Simplicity my friend (traditions). Not everything has to do with tree hugging

If I were coaching, I'd have my pregame checklist include UIL violation inspection. No matter where my team stood in the ranks.

However as a courtesy, I'd let the other coach know that he'd better be up to snuff. I wouldn't let him show up with out the opportunity to prepare.

I don't know about other coaches - but I have the time to coach & police my own team. I don't have the time to play UIL enforcer for my opponents. As coaches we're charged with keeping the integrity of the sport & teach our athletes to play with the same integrity. As a human being I fall short at times, as does every player & coach in the state. Some try harder to comply with the rules than others - a reflection of society as a whole.

The UIL is part of the problem - they make rules, but don't necessarily care whether they are enforced or not. Covering the back plate rule comes to mind - we get emails that they must be covered, but I play teams or see teams on film that have uncovered back plates. What's the penalty? I'd rather officials officiate game play than be uniform cop - my kids know that if they can't keep their back plate covered I'll take it off. Depending on the crew, we'll have every little exposure of the shoulder pads pointed out by the officials (the adidas jerseys make it difficult to keep shoulder pads covered), and other crews that will allow exposed back plates & don't say a word. Same thing with whether composite balls are allowed in varsity competition or not - I got an email saying they were not, but another coach told me that decision got reversed. If a school shows up with only composite balls, they're allowed to play with them & are "reported to the UIL" - instead of forcing them to use the other teams' leather game ball. Is there some sort of dead ball penalty for using composites in varsity competition? When I was younger & the officials said "did you say anything on film that we need to know about" I used to have a list. Now my reply is simply, no sir - it's their job to call what they see, not mine (doesn't mean I don't get on to them at times during the game though).

Point being, it's up to coaches to police their own back yard - not police everyone else. It's the officials' jobs to enforce UIL rules & NCAA game play rules, whether they think they're significant or not. Everyone, coaches, officials, & UIL have a sliding scale of what rules are more important & what rules are less important. Therein lies the rub.

 

[BE]

The last thing on most coaches' minds is a Pregame UIL checklist.
You may not know the UIL my friend. It is not the organization of Bailey Marshall any more. Every coach who has coached for a t least one year realizes that the terms simplicity and UIL are not compatible.
Don't forget the Baden ball, my brother.

Better order some leather basketballs and donate the composites to the PE dept. Do they make genuine leather mouthguards? ):

Just funning ya.

 

[coach_jshelton]

Every coach who has coached for a t least one year realizes that the terms simplicity and UIL are not compatible.

haha - like the TEA - often contradictory

I'd be fine with the inconsistency of allowing other teams to use composites if crews would let me use one only for kickoffs - my little guys can't kick those leather balls into the end zone, but we're dynamite with composites. My own sliding scale....

 

[BE]

Great point Coach Shelton. Here is another one...after the 2003 season we were informed that shoe spats would no longer be allowed . I called the UIL and was told that taping for injury prevention was okay, but spats were not permitted because some kids couldn't afford to buy them.
And who can forget that for years personal candy bags given to players from cheerleaders or Booster clubs were against the rules unless you provided them to all the school's students.
My mother heard a woman complain at a Regional Service Center workshop that she was spearheading a push to allow all students to leave classes when the sports teams were released to travel to games. It wasn't fair that athletes could skip school but non-athletes remain in class.

I don't care to police the other coach's business. Call it professional courtesy. I know if a coach is using a ball that is obviously smaller than mine I have the right to request thru the officials for my team to use that ball. I have done that on one occasion. I suppose that's what Seattle could have done in last year's Super Bowl, or whenever it happened.
In track the rule for the throwing competitions is to pool all implements and allow all competitors to use any of them. This prevents a coach from manipulating the size and weight requirements for advantage. All throwers should be taught to physically inspect every shot and discus before throwing their own. Beginning at Area Meets they are usually weighed to prevent cheating and error.

While we are on the topic of official rules, not that I would ever stoop to bending UIL rules to gain advantage, but did you know that footballs filled with helium don't travel any further than ones filled with oxygen? And I have been told that an ounce or two of water makes an onside kick ball bounce a little crazier. Now there's one for Myth Busters.














I may have taken the liberty to embellish a tiny bit. (

 

[CT6MFL]

I think ya'll may be over stretching your thought process a wee bit. Getting flustered in the chaos. lol

Coach Shelton said it best and answered the conundrum himself.

As coaches we're charged with keeping the integrity of the sport & teach our athletes to play with the same integrity.

Part of being a leader and teaching integrity is to understand when something is not right and correct it (to the best of your ability). No rule can be enforced unless they are identified and addressed.

We also have to realize that sometimes things are such a low priority that they never get addressed (Until more occurrences have occurred, but sometimes never). If you did your part to keep the integrity of the game, then your personal Honor and Integrity will stay in tacked.

TASO is not part of the UIL and I’m not sure what the contract currently reads for rule enforcement outside the" rules of play" (other than additional safety issues, probably none). Maybe one of the zebras can speak on it.

I'm not saying the UIL is perfect (and we all know they are not). It is however a league with rules.

 

[Shad Kline]

I'm not a tree hugger or one who gives a flip about being "PC". But I agree with this rule. Balloons are not environmentally friendly at all, balloon releases are a bad thing.

 

[CT6MFL]

and you guys are right there are a ton of rules that make you say what in Hades!!!!

 

[BE]

I think ya'll may be over stretching your thought process a wee bit. Getting flustered in the chaos. lol

Naaa, we are just having fun at the Massa's expense. Good advice for coaches' and UIL geniuses, If you cant stand the heat eat it raw.

 

[CT6MFL]

fo sho!

 

[sinfonian]

I think I know the answer to why this rule was made. I was at a football game where someone released mylar balloons at halftime. The balloons were blown into a power line and it put out all the lights in the stadium. It took the better part of an hour before the lights were back on again.

 

[Dogface]

We had a little all white Shetland pony
for our mascot in HS.
Ag dept. took care of it
taught it tricks.
It was cool.
Other teams always tried to steal it at homecoming.
Cool.

 

[51eleven]

So your mascot was the white ponies? Or was this a pony shaped balloon?

 

[51eleven]

If the balloons are released at halftime on a Friday night do they not rise to an elevation at which birds do not travel by Saturday morning? Thus the birds of prey must only hunt them at College games on Saturday afternoons? Regardless of pollution considerations?

 

[smokeyjoe53]

I like your logic............

 

[freeagent]

No live animal mascots? Can you see a pack of coyotes or wolves roaming around looking to drag off some unsuspecting toddler. Or pulling into Trent to find silver-back gorillas in the stands. How about lions, tigers and bears...oh my!

Which reminds me ... don't order hamburgers at UT football games anytime soon.

RIP, BEVO!

 

[51eleven]

Ha. I'd like a historic steak, tough though it may be. May your bones rest in peace Bevo, but your steak's we'll celebrate. Hope you have a son or son's for the sake of UT.

 

[Johnny South]

Ha. I'd like a historic steak, tough though it may be. May your bones rest in peace Bevo, but your steak's we'll celebrate. Hope you have a son or son's for the sake of UT.

Perhaps a clone.

 

[51eleven]

Ha. I'd like a historic steak, tough though it may be. May your bones rest in peace Bevo, but your steak's we'll celebrate. Hope you have a son or son's for the sake of UT.

Perhaps a clone.

Do you think those Agricultural and Mechanical fellows might have developed one with a more Maroon tint?

 

[smokeyjoe53]

We had a "retired" Bevo on a place between our pastures. John T. Baker was supplying the 'Horns with horns. Don't know if he still is or not. This one had an outline of Texas (if you squinted your eyes and turned your head a certain way) on his side. Silly thing would follow you around like a dog.........

 

[51eleven]

I read somewhere about a lead bull on several trail drives back in the 1800's that would come to the chuck wagon to be hand fed biscuits.