RULES, MECHANICS, TECHNIQUES:

BASEBALL
?Not Your Run-of-the-Mill Interference: When Retired Runners, Fans and Others Become Involved; Location is Everything; Pups Learning From Old Dogs (and Vice Versa); Five Minutes With ... Bruce Dreckman

SOFTBALL
?Check, Please: The Full Order on Checked Swings; Write the Lineup Right; Shoestring Catch in Short Right Field; Chalk Talk: Looping Fly Ball, Runner on First

SOCCER
?Send the Message Loud and Clear: Practice Strong Advantage Signals; I Am Not Biased!; Let Them See You; Securing Portable Goals; Chalk Talk: Throw-in Mechanics

BASKETBALL
?Who Are the Real GMUs? Dealing With Players Who Mess Up Your Game; ‘How Long Are You Going to Let Him Stand There?’; Q&A: 4 on 4; Verticality Stands Up

FOOTBALL
?Ball Carriers Run Aground: What Happens After the Runner Hits the Turf; Is the Flag Necessary?; Signaling Sequence: Dead-Ball Foul Following Change of Possession; Chalk Talk: PSK Enforcement

FEATURES:

Head Games
?The ability to shut out stress, negative thoughts, doubts and fears and give full attention to the game at hand is known as mental toughness. It makes us resilient, confident and ultimately successful. Now, at least one officiating camp is incorporating it into a formal training program.

True Blue
?Few officials in any sport have walked as long a road as MLB umpire Jerry Crawford. Coming up as the son of another legendary MLB umpire, leading the umpires’ union during its time of maximum crisis, serving as the sage mentor to a new generation of umpires — Crawford has seen and done as much as anyone.

Alternate View
?Getting the call to work the biggest game of the year — it’s what officials live for. Few games are bigger than the Super Bowl, and for the seven men chosen to officiate the NFL’s championship game it’s the absolute pinnacle. But there are three other officials who get the Super Bowl call. They stand inconspicuously on the sidelines, wearing black jackets, waiting for the opportunity to reveal their stripes hidden underneath. They’re the Super Bowl alternates and they’re on high alert all game.

Basic Training: When They Call You a Cheater
?Calling a referee a cheater is like calling a doctor a butcher. It goes directly against the core values of the profession. Officials hear plenty of chippy comments about their performance in any given game. Plenty of talk hints directly or indirectly about the character and integrity of the officials. How should you respond when they call you a cheater?

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS:

Publisher’s Memo
?The Stories We Do, and When

The Gag Rule
?Take Back the Court

The News
?Tourney Postponed After Ref Gets Injunction; Minor League Umpires on Brink of Strike

Back to Basics
?Forgive and Forget?

Getting It Right
?Officiating Makes Everything Easier

Tools
?Baseball Field Guide; U.S. Soccer Youth Clips CD; Patent Leather Polish; Leadership Officiating: A Bold New Vision

Law
?Above Suspicion: The Media Awaits

Profile
?It’s Tough Getting Old

For the Record
?Arena2 Football League roster

Classifieds
?Camps/Clinics; Equipment/Apparel; Cyberspace; Leadership Resources; Miscellaneous; Speakers

Last Call
?Moon Launch