RULES, MECHANICS, TECHNIQUES:

Basketball
Technically Speaking: Technical Fouls Are Not Created Equal; Get the Angle; Chalk Talk: NFHS: Make Throw-in Spots Advantageous to Your Partner; Five Minutes With ... Beverly Roberts

Baseball
Watch Da Feet to Avoid Defeat: Is the Pitcher Taking a Step in the Right Direction?; When the Rain Falls Mainly on the Diamond; NFOA Rep Seeks Rule Change Ideas; Five Minutes With ... Lance Barksdale

Softball
Moving Experiences in a Game: Making Sense of Positioning and Catches; Be a Thinking Umpire; 'What's Holding Me Back?'; Chalk Talk: The Holding Zone; Rundown Between First and Second

Soccer
Are You on the Path to Consistency? Find Out What Roadblocks to Avoid; How to Change a Call; Watching Players After a Made Goal; Chalk Talk: Pregame With Captains: Coin Toss and Start the Game

Football
Look Before They Leap: NCAA Creates New Foul on Scoring Kicks; 2004 Football Officials Quiz; Chalk Talk: Umpire's Position in NCAA Mechanics

FEATURES:

Do Over
"The officials cost us the game!" It's said so often that it's easy to just ignore. But what happens when someone listens? There are still some places in the country where higher powers can – and do – overturn the rulings on the field.

Not Just Playing Around
The vast majority of officials in all sports have played the game at some level. But when it comes to officiating at higher levels of competition like major college or pro ball, do officials who played at those levels have a leg up on everyone else?

The Sons Also Rise
For more than 70 years, a Bill Vinovich has been officiating high school, college or pro sports. The Vinovich family officiating dynasty encompasses fields from western Pennsylvania to Southern California, college basketball to the NFL.

Basic Training: The Length of the Leash
Emotions run high in sports and every official must understand how to react appropriately when someone at the game goes over the top. How to properly deal with all of the personalities at a game, from the head coaches to the young kid running around in the mascot outfit, is one of the most difficult things to teach new officials.

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS:

Publisher’s Memo
This Call is for You

The Gag Rule
'We Need Better Role Models on TV'; 'The Game is Bigger Than Burr'

The News
ACC Suspends Ref for Correct Call; NFHS Launches Web-Based Course

Back to Basics
Can Officials Learn Anything From Coaches?

Getting It Right
Fonzie's Kids

Law
Are You Safe Within Your Association?

Tools
Center Field on Fire; Zero Gravity Facemasks; NFL Referee Shoe; Optic Nerve Interchangeable Sunglasses; SocRef-L Website

For the Record
NCAA tournament officials; Major League Baseball roster

Classifieds
Camps/Clinics; Equipment/Apparel; Cyberspace; Computer Software; Miscellaneous

Last Call
Three Cheers for the Referee