RULES, MECHANICS, TECHNIQUES:

Basketball
NFHS 2003-04 Points of Emphasis: Familiar Topics Once Again Make the List; A Quality Improvement Program; Chalk Talk: Open Lane Spaces; Five Minutes With ... Carol Comanita

Baseball
Do You Have a Game Plan? Proactive Approach Prevents Guesswork; Let's Give 'em Two; Watch Out for the Mask; Chalk Talk: Two Umpires: Bases Loaded, Potential Double Play; Five Minutes With ... Kevin Daugherty

Softball
Umps Who Hesitate Miss Obstruction: How to Recognize Violations and Enforce the Rule; Making Amends... After the Fact; Chalk Talk: Two-Umpire Crew: Obstructed Runner Tagged Out; Five Minutes With ... Marie Terc

Soccer
They're One and the Same: Letter, Spirit of the Laws Are Inseparable; Eight Deadly Sins; The Wrong Way to Deal With Injuries; Chalk Talk: Penalty Kick in the Diagonal System of Control; Five Minutes With ... Steve Davidson

Football
First Down? Sometimes It's Automatic: Some Penalties Include More Than Yardage; Geared Up: Rules Regarding Equipment; Chalk Talk: Covering a Free Kick in NFHS Four-Official Mechanics; Five Minutes With ... Rosario Amato

FEATURES:

Break It Down
It's not just for the pros anymore. Everyone from the youth leagues to high school and small college can easily and affordably break down tape of their own games. You can get on the cutting edge of video training with this handy guide to everything you need to know about video!

Low-Key McElwee
He quietly worked three Super Bowls in his career, but now Bob McElwee has called it quits. He reflects on 27 years of life on the NFL gridiron. From his glory days as a Navy linebacker to his final bow last February, McElwee lived a life in football to its fullest.

'Not In MY Game You Don't!'
Have you ever uttered the phrase, "It's nothing 'til I call it"? The qualities of a dictatorial official are compared and contrasted with the qualities of a "game management" official. Which personality type best describes you?

Basic Training: Who's the New Guy?
Taking on a new partner or crewmate isn't as simple as grabbing the first available prospect. Find out what you need to know – before you buy on to someone new – to make sure the officiating team runs smoothly.

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS:

Publisher’s Memo
The Long and the Short of It

The Gag Rule
'That Looks So Unprofessional'; 'Better With a Good Pair'

The News
Umpires Fight QuesTec; Cop Convicted of Threatening Ref

Back to Basics
How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?

Law
Fighting Back Against Fan Attackers

Getting It Right
My World

Tools
Emergency Medical Card; Volleyball Rule Differences; Let's Make It Official; 'After the Whistle' Website; Planet of the Umps

For the Record
NFL Europe and United States Basketball League rosters

Classifieds
Camps/Clinics; Equipment/Apparel; Cyberspace; Books, Manuals, Cassettes; Computer Software; Miscellaneous

Last Call
That's What Partners Do