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Cover credits:
Cover credit: NCAA football official Jeffrey Carr, Rockford, Ill., by Bill Nichols

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THIS MONTH’S HIGHLIGHTS

RULES, MECHANICS, TECHNIQUES:

BASEBALL
Even Without Pitches, the Plate is Full for Umpires: Much More to the Job Than Getting Balls and Strikes Correct; The On-Deck Circle; Five Minutes With … George Drouches

SOFTBALL
Positioning Critical for Plays at the Plate: Swipe Tags, Forces Require Different Starting Points; Difficult Plays Make Teamwork Important; Chalk Talk: Two Umpires: Handling the Overthrow at First

SOCCER
Latest Changes to the Laws of the Game: Throw-ins, Substitutions and Penalty Kicks Covered; ‘Match My Calls’; Goal/No-Goal Mechanics; Chalk Talk: Card or Restart?’; Open Your Signals

BASKETBALL
Put Time on Your Side: Handling Timeouts Effectively and Consistently; Getting Yourself in Great Shape for the Season; Chalk Talk: Point of Interruption; Grasping the Ring; Five Minutes With … Tina Napier

FOOTBALL
Speaking Another Language: Are Supplementary Signals Necessary?; Mentally Fundamental; Chalk Talk: Halo Coverage on Interception Return; NFL Changes Its Stripes; Five Minutes With … Larry Upson

 


FEATURES:

Home on the Range
In 1997, photographer Morgan Tyree began work on an ambitious photo documentary project he titled, “Small Town High School Football.” The project focuses on the programs in Wyoming and Montana’s bypassed towns. Since then, Tyree has traveled to dozens of remote towns and communities, logging thousands of miles through winding mountain roads and prairie land to create a body of work illustrating that there are still places in this country where football’s innocence is preserved and celebrated in those grassroots settings.

"That's My Call!"
In days not that long gone by, you might have risked life and limb by making a call that, by rights, was your partner’s to make. Officiating legends like the NBA’s Earl Strom and Jake O’Donnell might have strung you up in the halftime locker room (or at least taken your head off with a verbal barrage). One longstanding baseball tradition says you don’t ever help a partner unless you’re asked to come in. That’s all changing. How do you know when, why, where and how to make a call outside of your primary area?

Interview: Tim Millis
The new executive director of the NFL Referees Association discusses contracts, specifically new collective bargaining agreements for the NFL officiating staff and the NFL replay officials. Compensation, evaluations and whether NFL officials should be full-time are covered.

Basic Training: Closing Arguments
It’s human nature to want to fire when fired upon. But for officials, trading barbs back and forth with a coach who wants to argue isn’t an option. What’s the next best thing? Getting out of the argument quickly — and with your dignity intact.

 


COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS:

Publisher’s Memo
Stomping the Gas Pedal

The Gag Rule
Make It Fit the Crime; Voting for Impact; A Hit for Little League

The News
IRS Fines Youth Soccer League $334,441; Charlie Bloodworth Dies at 78; Poll Ends International Career After World Cup Mistake

Back to Basics
Braving the Elements

Getting It Right
Umpire’s Pain is Youth Leagues’ Gain

Tools
Heads Up; The Official Rules of Baseball Illustrated; NFHS Basketball Simplified & Illustrated 2006; NFHS Basketball Rules by Topic 2006

Law
Step Up When a Player Goes Down

For the Record
National Pro Fast Pitch and Minor League Baseball rosters

Classifieds
Camps/Clinics/Schools; Equipment/Apparel; Leadership Resources; Miscellaneous; Cyberspace

Last Call
We Played Football on 9/11