Thursday, December 26, 2013

An Unofficial Word Regarding Sideline Coaching

I am four square in favor of free speech or at least your right to say pretty nearly anything you want under pretty nearly any circumstance--I would even go so far as to allow someone to cry fire in a crowded building as long as they are also liable for the harm they might do because otherwise our so-called free speech is subject to the tyranny of the majority or the coercive power of the state. What I value considerably less is the uses to which some apply their freedom of speech. Like those determined to find fault with the new regulation regarding sideline coaching on the Champions' field--and the majority of those complaints center around why wasn't the sideline coaching applied to everybody? Either because they favor no coaching or because it's somehow unfair to the two divisional teams from each division that get to the Champions' field on Sunday. (Wah wah wah)
This isn't, btw, an effort on my part to support the league's decision. Nor is it in any way, shape or form an official statement. It is simple common sense.
Let's play a little game. How is the Champions' field not like the others? (Including the Challengers' field?) If you guessed that it was isolated, access restricted and included a large set of snake side bleachers you are in the ball park. Is it becoming any clearer yet? The decision made to limit the impact of sideline coaching can only apply to the Champions' field. Logistically all the other fields are different from the Champions' field and what works on the Champs field doesn't apply to the others. The new regulation can be applied without making any other changes. The same cannot be said of any of the other fields.
I also note that nowhere in the rules is sideline coaching made mandatory so regardless of the level of play no team must use a sideline coach so if you really don't like sideline coaching you don't have to do it. That was easy.
EDIT ADDED: Haha. Now you can see how unofficial my comments really are. Seems around noon (on the 26th of December) the league decided the sideline coaching rules will apply to the Challengers' field too--but don't ask me how--unless it's gonna be bleachers for everyone!

1 comment:

Douglas Grider said...

We said