The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-16
.N'MILLAN SAYS
GOOD OFFICIALS
GETTING SCARCE
Says Former Football Stars
Make Poor Judges of
Grid. Games.
BY "Ro" NC mlLLlN
AIl.AmerIca Quarterback

To have a good t,Etball game,
one that will satisfy both the play
ers and the spectators as well, 1t
is necessary to have capable men
in the capacity Of officials. Dur
ing my experience as a player
have come in contact with very
few first class officials.
The reason for this might De
easily understood II one would
stop TO reason 1t out Most Of the
men who work the present day
games are sexcollege stars and II
Is natural that they should be the
FIRST choice when ii comes to
selecting men for the big Games.
My experience with EtG' FOOTBALL
players however. has shown me
that they know very l.rte about
the technical side OF the game.
The rules are complicated to a
great extent and unless a man
takes time. to thoroughly work
these out and then sees theSl prac-
ticed, he is not capagla to officlate
in football game where so much
rests upon his knowledge AMI
Judgment. There are some thirty
rules in the book with from two 10
10 sections under each, and these
are being changed and modified
from season to season.
Few Players Know Rules
These of US who arc familiar
with the habits Of football men IN
college know that after a MAJ
goes out on the field every aft -
noon and works hard in running
routine of the training season
then comes in at night and PIE.
pares his classes for the following
day, he will not be in a very good
mood to spend more time in study
ing the football rule book. Not
when he has a coach to explain
tne knotty problems to hiEI and q
capita n to fight out the arSumem. $
on the fed.
Now doa'' get the Impression
Il at | am rot In favor Of tho nntlro
squad learning the rules because
| am. This year had rules books
for every candidate for my team
and we have had classes In the
study of these rules. But what /
am trying to impress is the lit.
ficulty OF getting the average foot
ball player to do this.
The players think as long ds
they have a captain and o coach
that II Is not necessary for them
to learn the technical side OF the
game. am strL ngly In favor OF
each man making himself familiar
with the rules before the hard
training is started. am afra.a
that this Is being neglected by
large number OF coaches.
Big Colleges Change System
Many times a star football play
er OF former days has been, al
Vertised to offIciate in game.
Usually he Is big drawing card
Many tines this same man will
not be familiar With the rules. He
will get along fine until he makes
bad decision that decides the
game against tho home team,
Then the school authorities decide
that he is not competent and next
time they VIII Gail on someone
else. Probably another ex-playc.
who is no more familiar with the
rules than the first.
Most OF the larger institutions
are getting away from tho old Gus
tom Of having ex-football stars to
officiate their games. They are
employing men who have reputa>
tons as first class officials and
not as star football players.
The smaller colleges and tho
high schools are still working uu-
der the old system and since |
have been at Centenary College I
have received flattering offers to
work in college and high 81 hool
games. ! am sure these schools
have no way OF knowing my abtl-
ity as an official, but simply want
me as drawing card They arc
willing to take a chance of having
their game run in the proper man
ner.