60 replies to this topic

[HebronHawk]

The maximum amount of time that a halftime is supposed to take is 30 minutes. Frequently, some attempt is made to split the time equally among both teams.

Many times, halftimes exceed this limit.

How long is too long? When should an official penalize a team for taking too long?

Which team should be penalized? Suppose the teams agreed to split the time equally but the visitors went first and took most of the 30 minutes. Now the home team's band is on the field and the total time has been exceeded.

What do you think?

[warlok]

Our district uses 25 minutes for half and 30 for homecoming, only. The max time for a band's UIL Contest show is 10 minutes. This allows 5 minutes for bands to enter and exit the field, at the half (in a 25 minute break). Unless something beyond the band's control is taking place, I don't see why they would cause a delay to the start of the second half.

[HebronHawk]

If a team exceeded those limits are they penalized?

[DaPantha]

Here are the Halftime regulaions


HALF-TIME REGULATIONS. The NCAA Football Rules specify a penalty be assessed to the home team at the beginning of the second half if the half-time exceeds allowable limits. Texas high schools play by NCAA rules, therefore the half-time length regulations will be enforced by football officials.

Maximum half-time length for UIL varsity games is 28 minutes. Please note that half-time is not required to be this long. Many districts have adopted a shorter period of time, for example 24 minutes. Note: Junior high and sub-varsity half-time should not be longer than 20 minutes.
Timing for the half-time should begin when all players and personnel have cleared the field at the end of the first half of play.
Bands should be ready at that time to come onto the field for their half-time show. Undue delay by the visiting team band could result in a penalty being assessed to the home school. Many schools are placing a time limit on each band, insuring that the first part of the half-time intermission will not cause the entire half-time to exceed the allotted time limit.
Football teams should have at least 3-4 minutes to warm up after the half-time intermission prior to the second-half kickoff.
When homecoming activities and/or other half-time activities necessitate an extra long half-time, it may be advisable for the visiting band to give its show prior to the game.
Both schools should cooperate to ensure proper half-time procedures.

found here Link

[MrHawk2U]

Those regulations are ignored on a regular basis... I managed to pick poorly and watched 4 homecoming games last season... every one put 30 minutes on the clock then stopped it when it got down to about 10....

When they got their queen & king, and court named and photos taken then they went on with the band and ran the clock..

They need to do that stuff before the game!!!

[HebronHawk]

Hebron played Azle last year at Hornet Stadium. It was Homecoming, Band Night, Parenty Night, Party on dude Night...whatever in Azle. The referees were assigned by the Fort Worth Association and they home cooked up a storm.

I'm pretty certain that some of the refs were Azle alumni.

Hebron went first and we did our timed band/dance show and took 15 minutes. Azle was next. The clock had 15 minutes, counted down on our show and then added another 15 minutes. Counted down and stopped. At that point, the Azle show was just gaining steam. I started my own time count after the 30 minutes was gone.

The halftime show in total went for 1 HOUR and 30 MINUTES.

I asked the referee why he didn't charge a penalty and his reply was "I'm a hometown boy, I'd be lynched if I threw a flag".

[TXMike]

The max permitted by UIL rules is 28 minutes. I have seen a home team penalized once but it was after the home coach asked the ref to flag them as he hoped it might send a message to his band director. Apparently the band directors & coaches in some places do not play together well.

I haved been in only 1 game where the halftime went way over the 28 and I asked the white hat to flag same (as did the visiting coach) but he would not do it. We are supposed to report those typw issues to UIL and I do not know if he did or not. Although I doubt doing so would have done anything anyway. Like some other issues we refs have , the UIL response is typically "There is a rule covering this. Enforce the rule, don't come complaining to us when you don't"

I hate to sound crass but I honestly think the alleged 1 and 1/2 hour halftime is an exaggeration. And if that is an exaggeration, perhaps the alleged comment by the ref is as well?

[HebronHawk]

The Ref's comment was reported accurately. A Dallas Morning News reporter attended the game and was kicked off of the sideline for commenting on the 1 1/2 hour halftime show in talking to the reporter from the Azle hometime paper. Plenty who attended that game can confirm the length of the halftime show.

The refs were unbelievable.

[TXMike]

I read the DMN story on the game from their archive and saw no mention of the halftime. Why wouldn't he have mentioned it in the story? And I read your posts on the game immediately afterwards and you did not mention it so you must not have noticed at the time?

[AggieMom]

The Ref's comment was reported accurately. A Dallas Morning News reporter attended the game and was kicked off of the sideline for commenting on the 1 1/2 hour halftime show in talking to the reporter from the Azle hometime paper. Plenty who attended that game can confirm the length of the halftime show.

The refs were unbelievable.

I was at the Azle game and agree with Hawk. It did go on for an hour and a half.

[HebronHawk]

TX Mike,

We were still in the middle of the season. And I like to let things like this simmer a little and think about them before I talk about them. I'm as accurate as I can be about this stuff.

The DMN reporter told me that he wasn't going to write about it because nobody would believe it who wasn't there.

[TXMike]

That is yet another "quote" that is so unbeliveable it calls into question your entire version of the story. Since when has a media types not printed somethying because they don't think anyone will believe it?!?!?!?!?! Plus, he would have had thousands of witnesses to back him up if called on the carpet about his story.

[HebronHawk]

TX Mike,

You're obviously a referee. Did you happen to work that game?

[TXMike]

Yes I am a ref and no, I did not work that game. But I suspect it was the Dallas or Ft Worth Chapter who did and I intend to talk to guys in those chapters at our state meeting next month to see what they know about this. Maybe the papers up there are different, but down here, if something strange happens during a game (and a 90 minute halftime is DEFINITELY strange) it is reported. And I also know from watching discussion boards for several years now, that when something happens in a game, fans scream about it immediately, they do not wait 6 months to raise the issue.

[HebronHawk]

It was the Fort Worth Chapter, Mike. I may have digital pictures of the referee team that I could post here. People might recognize them.

The reporter for the local paper, Azle News (?) was also kicked off the sideline that evening for responding to the comment from the Dallas Morning News reporter on the long halftime and discussing a few other bizarre calls among themselves.

It was a strange night and there doesn't seem to be any official records on it.

[HebronHawk]

Yes I am a ref and no, I did not work that game. But I suspect it was the Dallas or Ft Worth Chapter who did and I intend to talk to guys in those chapters at our state meeting next month to see what they know about this. Maybe the papers up there are different, but down here, if something strange happens during a game (and a 90 minute halftime is DEFINITELY strange) it is reported. And I also know from watching discussion boards for several years now, that when something happens in a game, fans scream about it immediately, they do not wait 6 months to raise the issue.

Mike,

This is the reference thread on the board where the game was discussed:

http://www.texashsfo...?showtopic=1144

[TXMike]

My bad. I had seen another thread on that game on this site and did not see anything about the halftime. (Although I do think it is interesting the length has increased by 5 minutes since the original game thread)

Bottom line though is it obviously went too long, no matter the exact length. Course if the coaches do not complain about it, nothing is ever going to change. And if refs do not have the intestinal fortitude to "pull the trigger" nothing is going to change either. And if a certain school is a habitual repeat offender, the other schools that play them should step up and speak up.

The official's organization has asked UIL for help controlling halftime length and the response has been, you have a rule, use it.

[MrHawk2U]

That is generally the key....

The officials have to make the decision to enforce the rules!!!!

What a novel idea!!!

[TXMike]

I guarantee you that if we did not have the system we have in Texas which permits coaches (both) to scratch any official without cause, officials would be more willing to make the tough calls.

NFL and college coaches do not have that option and you can see the difference.