THE CLEVELAND FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION

THE GOALPOST THE OFFICIAL’S NEWSLETTER

VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2 OCTOBER, 2015 JM LANESE, EDITOR

Members of the CFOA Hall of Fame Pete Amico Special Guests! CFOA Hall of Fame Steve Bernardic Join our Hall of Famers in welcoming the 2015 Hall of Fame Class and other George Brown honorees! The event will be held Thursday, November 5, at Tizzanos Party Center Don Brown in Euclid. The evening begins with cocktails at 6:00 with business meeting, dinner, Bobby Brown C.H.Brubaker and the awards program to follow. This year several of our current Hall of Fame Eric Calhoun members will attend. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet, greet, and congratulate Sam DiSantis the honorees. The Class of 2015 will be inducted: Fred Heinlen Joe Dubyak retired after 50 years of active officiating in 2014. He began working Dave Hicks Cleveland’s fields in 1964 while in law school at CWRU. During his time on the Clarence Hudson Jerry Katherman field, Joe served his fellow officials and our association as Secretary from 1974 to Bill Kingzett 2000, as President of the CFOA in 2005, and as the mechanics interpreter until Paul Lanis 2011. He served in 68 playoff games including 12 state championships. Joe also Kirby Laughlin officiated basketball at the high school and collegiate levels. Hal Lebovitz Herman Marolt Steve Furjanic began officiating football in 1971 and has been a member of the Gordon McCarter CFOA for 44 years. Steve worked as a through 1988, when Jerry Newman Steve became a Division I MAC (Mid American Conference) football official and Jack O’Roarke worked in this conference and numerous post season bowl games until 2008. After Stan Orzech Steve left the field he has continued to stay involved in football Bill Owens having worked as a MAC replay communicator from 2009 to 2014 and currently is Mike Palermo a MAC replay official. In addition, you can also find Steve still working some 7th Sam Palumbo and 8th grade football games. Pat Pasini Tony Pianowski Bobby Moran officiated football for 47 years at the high school and collegiate Robert Rice level. He also worked basketball and continues to work high school and college ‘Chump’ Richardson track and field and high school volleyball. Bobby has logged 20 years of Division 1 Russell Rupp service including Bowl assignments at the Stagg, Cherry, Raisin, and Music. He Don Schirmer officiated in ten OHSAA football championship games. Bobby worked on the Bill Sudeck Cleveland Browns chain crew and their practices for nearly 30 years. He has served Ralph Vince Gene Wodzisz his colleagues and community as President of the Cleveland Club and Roy Wisecup remains very involved at St. Francis DeSales, the Holy Family Cancer Home, and Jerry Sulecki the Food Kitchen at the West Side Catholic Center. Bobby is a civil engineer from Bob Blatchford Villanova and Cleveland State University. Alex Rubins Al Ciamacca Joe Zilka Sr. played football and graduated from Avon High School Chuck Hill and went on to play football and graduate from Western Reserve University in Frank Conge 1965. He started teaching in the Parma City School District and coached at the Wendy Babson junior high and high school level. Joe Joined he CFOA in 1971 and served as the John Broski 1985 president. Between 1986 and 1988 Joe worked state playoff games Joe Lesko and refereed the Coaches East-West All Star game He joined his son, Joe Jr. on Fred Shirley Alan Pintner's crew for son Joe's first varsity game. Joe retired as middle school Billy Reynolds principal and from CFOA in 2008. He is married, father of three with six Ray Gentile grandchildren. John Jones Dan Mason Howard Eckert Bill Reppa Ed Desmarteau Joe Buynak Allan Pintner Dale McRitchie Doug Roof Tom Guzowski Don Mohr, Steve Hering Ike Ganyard Bill Klenoshek Randy Morgan Jim Demetriu Art Guhde Gary Huspaska Chuck Martin Monte Mlakar Ken Reiber

Oh boy, here it comes! It All Happened One Blustery Afternoon! Seen the entire rule book? I think I completed mine recently.

On a recent Saturday afternoon, we ceremoniously strolled out to midfield with the captains for the toss. Introductions and formalities aside, the Referee, who shall remain nameless, asked the visiting captain for his choice, then flipped. With a mid-air snatch the coin disappeared. The Eye on the action! captains and crew awaited the heads or tails revelation. No coin. One line wisdoms and fundamentals The ref missed it; we all started looking around, without a Many, if not most, situations which require rulings or judgments on the field of play sighting. The ref stepped back, are specifically covered and guided by rule and mechanic interpretations. 'Cut and still no coin. What the.....? dried' calls and enforcements are part of our routine role and mode of operation Another step back and the coin during the game. reappeared from under the ref's shoe. Some sort of magic? However, almost every game presents a unique situation or enforcement which demands an 'on the spot' interpretation. Given some question or misunderstanding Later, this editor interviewed the of the specific rule application, a lengthy deliberation is neither warranted nor referee about the incident. He desired. Short, quick guidelines are in order to speed our action and provide offered two excuses for the 'over accurate outcomes. Some thoughts from the late Fred Heinlen: the head flip'. "The coin was too light, the wind took it." I guess we Know the line to gain, , distance, ALWAYS should assess the suitability of our Officiate without regard to score or game time coins for the weather conditions! Keep the game tempo By the way, the visitors won the Trust and support your crewmates toss. Don’t take anything for granted Share your information Later in the same game, following Do what is fair for both teams. a few series, the visitors scored a touchdown and conversion. The crew lined up for a routine Don’t Miss Ohio Stadium in ‘15 kickoff. The was handed to The 15th Ohio Football Officials Hospitality Room will host officials and the kicker, and the ready for play their guests inside Ohio Stadium like last year. Ticket holders are was sounded. No kicking tee! The welcome during all final games with free admission to the room during kicker steps up and promptly tournament finals on December 3rd, 4th and 5th. Visit us to enjoy the launches a perfectly executed camaraderie, indoor comfort, prizes, and refreshments during the . First time in my 40+ games with access to stadium seating. Join us to help make this year’s seasons I have witnessed the use the most memorable gathering of all the years! Thanks to our of a (legal) drop kick in a game. Hospitality Committee: Ernie Johnson, Guy Bertram, and coordinators "Oh, the coach said, I forgot to from the Central Officials Association. tell you he can't place kick, so he uses the drop kick for kickoffs."

The moral: every game, every play brings the possibility of something unseen. Be ready to respond with your knowledge and common sense of the game.