Calling a cheat string.

[VA_Lax21]

I searched on the forums and I could not find anything about this call. If you know someone is using a cheat string can you call it? The pocket would look legal when you checked it but throghout the game you could tell it was illegal. Can you call that?

[LoyolaMiddie878]

what's a cheat string?

[laxfan25]

IMO, your best bet is to call for the stick check when you know the stick is illegal - and if he reaches for the string you've got at least a minute NR, plus the stick penalty if its still bad.
While there is the stipulation about sticks being modified to gain an advantage, I'm not sure I would even recognize a cheat string, and given the many options for stick stringing, you'd have to be pretty sure of yourself to claim that this stringing is done with the express intent of violating the rules.

[VA_Lax21]

a string in the back of the head, which makes it illegal until you pull it. Usually a shooting string. AM17 made one: http://www.lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?t=45381&highlight=cheat+string

[Woodenstick]

Once the referee selects a stick for a stick check and requests that the stick be handed over, if the player pulls on a cheat string or otherwise touches his strings or pocket, the stick is automatically illegal.

[LoyolaMiddie878]

a string in the back of the head, which makes it illegal until you pull it. Usually a shooting string. AM17 made one: http://www.lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?t=45381&highlight=cheat+string


whoa...that is tight. haha, i wanna get one of those on my torque.

[VA_Lax21]

what if the ref doesnt see the pull but does see the string?
edit: you can see the extra string hanging out.

[LaxRef]

Once the referee selects a stick for a stick check and requests that the stick be handed over, if the player pulls on a cheat string or otherwise touches his strings or pocket, the stick is automatically illegal.

That is not correct. There is a 1:00 NR USC penalty for adjusting the crosse (in NFHS; I can't recall if NCAA calls it USC, it doesn't matter there since there's no 2 USC ejection rule in NCAA), then you check the stick, and if the stick is still illegal you get a penalty on top of that.

The difference is that if A1 adjusts, and you call the stick illegal, then it turns out he didn't pull it far enough and the pocket was too deep, you wouldn't be able to penalize further since you already called it illegal. Under the actual rules, he gets a 1:00 NR USC for adjusting plus a 1:00 NR deep pocket penalty.

[wolfie8914]

Yea, LaxRef, what if the player is just habituated to pulling back to legal at every play stoppage and you never saw him pull anything, or if it was before you asked him for his stick, then you checked it and it was legal? Then I presume even if you "know" he is cheating, you cant do anything right? Or even if you didnt know he was cheating, but you saw that little plastic drawstring thing, is there anything that would be illegal about that?

[BlueJaysLaxFan]

Based on the rules the strings can be adjusted at will during the game, but once an official asks you for your stick you cannot make any adjustments (including squashing the head against the ground) or else receive the 1m NR USC penalty before the stick gets inspected.

The rules also permit officials to randomly check at any time, so if an official is planning to check your stick at the next dead ball, he/she will probably be looking at you and your stick as you are asked for it. So, I would think that it would be pretty hard to pull on the cheat string at that point and get away with it.

[LaxRef]

Based on the rules the strings can be adjusted at will during the game, but once an official asks you for your stick you cannot make any adjustments (including squashing the head against the ground) or else receive the 1m NR USC penalty before the stick gets inspected.

The rules also permit officials to randomly check at any time, so if an official is planning to check your stick at the next dead ball, he/she will probably be looking at you and your stick as you are asked for it. So, I would think that it would be pretty hard to pull on the cheat string at that point and get away with it.

Yeah, except:

(1) They told us not to check equipment at times other than the end of the first and third (NCAA), even though the rules permit it.

(2) Many players tighten it up as soon as a goal is scored, which is before you can get to them and ask them for it.

[b_cannons_123]

The players adjust the cheat strings when gameplay is paused. So they are ready for a stick check.

[LaxRef]

The players adjust the cheat strings when gameplay is paused. So they are ready for a stick check.

Which is why the rules need to be modified somehow.

[LoyolaMiddie878]

can they be given a penalty just for having the string? even if it's pulled tight and the pocket is legal? i mean, it's called a CHEAT string.

[LaxRef]

can they be given a penalty just for having the string? even if it's pulled tight and the pocket is legal? i mean, it's called a CHEAT string.

No, they cannot. Not under the current rules.

About the only thing you could try to sell is a USC, but it's pretty sketchy.

[laxfan25]

The players adjust the cheat strings when gameplay is paused. So they are ready for a stick check.
I would think if a player is doing that much fiddling with his stick that the D-man next to him would notice something and alert the coach and/or ref.

[LaxRef]

I would think if a player is doing that much fiddling with his stick that the D-man next to him would notice something and alert the coach and/or ref.

And yet, even if you know it's there, it can be awfully difficult to find the player and request the stick before they adjust it.

[Rileylax]

An official is not going to make a call on his own. Other than the two required checks (1st & 3rd) an official will not make a stick check unless a coach calls for it. The COC (NCAA) advised checking a long pole for one of the mandatory checks.

[BlueJaysLaxFan]

Has anyone checked a crosse and saw a cheat string?

[Longpole5435]

Has anyone checked a crosse and saw a cheat string?
I't doesn't matter in any case. You cannot justify throwing a flag for how a bottomstring is strung. All refs would have to be expert stringers to know, but even then it is hardly surefire.

[middieman1]

Well I use one of the plastic drawstring things but my pockets always legal. I just use it because my bottom string always comes untied so I put the thing on it and then tie over it so incase the knot comes undone my pocket doesnt change. If they called sticks illegal because of them it might not always be right.

[jedimasterPIMP]

A kid on my team had a pull string and would pull it after every goal and 2 minutes before the end of every quarter. He had his stick checked almost every game and was fine. Its really hard for the refs to make that call becuase its really all assumption. For all they know its superstition for me to have a really long bottom string.

[dram183]

or if they knew that the kid had a cheat string, and you could tell from just looking at it, they could check the stick. and usually refs check it around midfield with their backs to the coaches, so no one can tell. and coaches cant argue with the actual determining of illegality, just the rules of illegality, so i guess technically a ref could "gently" toss it up and down and "drop the ball" and then show the crowd and coaches, "hey look, its illegal."

[lax21]

yes i had one this year. saw him yank it, as did the coach and a bunch of other people. called the one minute and moved on with the full equipment check. pretty sinking feeling given the tied score and the amount of time left.

[LAXatives55]

ok, this isnt really about cheat strings, but if a string were to break, or the mesh to tear, as one scored a goal, which could make the pocket illegal, would the goal be disallowed? im assuming yes, but that seems kinda harsh

[LaxRef]

ok, this isnt really about cheat strings, but if a string were to break, or the mesh to tear, as one scored a goal, which could make the pocket illegal, would the goal be disallowed? im assuming yes, but that seems kinda harsh

Torn mesh does not an illegal crosse make; it's a broken crosse. If it's discovered after the goal, it does not disallow the goal. You could call it illegal procedure for playing with a broken crosse if you thought it was significant, but that would just award possession to the opponent with no time served.