Washington vs. Nebraska, spike ball after TD, no call,attached USC grid

[fbljuj]

Just saw highlights of this game and Washington scores in the 3rd quarter, the runner spikes the ball and not call. Even the announcers commented on you can't salute but you can spike the ball. Probably the most inconsistent call we have across the board so I put a grid together with GUIDELINES and obviously not all inclusive. Good pregame discussion used for high school and college games and let me know what you think.

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[MJT]

Just saw highlights of this game and Washington scores in the 3rd quarter, the runner spikes the ball and not call. Even the announcers commented on you can't salute but you can spike the ball. Probably the most inconsistent call we have across the board so I put a grid together with GUIDELINES and obviously not all inclusive. Good pregame discussion used for high school and college games and let me know what you think.

That was not spike, like you see in the NFL. It was more of a tossing the ball down, more than just a drop, as he continued to run through the EZ. I don't know if any of us would have called that an UNS. The talking heads are really jumping on the bandwagon with the "inconsistencies."

[TXMike]

With all due respect, we do help them (the media) by being inconsistent across the nation but it is teh nature of the rule that causes the inconsistency

[JasonTX]

Like TXMike said in the chat room last night.  The only way to make it consistent is to change the rule to, "If a player does ANYTHING, other than hand the ball to an official or place it on the ground, and then does not immediately go to his team huddle or team area it is a foul for UNS".  That is the only way to take the judgement out of it.  It removes all the grey area.  I think the memo from RR said it best that there is no way to possibly write down every situation that should or should not draw a flag.  Each official will have a different level of what is and what isn't acceptable.  It's not much different than what two different officials view regarding other fouls.  The problem that this "salute" has caused is that now it will get worse.  The remaining games will have situations that are "huge" UNS fouls that won't get called and there will be even more outcry.

[pgh guy]

Like TXMike said in the chat room last night.  The only way to make it consistent is to change the rule to, "If a player does ANYTHING, other than hand the ball to an official or place it on the ground, and then does not immediately go to his team huddle or team area it is a foul for UNS".  That is the only way to take the judgement out of it.  It removes all the grey area.  I the the memo from RR said it best that there is no way to possibly write down every situation that should or should not draw a flag.  Each official will have a different level of what is and what isn't acceptable.  It's not much different than what two different officials view regarding other fouls.  The problem that this "salute" has caused is that now it will get worse.  The remaining games will have situations that are "huge" UNS fouls that won't get called and there will be even more outcry.

Jason, I agree with your earlier assessment that handing the ball to the official resolves all of this, but as a referee I worked with said, "We're not out there to be the fun Gestapo."  Keeping this in mind, we must remember that the game is played and coached by people with emotional attachments to the game.  This "spike" as it has been called, did not rise to the level of a foul as it was not the "wind up and throw down" we see on Sunday.  If this would have been flagged, there would have been just as big an outcry.  Make the foul call itself, and this one DID NOT.  Would your supervisor want this called for UNS?

Someone commented in another thread about the difference between officials at the D2/3, and higher levels.  The difference isn't always better officials in terms of rules, mechanics, performance, etc.  This difference arises in training opportunities provided and the ability to manage a game.  We can all post all of the clips from the various games we want and comment on what should have been or could have been, but ultimately, these guys are in this position because of other qualities, most beyond the control of others, but ability to use common sense ranks pretty high in my estimation.

[fbljuj]

With all due respect, we do help them (the media) by being inconsistent across the nation but it is the nature of the rule that causes the inconsistency

Agree 100% hence the reason for the grid I put together. To use in a pre-game and the crew on the same page what will or will not be called. Spiking the ball is allot different than dropping it and to me a spike is a spike especially after a TD. Same situation, the QB gets sacked in a real close game and in frustration, throws the ball to the ground. Are we going to call that? The rule could not be any grayer and as my U says, "it is what it is".

[JasonTX]

Jason, I agree with your earlier assessment that handing the ball to the official resolves all of this, but as a referee I worked with said, "We're not out there to be the fun Gestapo."  Keeping this in mind, we must remember that the game is played and coached by people with emotional attachments to the game.  This "spike" as it has been called, did not rise to the level of a foul as it was not the "wind up and throw down" we see on Sunday.  If this would have been flagged, there would have been just as big an outcry.  Make the foul call itself, and this one DID NOT.  Would your supervisor want this called for UNS?

Someone commented in another thread about the difference between officials at the D2/3, and higher levels.  The difference isn't always better officials in terms of rules, mechanics, performance, etc.  This difference arises in training opportunities provided and the ability to manage a game.  We can all post all of the clips from the various games we want and comment on what should have been or could have been, but ultimately, these guys are in this position because of other qualities, most beyond the control of others, but ability to use common sense ranks pretty high in my estimation.

Just for the record and to be clear on my opinion of the "salute".  I would not have called it.  I am simply just making a statement that the player could have avoided the situation.  I think these fouls need to make your jaw drop in surpise, "Wow, did you just do that" type of situations.  I just don't see any way to remove the gray area, but perhaps we can shrink the gray area.  We'll never be able to say that this action will always 100% of the time will draw a flag and this action will never draw a flag.  There are just way too many different types of acts to put them into categories.