Live Ball - Disconcerting Words

[NJOfficial]

Regarding HIGH SCHOOL football (for youth leagues, you may have a differnt issue):
Why?
This is the kind of thing that will go away quickly when they see its not effective.  And if it is effective, the defense will learn quickly.

Absent slurs or profanities, it's a non-issue, stay out of it.

Have to disagree with you on this, it might go away if nothing is done it also may make the other team try to do a unsportsmanlike act of their own or take it out on the field with a late or cheap hit.  I would just tell the team that they cant do it and its over.

[LAZebra]

IMHO, I would save 9-10-1 (the unfair act rule) for something more swashbuckling. We had such a critter in Maine this past weekend ,for those of you with computer search skills it was in the Bangor vs Edward Little game....
     (1) Bangor threw a pass 30+ yards downfield and in front of the Edward little sidelines;
     (2) a fellow in a gorilla suit came running on the field and bumped the intended receiver;
     (3) pass sailed incomplete over the head of the gorilla and intended receiver;
     (4) Bangor had a six man line and was flagged at the snap;
     (5) the white hat announced ; "the illegal formation against Bangor and the foul against the
          gorilla offset and we'll replay the down."



I've been asked what should have happened if Bangor had been legal. IMHO, I would have applied 9-10-1 and awarded a completed pass where the gorilla and the human met. There appeared to be several defenders between the receiver and goal line, so I wouldn't go there.

The play had a happy ending:

  The local constables  lead the gorilla back to his cage

Hey Ralph, Wouldn't the gorilla's act be a non-player foul and thus administered separately from the illegal formation?

[Ralph Damren]

Hey Ralph, Wouldn't the gorilla's act be a non-player foul and thus administered separately from the illegal formation?

I would have enforced it that way with Bangor a net of 10 yard gain. I agreed with the whitehat that you couldn't get creative with the 9-10-1 enforcement where the offense had also fouled.

A further update on the play : It was reported in the Bangor Daily Snooze/News that a D-back  leveled the gorilla  after SHE interfered with the pass. The gorilla's head popped off after the hit and reveled that it was a high school girl.  The constables still did their duty . I believe detention will be added to her class schedule . There was a player in an early Super Bowl that leveled a fan that came on the field and was later quoted : "When they come out on the field ,they play by our rules!" The fan was a guy.

SOX WIN...PATS WIN...LIFE IS GOOD

[FLAHL]

  There was a player in an early Super Bowl that leveled a fan that came on the field and was later quoted : "When they come out on the field ,they play by our rules!" The fan was a guy.

Mike Curtis of the Baltimore Colts. 

[AlUpstateNY]

If the target were a game official, self defense seems a reasonable precaution, but win, lose or draw the fan needs to go to jail.

[ncwingman]

It's probably starting to get a little off the original topic, but here is the video of the gorilla attack, in case you're curious.

[FLAHL]

I have a whole new level of appreciation for the work that you guys do up in Maine, Ralph.   

Did anybody check to see if she'd been into the lobster martinis pre-game?

[KWH]

This falls under the realm of Unsportsmanlike Acts or even the Unfair Act rule. If it has an impact on the play use your judgement and how much the act "hinders" play.

The action in the original post is NOT an Unsportsmanlike Act nor is it an Unfair Act.
Why?
Because shouting "Screen" is NOT and never has been a foul!