funny play

[txmustang68]

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Backflips-on-two-point-conversion-draw-flags-ej?urn=highschool-283559

Why the flags?  Then, why did the WH stand in the middle of the field and argue with the coach on the sideline?  Any thoughts?

[Getting Fat]

"Any thoughts?"

Yeah, it looks really freaking cold.

[Grant - AR]

"Any thoughts?"

Yeah, it looks really freaking cold.

And the coach standing next to the official on the sideline has on shorts.   

[Jackhammer]

Cold in NC???...heck some of 'em are wearin' shorts.

What is this, has every team reached the end of their playbook and has to try this crap.

Let's see the coach asks about it in pre-game, is told he's gonna get flagged, then runs it anyway and is surprised when he's tossed.

[HLinNC]

It was in Boone, coldest place south of Minnesota.

[110]

Call me critical, but that sorta crap has no place in football.

[txmustang68]

I agree it is stupid, but funny.  I would probably be laughing too hard to throw a flag.  I give him a perfect 10 score for the flips.

[JugglingReferee]

"Any thoughts?"

Yeah, it looks really freaking cold.

That wasn't cold.

[KB]

I can't see the foul. The player is already in motion when he starts doing his backflips, so I don't see the false start. And I can't find any place in the rules that mandates that a player in motion must do so without his hands touching the ground.

It is also not a live ball foul for illegal motion, the backflips are done parallel to the LOS, clearly in the backfield, by a player who was not a lineman.

As a supervisor, I'd do the following:
- have a talk with the crew, especially the WH. Not reprimanding, but clearing things up
- ask the coach/AD why they stupidly did not confer with ME beforehand, so I could clear things up with them and my officials before an unpleasant situation occurs. (German: Frag nicht den Schmiedl, frag den Schmied).

[James]

Reading a news report and interview with the coach - he knew it would be flagged, but was very upset for the player and himself getting tossed.
Both had a previous USC.

I've got to stop reading the comments under these sorts of posts though - I almost get so I want to bite someone for all the stupid comments!

[blokenone]

Foul under 9-2-1-a-1-d?

ARTICLE 1. There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct or any act that interferes with orderly game administration on the part of players, substitutes, coaches, authorized attendants or any other persons subject to the rules, before the game, during the game or between periods.

a. Specifically prohibited acts and conduct include:

1. No player, substitute, coach or other person subject to the rules shall use abusive, threatening or obscene language or gestures, or engage in such acts that provoke ill will or are demeaning to an opponent, to game officials or to the image of the game, including but not limited to:

(d) Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves).

It is definatly a choreographed act which attempts to focus attention upon himself....

Or would it come under the catch all 9-2-3-c?

The whole idea of the play I assume is that the repeative back flips draw attention to the player and try and catch the defense off guard

[Amir]

I've got to stop reading the comments under these sorts of posts though - I almost get so I want to bite someone for all the stupid comments!

Yes, I see what you mean...

and you cant call illegal motion on a receiver andrew, thats for the line

[LarryW60]

First flags were for USC "Excessive celebration or drawing attention to yourself".  Second flag was because the coach wouldn't get off the field.  The WH isn't "arguing" with the coach, he's telling him to get off the field... and did so three times before the second flag flew.  Frankly, the coach got two more chances than I would have given him since he already had one USC for the night.

[Etref]

Heck I have worked games in blizzards in less clothes than those guys had on. Not saying I didn't freeze my nads......................................

[110]

Heck I have worked games in blizzards in less clothes than those guys had on. Not saying I didn't freeze my nads......................................

As the token Canadian, I mock you. Get back to me when
a) your last penalty of the season is a flag for a snow-angel in the endzone after a touchdown (yes, this happened.)
b) you are allowed to wear a toque (ski hat) instead of a cap, and carry one of white and black as part of your regular kit.

[bama_stripes]

and you cant call illegal motion on a receiver andrew, thats for the line

Huh?   

[Amir]

Huh?   

Yeah, that's what I thought too. You gotta love these armchair 'experts'!

[With_Two_Flakes]

Get back to me when your last penalty of the season is a flag for a snow-angel in the endzone after a touchdown.

Flagged for a snow angel? Man, that's harsh and not very Christmas festive spirit!

All the Canucks I knew who came over on a collaborative project where I work enjoyed the festive spirit. Any spirit in fact...

The local pub loved 'em 

[gsrc]

I can't see the foul. The player is already in motion when he starts doing his backflips, so I don't see the false start. And I can't find any place in the rules that mandates that a player in motion must do so without his hands touching the ground.

It is also not a live ball foul for illegal motion, the backflips are done parallel to the LOS, clearly in the backfield, by a player who was not a lineman.

As a supervisor, I'd do the following:
- have a talk with the crew, especially the WH. Not reprimanding, but clearing things up
- ask the coach/AD why they stupidly did not confer with ME beforehand, so I could clear things up with them and my officials before an unpleasant situation occurs. (German: Frag nicht den Schmiedl, frag den Schmied).

Please tell me you are joking....

[saofficial(aust)]

Very stupid idea and the play should have been whistled dead immediately for the safety of the player. What sort of injury could this kid have ended up with if he was clobbered part way through the cart wheel? Flag him and eject him for it. Just not part of the game and was a flagrant USC.

You must be kidding as a supervisor to use the rules to condone this? What about duty of care of U18 kids that surely holds more weight than the rules of the game? Do what is right for the game even if the rules don't cover it. This was so against the spirit and is down right dangerous.

Grant

[KB]

Clearing things up, one way or the other. It's always been a riddle to me why no coach ever bothers to call the right person in advance of planning an unusual play. Heck, they all know their supervisor's address and phone number, so why do they risk putting a lot of work into it only to have it called back at gameday, often with disastrous consequences?

About the foul for UNC (playing devil's advocate here): isn't it the purpose of the man in motion to draw attention to himself? What if the player ran, stumbled (deliberately), and was crawling on all four when the snap occured? Where do you draw the line when a player tries to draw the defense's attention away from the real point of attack?
I know that, in NFHS, the rule about actions that are designed to make the defense believe that the snap is not imminent help you here, but what about other rule codes? The "excessive celebration" rules have all been targeted at displays AFTER the play.

[texref]

It was in Boone, coldest place south of Minnesota.

Hey I went to school @ Boone.....Go App State Mountainers!

[NoVaBJ]

Hats off my colleagues who treat this stuff as what it is--unsportsmanlike conduct that has no place in football.

Officials who argue against shutting/refuse to shut this and similar conduct down pre-snap do a significant disservice to those of us who treat this conduct in accordance with NFHS and NCAA rules and approved rulings.

Yes, I'm talking about you, Corpus Christi Middle School guys.

And yes, I'm talking about you, KB.

[Diablo]

It's always been a riddle to me why no coach ever bothers to call the right person in advance of planning an unusual play. Heck, they all know their supervisor's address and phone number, so why do they risk putting a lot of work into it only to have it called back at gameday, often with disastrous consequences?

Coaches practice the old adage, "it's better to ask for forgiveness, then permission."
 
Besides, they might catch a crew off guard to the extent that they let the play stand.  Then, the coach can say to the next crew, "Last week's crew ruled it legal."

[HLinNC]

In some defense of my former North State FOA bretheren:  Boone sits high up on a mountain and the wind blows virtually all the time.  While NOAA may say the average range is 33 or so, the wind chill will drop it on down in the low 20's or teens.
Since  association policy prohibits local crews from calling varsity, those officials are probably from "off the mountain" where temps are 10-15 degrees warmer.  We've had a fairly moderate fall in WNC so I imagine those guys were willing to put on every stitch of clothing they had in the bag.  A local crew would have been fairly acclimatized.

If it gets in the low 40's up there, you'll see lots of folks running around in shorts.  Its like a heat wave for them.

I'm not a fan of wearing jackets and we are only supposed to wear them to the field and at the half.  I guess if your white hat says "put 'em on" you do as he says.

As for the coaches, we've got a few "macho-loons" around here who wear shorts year round.