Amazing Game

[centexsports]

Have you ever walked off the field at the end of a game and you had nothing left?   Friday night, 1295 yards of offense, the game tied at 35, 42, 49, 56, and the winning score with 40 seconds left; 63 - 56.

I thought we were going to have overtime and I don't know if my legs could have made another 2 or three scores.   

One question:  The last play of the first half was a 50 yard Hail Mary with a lateral and 10 yard run for a touchdown.   The QB while celebrating at midfield (right beside me) took off his helmet (flag).  Then #18 runs off the bench with helment in hand to the 10 to congratulate a teammate.   Should I have also flagged #18?  BTW: you can see the play on youtube (Whitehouse vs Wylie East) and it shows #18 not the QB. 

[mccormicw]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d8PN1BtlUs

[mccormicw]

Assuming #18 was not in the game prior to the end of the play, I believe you had a substitution violation as a minimum.  Although #18 probably violated the intent of the rule "A player removing his helmet after the ball is dead and before he is in the team area", it seems like he did not violate the strict letter of the law since the helmet was probably off before he left the team area. 

[maven]

BBW just before the pass. Bring it back. 

[centexsports]

Saw it when it happened and it was by an unrestricted player not back towards his goal line.   It was an east to west block not north to south.   Good block, no penalty.

[mccormicw]

According to the briefing given by RR at the State meeting, that was a block back towards A'se goal line.  However, it is not beyond the LOS so not illegal.

[BankerRef]

Saw it when it happened and it was by an unrestricted player not back towards his goal line.   It was an east to west block not north to south.   Good block, no penalty.

He was not beyond the neutral zone so the direction of the block does not matter.

I agree with Mc though that this is one that should be called if it is made beyond the neutral zone.

[centexsports]

I can accept your explanation but I was not at the state meeting.   

However let me ask it another way.   Let's move this block 10 yards past the LOS.   

1st - The block is exactly as in the footage (helmet pointing to his goal line). 

2nd - The blocker is turned 180 degrees (helmet pointing to opponents goal line).   

In both of these the blocker is blocking toward the sideline.   

My understanding (and probably wrong), the purpose of the rule change was to prevent a trailing defender from being cut by an offensive player going TOWARDS his end zone.   A safety rule to stop knee injuries.

[blindref757]

Don't go diggin for boogers.  One flag is enough IMHO.

[fencewire]

It is in the rule, no interpretation needed IMO

9.1.6.a.1
Before a change of team possession a Team A player who is beyond the neutral zone may not block below the waist toward his own goal line.

[Hank]

Even if that block is legal, there's another block in back by 6 on 10 around 22 seconds into the video near the 10 yard line.  I think that one HAS to be called.  I can't tell how 6 falls (on shoulder or on face), but 10 likely would have made the tackle if not for that illegal block.

As for the original question, IMO, one dead ball unsportsmanlike is enough.  18 is a goof ball but most games are full of those.

So, let's see, live ball foul enforced from the 10 to 20. Then back to the 35 for the dead ball foul.  One untimed down from there.  What are the chances of lightning striking twice?  Well, in this game, apparently not good.

Sounds like a heck of a game.  Hope that winning score with :40 left was a clean play.

[fencewire]

That is a side block all the way.  Initial contact is definitely not in the back, and it doesn't matter how he falls.

[rickref]

I would not have dropped a second USC. I think for the game you were in and situiation one is good.

The last block was clean when I watched the video. This play looks good and was well officiated IMO.

[centexsports]

1) It was a good block.
2) Wasn't interested in boogers that is why I only had one flag (but I was wondering if I should).
3) There might have been lighting twice because Whitehouse ended the half the week before with a Hail Mary that scored also (it is also on youtube).
4) Thanks for the kind words on the officiating on the play.   I have a really good crew (the back judge was a fill in who does college ball) and they work as hard a anybody to do it right.

[fencewire]

If I had to nitpick the only thing I see that is iffy, is just mechanic type stuff and that would be that the B gets waaay too close to the sideline and on a play that has the runner that close to the boundry he should have checked with the H coming up the sideline to make sure that there wasn't a step out of bounds before he  

and that is picking nits...

[Osric Pureheart]

Speaking of nits, where was the H?  I kept expecting him to appear from screen left once the celebration started, and he just wasn't there...

[centexsports]

Question about HL:

Both of the receivers on his side ran short underneath routes.   After the play, he saw my flag and held the chains until he knew what the penalty flag was for.   

[TxSkyBolt]

Not to be too critical, but that is a secondary thought....wingmen need to hustle down the sideline and help on the play.

[BankerRef]

Question about HL:

Both of the receivers on his side ran short underneath routes.   After the play, he saw my flag and held the chains until he knew what the penalty flag was for.

I don't really want to nitpick either but I gotta disagree with your explanation.  Certainly can't see all the routes and it is hard to make out the numbers but it looks like the two slots crossed with the slot from the LJ side near the H's sideline about 15 yards deep when the ball is released.  The ends on each side both went deep to the HL side.  The back releases and is about 25 to 30 downfield when the pass is thrown. The end on LJ side makes the catch and the back makes the score.

Even if the H stayed with the line until the pass is thrown, which the video clearly shows he does, he has to be bustin his butt downfield at the release to help with his sideline.  The video time stamp shows about 8 to 9 seconds between the release and the score.  Plenty of time for him to make it onto the screen.

This other clip shows he never attempts to get downfield to help.  It shows his sideline all the way back to the 40 up until the score.  He never shows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGcupEZMjRE