Football Fight

[blindref757]

I know what the rules are...but did the officials do right by the kids in continuing the game?  Turn up the volume when the ref gets the coaches and captains together.  FWIW--this is NCAA rules...Texas HS ball.

http://www.ktbs.com/video/24793390/index.html

[JasonTX]

Wow.  I hope I never have to be in a situation like that.  It's almost a good idea to just identify those that didn't leave the team area and let them stay.. The rest should be disqualified.  Even though the rules say you can't leave the team area to participate in a fight.  If it's possible to get the ones actually fighting eject them and move in.  All in all, I think the referee did a great job in doing what he did.  I at least hope some players were ejected.

[JugglingReferee]

When it hits the fan like this, I think you have to look to eject at least 2 or 3 from each team.  So, get your card out and write down numbers for each team.  If possible, stick the instigators with an extra UNS, and then an equal number of DQs.

I like the idea of giving everyone a UNS so that on the next one, they're gone.

[Welpe]

Looks like a whole lot of ejections to me.

[blindref757]

I think they got 2 from each team...and then had one more later in the game.

[bama_stripes]

Crank up the busses & get out your checkbooks.

In Alabama, any player fighting, or leaving the bench to fight, is automatically ejected & fined $300.  We would likely have suspended the game & let the state office figure out from the film how much each school owes.

FWIW -- there was a similar incident here a couple of years ago that resulted in about $15K in fines between the two schools.

[GameWillTravel]

The game should have been called and let the UIL take care of it 

[blindref757]

I think I would have excused the camera man from my conference and used some spicier words!!!

[The Roamin' Umpire]

I think I would have excused the camera man from my conference and used some spicier words!!!

Nah, given the liability potential here, I'm happy that my actions are on tape. (Although in that situation, I'm with the guys here who say that we should suspend the game.)

[TxSkyBolt]

Our crew had a bench clearing brawl during the last game of last season.  I think there were about 45-60 seconds left on the clock.  While the police and coaches were trying to break up the fight, we allowed the clock to run to 0:00 and then departed the field.

Best regards,

Brad

[VALJ]

I doubt that we've got enough players left on either side to complete the ballgame.  Time to call the Commissioner and give him a heads up that the state needs to review everything.

[Andrew McCarthy]

The rule says "During either half, coaches or substitutes shall not leave their team area to participate in a fight, nor shall they participate in a fight in their team area."

I think based on that I'm ok with giving everyone a UNC except for the ones who were actually fighting- they get tossed.  If you're on the field standing around or pulling your guys back, you're still in the game as far as I can tell.

[110]

Had a brawl in a playoff game, once. End of the game. We walked off the field.

[HLinNC]

We had our own mess down east this past week=

http://www.ihigh.com/nc/article_32957.html

http://www.ihigh.com/nc/article_33280.html

[TxGrayhat]

There is a Liability issue here. Rules Clearly State the should have been ejected for leaving team area.. What if you restart the game and another fight happens and some one gets injured. Now you gotta lawyer suing you

[TXMike]

There is a Liability issue here. Rules Clearly State the should have been ejected for leaving team area.. What if you restart the game and another fight happens and some one gets injured. Now you gotta lawyer suing you

I think part of the problem is that the rules are not that clear.  They do not say the foul is for leaving the team area.  If they did it would be a no brainer.  It says they cannot leave the team area "to participate in a fight."  That takes us into the "gray" area (pun intended).  What is "participating in a fight"?  And how in the world are we supposed to be able to take note of 80 - 100 people and who did what? ! ? !?  I have a digital recorder and I could quickly recite numbers and colors of those who were actively engaged in something but after it is over i wouild not be able to tell you who was doing what. 

[TxGrayhat]

Not to mention the 160 UIL Incident Reports. 

[VALJ]

We had our own mess down east this past week=

http://www.ihigh.com/nc/article_32957.html

http://www.ihigh.com/nc/article_33280.html

We've even got the radio play-by-play, too: http://www.highschoolot.com/content/blogpost/8212569/

Here's the recap: http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/aug/27/patriots-swamp-vikes-battle-pines/

Late in the second quarter before an estimated 5,000 fans at the John Williams Athletic Complex, the Patriots’ Bryan Van Cleave scored on a two-yard run. He then ran for a two-point conversion, giving the home team a 49-7 lead.
<snip>
“In retrospect, we should not have gone for two at that point in the game,” Patriot coach Chris Metzger said, referring to the two-point conversion. “That’s me and we should not have done it.

Gee, you think so, coach?  Up 40 points in the game, and in retrospect you shouldn't have gone for 2?  In retrospect? 

[VALJ]

The rule says "During either half, coaches or substitutes shall not leave their team area to participate in a fight, nor shall they participate in a fight in their team area."

I think based on that I'm ok with giving everyone a UNC except for the ones who were actually fighting- they get tossed.  If you're on the field standing around or pulling your guys back, you're still in the game as far as I can tell.

Depends on the code you're working.  NFHS 9-8-1i states "A substitute who leaves the team box during a fight." 

So, technically, he doesn't even have to set foot on the field in games worked under NFHS code.  Now, unless the fight is out of bounds and the substitute is headed towards the fight, I'm not going to sweat it...

[TexDoc]

Incredible.  Since this was not a district game, I may have suspended the game and let the UIL sort it out.  It is hard to say when you weren't there.

UIL must start making examples out these situations or they are just going to get worse.

I was the R in the game SATCFI mentioned about last year, very last game of the year where two teams that were not making the playoffs had a bench clearing brawl.  I wound the clock and we left.

[rickref]

I wonder what led up to this?

Tough spot to be in hard to say what you really woulddo unless you are there.

[TxGrayhat]

I wonder what led up to this?

Tough spot to be in hard to say what you really woulddo unless you are there.

Towns are next door neighbors. Former District and a Big Rivalry. 100th Meeting . Big Hype lots of media attention leading up to it. For weeks 1st game of season. Emotion Blah Blah Blah.