Quote:
Originally posted by Ed Hickland
I agree with those who think the rule book does not belong on the field. However, most who visit this forum take the time to study the rules and probably have a good command of them.
But, I go back to Georgia. The facts are a player for Duluth punches a Dacula player during a play. Duluth got a first down on the play and the penalty was enforced from the end of the run giving Duluth a first down. The coach protested that the penalty should have been enforced form the spot of the foul (correct) giving Duluth a third down and 18 at the 12 not 1/10 at the 17.
Georgia authorities in their infinite wisdom upheld the protest and ordered the game replayed from the misapplication, 11:51 in the 4th quarter. Dacula still lost.
How can a situation like this be avoided, or can it?
The rules are tough to master but this was a simple interpretation. Live ball foul because it occurred during the play. I am sure the answer lies in knowing and understanding the rules. Yet, the impetus for seeking that level of knowledge may not be there at the high school level -- coaches who typically don't understand rules and mechanics determine who are the best officials. And, when one official in one game makes one mistake it reflects poorly on everyone because those naysayers who think officials don't know the rules have an example.
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I agree with you that the GA situation was an easy mistake to correct. But using my own area as an example, I can't tell you the number of games I've seen where a personal foul was flagged and signaled as an unsportsmanlike conduct foul. Next year, I've asked my local association to talk about the differences between the two fouls and I hope they will let me contribute content. I thank this forum for pounding the difference into our collective heads.
I think sometimes the problem lies with inexperienced officials telling the white hat that they have an unsporting conduct foul when in fact they have a personal foul. The white hat fails to ask "what happened" and bing-ba-da-ding, we may have a mistake in application.
In the GA incident, I would love to have been privy to the conference to see what exactly was said and who was consulted.