O.K., I agree with you whole heartedly that he "sold" the
call, and that he looked good doing it, but the fact of the
matter is, the NFL has a very different approach to selling
calls and shutting down plays than we do in HS or college.
I have a NFL supervisor and officiating contact that has
filled me in on this topic, so I'm not making this stuff
up. I am posting it for the benefit of all in this forum.
You may not gree with it, or it may not be acceptable in
your chapter, but this is honestly what the NFL is looking
for.
After the snap, these guys are trained to be very slooooow with the wistle. The only time there should be a fast
(reactionary) whistle is for shutting down plays for delay
of game, false starts, unabated to the QB offsides and
whenever player safety is in jeopardy. They are also trained
to have slow, controlled, composed signalling. Yes, there
are ways to "sell" a call without being abrupt or emphatic.
Don't get caught up in the excitement of the play. Your
signal should not punctuate the elevated importance of any
play. Signals should be made in a consistent, confident
demeanor throughout the game no matter if it is a routine
or tight big play.
I was told, that had this play happened in the playoffs
exactly the way it happened, and the call was made the way
that it was, that this, coupled with another moderate
error, might have been enough to keep him out of the big
game. (Actually, the questionable defensive holding that he
called against the Giants that nullified an interception
return most likely will keep him out of big games for a
long while)
Only 6 months till football season ... I can't take this
XFL crap.
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