Thread: Pass play
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Old Sat Apr 19, 2008, 09:04am
ajmc ajmc is offline
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Being able to judge whether a violation deserves attention and punishment, and when it doesn't make any difference to play is the essence of officiating. The mechanic for an eligible receiver going OOB (on his own) and then coming back is; beanbag when he goes out, flag when he comes back.

In a passing situation it's not going to make much of a difference where the flag is thrown, because enforcement will likely be from the previous spot. With most penalties, it's wise to consider what effect the infraction has on the action before launching a flag, and if that conclusion is there was not any relevant effect, perhaps a private instructional warning might be a more effective remedy.

If some astute sideline observer questions why there is a beanbag, and no subsequent flag, a simple response that the action had no effect on play or provided any unfair advantage should address any reasonable inquiry. If the inquiry turns out to be unreasonable, there are different ways to deal with that.
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