Weekly STC: Mechanics

[ljudge]

OK, not a test question but it's my weekly item. I'm a day early but headed to Jacksonville and won't have access to a computer for a few days.

Two bean bag items:

First, I've always been taught to ALWAYS have a bean bag down on the ground on fumbles. Why would a Referee need to bag anything behind the LOS. The only instance I could think of is after a fumble (which comes after a turnover). I asked this question and no one really had an answer only that "it's always been done that way." I can't think of any reason a Referee would have a bag on fumbles behind the LOS other than it's a "habit."

Second, should the Referee or Umpire drop a bag when a QB scrambles and subsequently throws a foward pass near the LOS. My U and I had a discussion about this issue earlier in the season. I had a QB throw the ball very close to the LOS so I dropped a bag at this feet. At halftime I said how close he was go stepping over the line and that I had a bag. It didn't annoy my umpire but he said "that's my call, why did you have a bag...a referee should NEVER have that call." The lesson learned is that we weren't quite on the same page with that one and it's something now on my pre-game cards. I have been always taught to throw the bag to the line where the QB released the ball and continue to officiate. Then flag if my BB is beyond the LOS. I'm looking for how other referees and umpires handle this situation. Do you have a bag? And, who has the flag?