Giving a Coach Options

[Mario F]

In football, certain penalties can be declined by a team who will benefit from the declination...right?

I wonder if this is because, early on in the game's development, ref's recognized that removing the option to decline a penalty against the opposition might result in a painful death for them(the refs).

Can you imagine the conversation "Hi coach....oh, you did NOT want to take the 5 yard off-sides penalty and take the the down over? You wanted the touchdown to count instead???, Oh gee!..No...PLEASE DON"T HURT ME!!!"
(Can you tell I've never officiated football?)


I really hate explaining things to a coach who should know better. For the most part, I agree with Warren's thinking, and as a rule, I don't do it. However this situation really is different. I challenge anyone to explain what possible scenario a coach would elect to keep his player on first, and disallow the run in the situation described.

Maybe Warren's take on this has something to do with how water drains counter clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
;-)

--Mario Fiermonte