Keeping track of games

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

For those of you who officiate football, what did you think of this call? This is one of the few times that an official's call actually did change the outcome of a game. The guy thinks the game is over, so he begins celebrating. It certainly wasn't taunting, as he was yelling at the crowd. I understand that there is a rule in place that prohibits removing a helmet, but should it have been enforced at that point of the contest? It seems like T'ing up a coach for stepping out on the floor (as the horn sounds at the end of regulation) to see if the opponent's desparation 3-pointer goes in. Any thoughts?

Chuck

I'm not a football official but I believe the helmet rule is
a safety & fight prevention thing. As I recall seeing it on
replay the official was standing right in front of the
player when he took off his helmet during a live ball. The
player made it easy to make the call. Beyond that, I'm
thinking if I'm paying you $million per year to play
football you had better be smart enough not to draw a seldom
seen flag to give your opponent a last ditch opportunity.
If he would have left his helmet on there would not have
been any "game changing call", now would there?