Fake an Injury During a Down

[Reffing Rev.]

Originally Posted by ajmc

If there is ANY explaining necessary, it should be by the coach who allowed such a bonehead effort.

After the flag the kid said, "I knew it was illegal but coach told me to do it."

[Robert Goodman]

The provisions re unsportsmanlike conduct in all the major codes are open-ended, not exhaustive. I don't think many people would have a problem finding the feigning of injury during play to be unsportsmanlike. The only question is whether you'd stop play because it looks like a dangerous situation, and that would depend on how convincing the act was.

[jTheUmp]

Well, I think I've just discovered the first situation where I'd have a UNS flag for an injured player.

Congrats, Reffing Rev.

[jchamp]

Originally Posted by Reffing Rev.

After the flag the kid said, "I knew it was illegal but coach told me to do it."

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Well, I think I've just discovered the first situation where I'd have a UNS flag for an injured player.

Congrats, Reffing Rev.

Looks like we've also found a reason to eject a coach for an "injured player". This is why the popularity of the "wrong ball" play is a bad thing. Coaches stop teaching mechanics, teamwork and sportsmanship, and teach deceit, cheating and taking falls.
Stop that in its tracks. Let the flag fly and let the coach take a hike. I'll write that ejection report 8 days a week.

[bwburke94]

After the snap, can a fake injury make the defense think the snap is not imminent?

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by bwburke94

After the snap, can a fake injury make the defense think the snap is not imminent?

Of course not. What's your point?

[Reffing Rev.]

Originally Posted by bwburke94

After the snap, can a fake injury make the defense think the snap is not imminent?

Are you suggesting this should be legal deception?

[HLin NC]

He's parsing the rule guys. Sometimes we have to do that. He has a point.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

He's parsing the rule guys. Sometimes we have to do that. He has a point.

Really? This type of "deception" is a Pandora's Box that NOBODY should EVER consider opening or weasel wording (parsing).

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

He's parsing the rule guys. Sometimes we have to do that. He has a point.

If so, I wish he'd explain it.

[MD Longhorn]

I agree with his point.

Seriously... how many times have we seen an ACTUAL injury happen during play that causes someone to scream out. Have we EVER seen the rest of the players quit playing?

I'm not positive we have grounds for a penalty here.

[bwburke94]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

If so, I wish he'd explain it.

My point is that it's only unsportsmanlike in this particular case if it makes the defense think the snap is not imminent.

It appears that the fake injury was concurrent with or after the snap, so it was not before the snap and is not unsportsmanlike.

Of course, if there's any doubt in whether it happened before the snap, I'm throwing the flag.