I agree with Mike Sears...

REPLY: In your play, contrary to the one under discussion, everyone knew that the snap was coming. They just didn't know what Marino was going to do once it happened. If you think that Marino's suckering them into believing that he was going to spike the ball constitutes some sort of illegal deception, would you say the same about him dropping back to pass and then handing the ball off on a draw? I really believe your example is a horse of a different color and really can't be used as a valid comparison...IMHO.

Bob M is correct!
I couldn't have said it better myself!

I'd forgotten all about that play until this post and always thought that Marino showed about as much class and heart as the Cowardly Lion. "What have they got that I ain't got? Courage! What a wuss.

REPLY: Speaking of this Marino play, do you remember when Randall Cunningham began to take a knee and then rose to throw a TD pass over a defense who believed he was ending the half? Note: If in an NCAA game, he wouldn't get away with it; the ball would have been blown dead because he "...simulated placing a kneee on the ground." In a Federation game, it's a legal TD.

Or more likely an inadvertant whistle.

Just curious as to why that is? I'm not a fan of Marino or anything, just wondering why you think that.

Also, I wish to second the reasoning above, as to why the 'anticipated spike' is legal (defense believed the snap was imminent, just not the "type" of play).

I have an USC on this intentional or not. Would you flag holding if it was unintentional? Did the Offense do something that makes it look like the snap is not going to happen? YES! Flag it.

It was 'yeller', chicken, womany, spineless...If he did that on a playground, he'd get beaten up. It was like this team I played once in a basketball league. They were up two points at half, then came out in the second half and played a four corner stall. Gimme a break. Play the game like a man. I'd flag Marino for USC before I'd flag the original play in this post.

IMO, the actions would indicate that a snap was NOT evident, so we will have a flag if I am the R. Good comments!