Top Misconceptions for Youth Football

[mikesears]

I don't want to reinvent the wheel.

I am sure some of you have a document that deals with some of the most common misconceptions regarding high school football rules. If you have such a document, can you send it to my email address?

twinsears AT verizon DOT net

Note: Replace the AT and DOT with the appropriate symbols. I don't like the taste of spam

[w_sohl]

I know one I can think of right off hte bat.

Uncatchable pass....

[mikesears]

If you want to post things here, too, that would be great.

[waltjp]

The defensive tackle got back behind the line before the snap.

[Warrenkicker]

It wasn't grounding, he was outside the pocket.

Pass interference??? He wasn't even near the ball. Oh wait, not any more!!!!

Chin strap or mouthpiece out. "Let 'em play ref."

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by Warrenkicker
It wasn't grounding, he was outside the pocket.

Pass interference??? He wasn't even near the ball. Oh wait, not any more!!!!

Chin strap or mouthpiece out. "Let 'em play ref."

Well usually they yell "UNCATCHABLE PASS" which means we'll hear that this year. And then the very next play when we don't have PI because the contact occured away from the pass they'll be yelling "I THOUGHT THERE WAS NO UNCATCHABLE PASS?!"

[ABoselli]

"He hit him beyond the 5 yards, ref!"

"The center was downfield on that punt!"

"78 told you he was eligible!"

[Mike L]

My personal one is actually believing the coach when he tells me they don't have any trick plays. Lord knows they'd rather work on those than stupid stuff like blocking and tackling.

[Texoma_LJ]

He can jump early and get back... he's on defense.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by Texoma_LJ
He can jump early and get back... he's on defense.

And if, for some reason, it's illegal, it's a live ball foul.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by Mike L
My personal one is actually believing the coach when he tells me they don't have any trick plays. Lord knows they'd rather work on those than stupid stuff like blocking and tackling.

That and the "last week...."

I hate that response.

[Forksref]

Along these same lines:

http://www.ndfoa.org/rules/rule0.php#aint

Some good stuff in there.

[MJT]

I like this one off of that site.

Davis' Law
F = (D x R)I Davis' Law is a formula which computes visual acuity. It states that a clear view of any Foul is equal to the product of the Distance from the fan to the play, times his Rooting interest in a particular team raised to the power of his utter Ignorance of football rules.
This ingenious formula is expressed thus:

F = (D x R)I
Davis' Law explains why the runner's excited father at the farthest end of the top bleachers on the far side of the field could so clearly perceive that the defender maliciously grasped his son's face mask when making the tackle, while the trained official a mere three feet away saw nothing. Note how the fact that the son was facing away from Dad at the time does not factor into the formula.

Do not rely upon Davis' Law. It is bad math. Rely on this: The guy in the striped shirt three feet away had a much better view than you did. He is trained. He is impartial. He is doing a better job than you could. Do not make his call.


Do not rely upon Davis' Law. It is bad math. Rely on this: The guy in the striped shirt three feet away had a much better view than you did. He is trained. He is impartial. He is doing a better job than you could. Do not make his call.

[ref18]

How bout this one,

That the officials actually care who wins or looses.

[AJ Kent]

How about the one I got this past Saturday, "You didn't give us our 2 minute warning timeout"!