Bag the OOB Spot?
 

I attended a quarterfinal as a spectator today and watched an out of district crew work a local game. The LJ bean-bagged the spot every time the player went OOB. Frankly, I think it looked like S**T! When I was a LJ I got the spot with my feet and usually did a half turn to watch the out of bounds area for nonsense and either my R or BJ was there to help me but I never bagged the spot and moved from it (to cover the OOB players) 2-3 yards beyond the sideline like I saw today. Do any of you do this as a mechanic? It looks sloppy to me and it's something I never used or saw used in varsity football until today.

The only time you should bean bag the spot and go OOB's with the players is if there is some crap starting up. Otherwise you simply get the spot while watching the players OOB's and hold the spot. My guys will turn 180 degrees around and hold the spot while observing the action. I, as the R, and especially my BJ will be over there pretty quick to escort the players back onto the field.

That's the way we do it. Last night my HL got a good spot while a late hit occurred 2 yards beyond the sideline and me (the R) and my BJ both had prompt rags. I agree there are isolated instances where you would bag it. The LJ today had it on every OOB spot. My former linesman partner (when I was LJ) was standing with me at the game and he agreed it looked shabby. But it may be a mechanics thing in their respective chapter.

One thing we do is always put the LJ under on try/FG attempts which means at times where I as the R will face the back of the holder. Frankly, I don't like that but our execs didn't want to make that change this year. I'll probably be talked about a little next week if we get sent out of district for a semi. "When in Rome!"

When I was a line judge it was get the OOB spot and hold it. If there was a need to separate players, then, drop the bag and take care of problem.

Guess if you get in the habit of bagging a spot, then, if you need to move off the spot you don't have to remember to drop the bag. I don't like it that way.

What I truly don't like to see an official throw the bag to the spot and then move to it.

Canadian Mechanic
 

In Canada, we can bag (with level of significance):

• point of possession (on a punt reception / kick-off reception) (always)
• point of fumble (always)
• point of blocked kick (rarely needed when kick is blocked)
• point of hold of field goal (rarely rarely... nice to have though)
• point of last touch (if you know where the last touch is, you also know where the OB spot is, and can mark with the foot the significant spot of the two) (low)
• release of deliberate grounding (low - use flag instead)
• loose ball interference (low - use flag instead)
• defensive pass interference (low - use flag instead)
• point of origin of offside pass (subject to penalty) (low - use flag instead)

REPLY: ljudge...what game did you go to? I hope it wasn't one of our crews, but it probably wasn't because they ususally don't send people that far for the opening round games. We had Hudson Catholic vs. Holy Spirit (Absecon) on Saturday night up in Jersey City.

Got Lucky
 

I ended up working 2 playoff games.

Friday night my crew worked the Hanover Park/Mendham game.

On Saturday I filled in as LJ with another crew at the West Orange/Bloomfield game.

REPLY: We had a consolation game on Friday night. I'd prefer root canal! It was no "consolation" for us!

Everyone else I know of had 2 games this weekend. We had only 1. I was hoping that was because we were being saved for games in the later rounds.

REPLY: We had a final last year (Brick vs. Jackson @ Rutgers) so we're expecting a semi-final this coming weekend. We'll see...

Nah, I believe it was a chapter from the shore area. It was the Paulsboro v. Barnegat up in Paulsboro.

I was scheduled to work two consolation games but one was a forfeit. We had Cherry Hill West v. Oakcrest and what a game it was. It had all the excitement of a playoff. The forefeit was a horrible match up. They paired up an 0-8 group 1 school with a group 3 school that was also winless. The group 1 school wanted no parts of it.

I, along with my crew is holding out hope for a semi. We got a quarter last year which was a first for me working the R position. I signed up for chains Friday night and hoping for something Saturday. I must have hit arbiter 10 times this morning but still nothing.

Canadian Mechanics
 

I would add to bag the point of a ball dribbled forward. Since there may or may not be a penalty depending on further action you should not throw your flag.

Agree 100% with Ed. Unless you've got players mixing it up OOB and another official isn't in the vicinity you stay on the spot. There is no need to drop a bag. I've seen wings throw the bag and then move to the spot - that just screams "lazy."

What in the world does that mean? The ball dribbled forward? I have no idea.

Sounds like a 'knock on' from my rugby days.