Monday Night football

[CJN]

wow, al michaels is really showing a disdain for the officials

he's all over the crew, I don't think they've been too bad. how about you?

[MJT]

Are you talking about the 5 yard and 3 inch thing they just talked about early in the 4th qtr? I didn't see it, but they just explained it and it sounds like they did not understand it and were probably critical of it. Interesting how he would not disclose how they found out about the tape at the 5 yard mark on the chain. I know they do confer about ruling with the supervisors at the game and the replay guys. I don't know why he wouldn't just say that is how they found out, as they have said that before in other games.

I like it when they found out that they were wrong, but they kind of sidestep the fact that they were wrong or didn't know what they were talking about.

[bossman72]

But you have to admit, the R looked pretty bad on that drive on a couple of penalties just by seeming unsure of all the facts when he was announcing the foul to the crowd

[Trap]

That game was on Sunday night.

But speaking of Monday. I didn't watch much of the game, but I did caught the end of the first half, when St Louis caught a pass, was untouched and fell out of bounds and they kept the clock running. I know the NFL has some silly rules on how you go out of bounds,ect. But they need to simplifies some of this stuff. If a guy goes out of bounds, he's out of bounds stop the clock.TMO

[Jim D]

[QUOTE=MJT]Are you talking about the 5 yard and 3 inch thing they just talked about early in the 4th qtr? I didn't see it, but they just explained it and it sounds like they did not understand it and were probably critical of it. Interesting how he would not disclose how they found out about the tape at the 5 yard mark on the chain. I know they do confer about ruling with the supervisors at the game and the replay guys. I don't know why he wouldn't just say that is how they found out, as they have said that before in other games.

MJT= I was at the game. What was this all about?

[Jim D]

Was the comment about the tape on the chain, etc. from the Monday night game or the Sunday night game? And what was the story? I do the down box for the Rams so I'm really curious, if it was the Monday night game, what was said?

[JasonTX]

Originally Posted by Jim D

Was the comment about the tape on the chain, etc. from the Monday night game or the Sunday night game? And what was the story? I do the down box for the Rams so I'm really curious, if it was the Monday night game, what was said?

Jim, the title of this thread should have been Sunday Night football. During the Sunday night game there was a situation where they had to check to see where the down box was in relation two the five yard mark. It was 3 inches short, so the R announced they'd be 3 inches short of a first down. Al Michaels then started in on how the R would know they were 3 inches short without meausuring. Al had no clue on how that is determined.

[Jim D]

Thanks. Imaging Al Michaels being ignorant of officiating techniques.

On every play that's close I will tell the HL "long five" or "short five". It did come into play once last night.

[MJT]

Originally Posted by Trap

That game was on Sunday night.

But speaking of Monday. I didn't watch much of the game, but I did caught the end of the first half, when St Louis caught a pass, was untouched and fell out of bounds and they kept the clock running. I know the NFL has some silly rules on how you go out of bounds,ect. But they need to simplifies some of this stuff. If a guy goes out of bounds, he's out of bounds stop the clock.TMO

I think that was an mistake by the crew. I am talking to an NFL official I know later this week I think and plan on asking him about it.

[Smiley]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

Jim, the title of this thread should have been Sunday Night football. During the Sunday night game there was a situation where they had to check to see where the down box was in relation two the five yard mark. It was 3 inches short, so the R announced they'd be 3 inches short of a first down. Al Michaels then started in on how the R would know they were 3 inches short without meausuring. Al had no clue on how that is determined.

If it's that close, don't you still have to measure? How do you know the down box is correctly placed? I think Al Michaels had a good question.

[AndrewMcCarthy]

Originally Posted by Smiley

If it's that close, don't you still have to measure? How do you know the down box is correctly placed? I think Al Michaels had a good question.

How do you know the ball is correctly placed after marching 5 yards? The tape on the chain is pretty much a standard mechanic at all levels. If the down box guy isn't on the ball then the HL has to keep him in line.

Interestingly enough, this is where the phrases "on the ball" and "keep him in line" originated.

[Jim D]

With the fields in the NFL marked as well as they are, it's pretty easy to keep the box lined up on the ball correctly. If the nose of the ball in not on the line, either the butt of the ball in on the line or the ball is half way between the lines, etc. so there is always a refernce point. Then all you do is look down at the chain as see if it's a long five or a short five.

Actually the HL has the worst view because he's between the box and the ball so he can't see it that well. NFL linesmen get out of the way and leave it to the box man to line it up correctly.

[Smiley]

If we can trust the box-man to correctly line up the ball in the middle of the field with the box, then why do we ever measure for a first down? Can't we trust the referee to correctly determine where the line to gain marker is in relation to the same ball?

We bring the chain out to determine if the line to gain is reached, why don't we bring it out to see if the ball is in front of or behind the tape? The same thing is at stake - a new series.

[Jaysef]

I am digressing from the original topic (not nit-picking), but marching off penalties is frowned upon at the highschool level. Something I have struggled with on poorly marked High school fieldss. I have been told walking off penalties is not mechanically correct. Any advice from any veteran middle men?

J

Originally Posted by AndrewMcCarthy

How do you know the ball is correctly placed after marching 5 yards? The tape on the chain is pretty much a standard mechanic at all levels. If the down box guy isn't on the ball then the HL has to keep him in line.

Interestingly enough, this is where the phrases "on the ball" and "keep him in line" originated.

[Jim D]

You don't want to look like a storm trooper goose stepping down the field when you mark off a penalty. It's better to see where the spot is and just move it back 5 or 10 or 15 yards. For example, if the ball is at the 24, you know it has to end up on the 19 so start at the 24, pick up the ball and walk to the 19 and place it there. If it's at the 24 1/2 then it goes to the 19 1/2, etc.