Taunting

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

A's ball on their own 1 yard line. A breaks a big gainer and is going to score easily. While the ball carrier is on the 50, Team B lineman on A's 1 yard line starts talking smack, cussing, whatever - you flag it.

If you have no succeeding spot enforcement, A must decline this penalty.

Hmmm...you might want to look that up in your rule book. Like any other live ball foul on such a play, A has the option of taking the penalty on the try.

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: BktBallRef...the simple answer is that a USC foul will have nothing at all to do with determining the result of the play. A can't gain an advantage by taunting, nor can he put B at a disadvantage. That's why the Fed changed the USC enforcement a number of years ago. It used to be as you suggested--a simple live ball foul with all-but-one enforcement. But because of the USC's insignificance in determining the result of the play, they decided to change it...for better or worse. If they changed it back, it would be clear that the only reason for the change would be a punitive reason and not something to do with negating an unfair advantage.

I realize all of that, Bob. But USC is no longer insignificant in other regards. What's happened since that enforcement was changed? Taunting and unsporting conduct constantly show up in the POE. It's all over TV, so more and more kids are behaving in inappropriate ways.

Wee have penalties for reasons other that it created an unfair advantage. If a team can't score without acting like idiots while they're doing it, there should be punitive action. JMHO.