Question about P.I.
 

Hey all,

Just a fan here - unlike legends like Rut, I only ref basketball (now, now, no snickering).

All I really know about football officials is that they get parodied a lot on beer commercials, so I am a complete neophyte when it comes to enforcing the rules in a football game.

That last play by Philadelphia appeared to involve some pass interference. Now before you call me fanboy, I'm a Raiders fan (oh shut up).

How, as the official, do you judge the contact on that play? I'm curious if it's in the same vein as how we as bball officials call fouls.

Troy Aikman seemed to think there "might" have been a penalty there. So is he the football version of Billy Packer, or did he have a point?

Thanks for the info!

I only work on the diamond, but to me it looked like the WR was stumbling and on the way down before there was contact by the defender. Don't take rules comments by announcers in any sport too seriously.

Pass Interference has categories...

Playing through the body
Hooking the opponent`s waist before the ball gets there
Arm bar
Holding
Holding down the opponent (shoulders) before the ball gets there

Some codes: screening the view of the incoming ball.

Tangled legs or feet is not a foul.

Knowing who initiates contact is important - just like in basketball.

That should go without saying. If I watched a hockey game and I heard an announcer talk about a rule, I would realize the very same thing. ;)

Peace

That's because if you watched a hockey game, it wouldn't be a Canadian broadcast. ;)

I would have to agree with Seth on this particular play. One could also have argued that the reciever pushed off while making his break to the sideline. I would consider all of the contact on that play minimal at best and would like to see that type of contact allowed on every play.

I second what eveyone has said that it was right to pass on the flag. Someone on ESPN had to ruin it by saying "it's right to the the players decide this on the field."

Hockey Night in Canada is on every Saturday night on the NHL Network in the US. The play-by-play guy on the early game (Toronto/Ottawa, I think) was one of the worst PBP guys I'd ever heard, IMO.

My wife and I play "name the predominant color of Don Cherry's suit." The one this week may have been the most outrageous I've ever seen.

I'll have to try to see that again because when I saw the replay, it appeared the defender fell down and then lunged at the receiver's legs to knock him down. It wasn't incidental contact with his feet or an attempt to play the ball. It was more of a "oh crap, I'm beat and falling down, let me tackle this guy so he can't catch it". Based on what everyone else is saying, I must not have had a good look at it because it doesn't sound like anyone else saw it this way.

One thing I can be thankful for on that play, it was not my call.

Thinking back to Mike Pereria's statement last week that you make a call in the 4th quarter just like in the first and my addendum, you make a call in the championship game just like the first game of the season.

The receiver made a move with his arm that could have possibly been an OPI but it had no material affect. Then the defender falling to the ground then reaching for the receiver's feet. The question (from my couch) would the result had been different if the defender did not have contact, in other words, did the defender's action have a material affect on the play.

My answer. No. Good no call.

I agree and furthermore believe that a flag would have been an incorrect call.