Ending the Half

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Sorry Robert, but that's a lousy idea. Allowing the game to simply continue, without the ball being snapped, after the clock has expired is a sure way to crerate a cluster f**k. You can be guaranteed that either someone on the offense will question what's going on and more inappropriately, of the defense will think the game (period) is over and let up, or both.

You simply whistle everytning stopped at 0:00, announce to both teams that there will be an untimed down, (even if you've already explained that to both captains during the explanation of the penalty options) declare the ball RFP, and play on.

Why couldn't that have been explained to the captains along with the penalty enforcement? Are you saying the above mechanic is better even if the teams have come to the line, and for all you know the ball could be snapped 1 sec. after 0:00, and then you actually whistle and make the ball unready for play just to tell them it's an untimed down and ready for play??! How about letting team B bring on subs during that interval while you're at it, now that they've seen A's formation?

Of course that makes a new 25 sec. clock in Fed, so if team A was still huddling instead of the scenario above you're giving them extra time to get ready.

Would you change your mechanic if there was no official period time visible? Or would you actually say, "I must prevent your play to inform you that my watch says no time left for the period, which is inconsequential because this play is untimed. Play on."?

Robert in the Bronx

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Why couldn't that have been explained to the captains along with the penalty enforcement?

When was the last time you had captains actually listen during the penalty enforcement discussions?