Question for you

[ajmc]

The bottom line in this discussion is there isn't anything LEGAL you can do, which doesn't necessarily mean there isn't any number of things you may choose to do. We've argued back and forth about what the officials "should" say and what they should "never" say, and players are "supposed" to be at full alert for every second of the game, but we also expect them to do as we ask. This is an example of what "conumdrum" means, and there's no "silver bullet" answer.

If you're looking to blame someone, the appropriate place to lay the blame might be on the shoulders of a teenage QB who thought he was being smarter than everyone else (great surprise). Be honest rockyroad, you were pissed off because the QB did something you didn't consider fair, and got away with it. Depending on which deffinition of fair being used, you may be right, but very often "right" just isn't all it's cracked up to be..

More than likely the Referee was startled by what was done, and if he thought about what he could do about it, he ultimately concluded nothing (legal). I wouldn't let the QBs coach off the hook either. If the QB was instructed to do what he did, then the coach needs to look in his mirror as well. Of course the coach may have told the player to take the snap and kill the remaining time running around and the QB added the element of faking "a knee" on his own creativity.

Two things to learn from this, First, be really REALLY careful and specific about exactly what you say, if you choose to say anything, because it could bite you on the butt. Adding the little word, "If" can make a big difference. Second, whether words are used, or not, to involve the Referee as a prop in some sort of deception, YOU get to decide whether YOU allow that deception to be successful.

There's not much you can do legally, but there's things you can do to make things right and fix what you perceive as being wrong. Of course that all depends on what you consider "wrong" and are willing to do to make things right.