Fake FG Question

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by ajmc

I'm always willing to be educated, Mike, perhaps you could explain how moving forward a maximum of 18', (the distance from the sidline to the numbers) when the ball might be moved a maximum of 53' 4" farther away (the distance between the near and far hash marks) presents an "angle" problem. If I follow your superior logic, are you recommending that when a ball is snapped from the near hash mark, the best position, so as to avoid angle problems, would be 18' beyond the sideline ?

First, the location of the ball on the opposite sideline is irrelevant to you because you have no responsibility for the ball when that happens. You are responsible for backside action and the wider you are the wider your view of this action. That is a very good thing. Second, your angle may not be any different on this particular play but I don't think that's the point of Mike's comments. For an official to ever use the words "angle has nothing to do with anything" shows you are missing a very important aspect of officiating mechanics. We have officials in different positions largely because of angles. Keys are based largely on angles. Angles are a very important aspect of officiating.