I was on the line to gain crew at a game on Saturday during which there was a fumble. The official dropped down his beanbag at the spot of the fumble. My question is, what is the point of the beanbag?

Thanks,
Mark

Also is used if there is an inadvertent whistle. If A fumbles and there is a whistle, A can have the ball back at that spot or have a replay ......Larry Gonski

That marks the end of the run by A.

If there was a penalty by B during the run. The enforcement spot of the penalty might be from the end of the run.

AJ

I just wanted to resurrect a 6-year old thread.

You kill me JR!

Wow - do you know how to embarrass a rookie! :eek:

I'm happy to say that I'm now more aware of why the spot of the fumble needs to be marked.

I thought Y2K was finally doing some actual damage :D

At least you guys use beanbags. There are no mechanics to use beanbags in Canada. As such, I have actually created a PDF that outlines when to use a beanbag in our amateur game.

There's no doubt that conversations from here over the years have aided me. I've ordered and received the Fed football books - all 5 of them and I just love the Official's Handbook. It describes everything!

Hey Mike, not is there no mechanics, there is no standard. Some associations do not use them, some use blue nylon, some blue vinyl, some white nylon, some white vinyl. As a result, I have to keep all four in stock.

I wish we standardized what we do.

Mark, another thing about the bean bag is as you said, dropped it down at the spot. I have seen officials wizz this thing into a pile to indicate where the fumble was taken place. Mechanically, just drop the bag down in front of you.

The bean bag also serves to indicate possession on PSK ruling to mark the yard line, as a wing, in JV games with few officials, I will use it to mark the spot so I can retrieve the ball, and as Larry stated, to mark a spot of an IW or possible spot for penalty administration.

I carry two, one small one in my pocket for PSK and one in the front for fumbles etc.

Looking back, it's quite impressive, as this was a pee-wee level game. Great point about not flinging the bag off to Timbuktu, though.

I did forget another reason to bag, first touching. Happy baggen'

good luck this season guys

You should never leave the spot to go get the ball. Wait for the umpire to tell you he has the spot then go retrieve the ball. Either that or ask for some help from a player or coach.

The momentum rules also require the use of a beanbag...not only for the spot to possibly come back to, but it also lets the coach watching the film later know that you are declaring it as a possible momentum exception play. You don't know at the time of the catch/recovery whether you will have to use that spot or not, and you can't really go back after the fact. That would be very bad.

There is a standard.
It's right in your Officials Manual pg 10... "All officials must have the proper equipment: essentials ... white bean bag .." etc, etc.

The same manual discusses when to use a bag. It's all over the remainder of the document. This should be covered every year in your meetings. It's important! Associations that don't use them are seriously lacking in proper training.

Nylon or vinyl covering does not matter. You don't need like material, you just need like color.

Those wild duck associations along with renegade officials who use blue are the ones causing all the trouble. NF could solve the problem of color with a few additional words added to the manual. NCAA finally did. If one uses white, we all use white. If one uses blue, we all use blue. After years a complaining, I really don't care about the color any more. I'd use hot pink if all would use it.

The important thing is to know just when to use a bag and when not too.

Theisey, Cagey was responding to me. We are football officials in Canada.

And no where in our officials manuals up here is the bean back even mentioned. Hell, I've even had jokes thrown my way for using a beanbag.

I'd like to switch to blue bags for one reason, so they don't get dirty as easily...

Orange Bean Bags
 

Two college conferences have been granted permission by the NCAA to experiment with Orange Bean Bags in 2005. Not sure which conferences.

The flags here in Canada are Orange.

What colour are your flags? Gold?

I like the white bean bags myself. Some claim that you can lose them if they fall on a white line, but when I throw a bb, I have a decent idea of where on the field it is. If it's hiding on the 15 yard line, it won't take me long to find it.

But JR, some of us are not as young as you and not only would we not find, we probably would not even remember throwing the bag.

How's the season going. I had an interesting game last night in Georgetown. Jr Varsity. At the end of the game both teams starting fighting and then when everyone was separated and we were walking off the field, the coaches started fighting.

:D Classic.

That is crazy. Too bad we have no jurisdiction after the game.

Did you see my threads entitled, 'Heave Ho' and 'Heave Ho - Part II'?

Other than those games, my season has been great. Still trying to make the all-vowel league. :)

Actually, I'd love it if we used hot pink. I highly doubt I'd ever lose another bean bag that way.

But there was a higher authority after the game. One of the coach's wife have a few comments for all them and told them toact their age. I don't think I would want to be him when I got home.

I did see your thread on heave ho.

Good luck on the all vowel league. Are you on the list or waiting list or whatever?

I like to think I am. :D

Worked a scrimmage tonight -- actually a clinic. First on field time as an official for a tackle game. Did line judge for a while, then went over and got in the group working R.

So, a few plays into it, we had a fumble in the backfield. We were wearing shorts (and I don't have the right ones) and my bean bag is in my pocket, so I go looking for it. A half hour (it seemed; actually 3 seconds) later I find it and frisbee it from where I'm standing (starting point for an R) to where I had the ball come out. I guess I had gotten a little too excited and the bean bag (vinyl) goes beyond the LOS.

Moral:

1. Practice your tosses.
2. The vinyl ones might not be best for field turf.
3. Don't throw your bag more than a few yards.

I'm open to other morals as well.

Treat others as you'd have them treat you.

Always say Please and Thank You.

Stand up when a woman comes to the table.

There are tonnes...

If there was a foul during the loose ball, the basic spot would be the end of the run (where the ball came loose).

We use the term " DROP " your beanbag.