Taking a knee

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

That's what's so frustrating with having a real conversation with you here. You assume he's talking to you (he wasn't ... he quoted the person he was replying to), and you say crap like "no one here said ..." when SEVERAL people have said EXACTLY that and/or parts of that... including the person he was responding to. Go re-read the thread if you don't believe me. YOU might not say or imply what he was referring to... but a LOT of referees do including many here - and it's flat wrong.

I agree with JRutledge that this is largely a regional practice. In Upstate NY, when informed the offense is taking a knee, Referees usually move extremely close to the QB, and say whatever they choose to say to insure that nobody does anything stupid, as well as provide an instant whistle to minimize foolishness.

The players understand the reality of the moment 99.9% of the time. Faking a knee, after advising one will be taken is simply not an option as it will accomplish nothing following that instant whistle, other than an angry Referee.

If you are truly uncomfortable with how this type situation is handled in your area, then YOU have a difficult decision to make. Deciding to end a contest, whose result has already been decided, smoothly, rather than unncessarily risk any one of 22 teenagers being frustrated, to the point of doing something really stupid without thinking through the possible consequences, seems like a rational judgment rather than being, "flat wrong", but it's the Referee's call.