Proper spot and down?

[Rich]

We had a play last night on a wet field where a fumbled ball was fallen on in the backfield not once, but twice -- and both times the ball came out on the side of the player I could not see. Naturally, since I didn't see the ball, I didn't blow the whistle. I was the white hat. Since the LJ (on the other side, who would've seen the ball) didn't blow the whistle, I knew it was either loose or in a pile.

All of a sudden I'm in a sprint for the goal line. The ball ended up in a defender's hands and it's off to the races.

There's a reason why we don't hurry to blow the whistle. Only bad things can happen when we're quick to a whistle.