Philosophy of not flagging something when it wouldn't otherwise matter
 

Usually involves PI.

Play: Team A is guilty of OPI, but Team B intercepts the ball anyways. Team B has a 6-yard interception return. When you, the official who passed on the OPI because B caught the ball anyways, look up at the R, he's got a RTP foul.

Discuss.

Are you fer it, or agin' it?

The issue rarely comes up in my neck of the woods.

I was wondering what others thought where it may come up more often.

'"oh, crap"

I've had this happen...

...but, not in conjuction with this.

That would suck.

What was your situation?

The only time I've done something similar is near the end of a blowout game. The team behind holds, illegal shifts, motions, etc. About the only thing we don't let slide, even when the game is out of hand, is a flagrant false start and safety issues.

I've been fortunate never to have had the OPI/RTP, but I have had cases where I ignored a hold by the team that is behind only to have a facemask or DPI on B. But being a blowout....

Besides, in the OP I wouldn't worry too much in a blowout about such an occurrence. And by blowout, I mean something like < 5 minutes left in the game and a team up by 30 or more.

There is too much tape to be passing on obvious fouls like this. I have thrown a couple of flags for OPI and had the interception run back for a TD. I try to call what I see and if I can wait I will, but obvious fouls I do not pass on.

Peace

Even in blowouts?

I had a HS game last year. 4-man crew in a blowout. I was the R and my LJ was my college supervisor. U had no impact on this one play. HL was a guy who can be a good official, but comes up with a weird call every now and again.

Sure enough, mid-4th, losing team (by 4 or 5 TDs) marches with some momentum. Slot is held by his defender about 10-12 yards downfield - they both fall to the ground, and the runner uses the additional open space for a nice 25-yard gain. HL has holding. I didn't call it because it required stopping the clock, etc, and A would decline the B hold anyways.

HL tells me Team A holding. I said what? I said to him that B fell back while grabbing A and that it was a B hold. He says no - I have A holding. He wouldn't pick up his flag. Grrrr. Had I flagged it, I could have done more to waive off his flag.

I have no such philosophy. Nor does anyone on any of the crews I've worked on. Because you will never know what might still happen or what has already happened elsewhere. There is no "it wouldn't otherwise matter".

What happens when you pass on the flag, B fumbles on the return and A scores?

When did this become about blowouts? The OP has nothing to do with officiating differently at the end of a blowout.

It wasn't specified. I qualified my "not flagging something when it wouldn't otherwise matter" to be in the cases of blowouts. I injected blowouts into the conversation.

And I would never ignore a clear flag during a game, other than a blowout situation. And I said that I wouldn't worry about the OP in a blowout.

True, but the question didn't restrict to non-blowouts games either.


If someone has a relevant take during a blowout, I'd read that too.

Considering that the RTP almost certainly happened well before the PI, and that RTP is a safety issue and PI merely a tactical one that didn't prevent the interception, I would not be disappointed in the outcome of the no-call on the latter.