End of Giants-Redskins game

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Most of us have learned long ago, no matter how hard you suck on a whistle, that damn "tweet" is NEVER coming back. All it takes is an instant of distraction or loss of focus to create a mistake. What matters then, is how well we deal with our mistake.

Honestly, I'm more likely to forgive a mistake borne of action (like you describe) than one borne of inaction (like the OP).

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Honestly, I'm more likely to forgive a mistake borne of action (like you describe) than one borne of inaction (like the OP).

Action can get you into trouble as well. Personal example from a playoff game a couple years ago. Near the end of the first half, A runs a play that ends in bounds around the 5 yard line. Team tries to run FG unit on the field to a last second attempt. As I step back into my U position, A/K has 12 players in formation. I made sure it had been at least 3 seconds and double check my count. Flag/whistle for illegal substitution. Clock stopped with 2 seconds left.

B/R coach upset because 5-yard penalty still kept them in close FG range, but now they have an opportunity to get organized and not have to rush as much. We enforce the penalty and wound the clock quickly and A/K did not get the ball snapped in time anyway.

The lesson I learned is I should have let the play go because there is a chance they don't get the ball snapped. If they do and there is still time on the clock kill it at the snap. Stopping it when I did gave them an advantage. It's a good example of why I like the 10-second subtraction rule.

[Ianr]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

Action can get you into trouble as well. Personal example from a playoff game a couple years ago. Near the end of the first half, A runs a play that ends in bounds around the 5 yard line. Team tries to run FG unit on the field to a last second attempt. As I step back into my U position, A/K has 12 players in formation. I made sure it had been at least 3 seconds and double check my count. Flag/whistle for illegal substitution. Clock stopped with 2 seconds left.

B/R coach upset because 5-yard penalty still kept them in close FG range, but now they have an opportunity to get organized and not have to rush as much. We enforce the penalty and wound the clock quickly and A/K did not get the ball snapped in time anyway.

The lesson I learned is I should have let the play go because there is a chance they don't get the ball snapped. If they do and there is still time on the clock kill it at the snap. Stopping it when I did gave them an advantage. It's a good example of why I like the 10-second subtraction rule.

wouldn't using a penalty in order to conserve time count as an unfair act penalty?

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by Ianr

wouldn't using a penalty in order to conserve time count as an unfair act penalty?

I'm 99% certain they weren't doing it intentionally. This does not meet any of the NFHS unfair acts. There is specific rule coverage for this. They weren't repeatedly fouling. Nobody hid the ball under their jersey. Nobody was using the tee. There was no travesty in what they did.