Friday night I worked a JV and Var game. The JV report is list below. The Var will be next posting.
"Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose that you resolved to effect." Shakespeare, "The Tempest". This will make more sense as you read on.
JV Game:
Excluding an Inadvertent Whistle the JV game, the contest was pretty routine for a season opener. I was anxious before I arrived at the stadium, but once I got there I settled in. After a series or two, I was back into the routine. There was the ubiquitous holdings, false starts, and encroachments. Nothing too exciting. Until early in the 4th quarter.
The visitors intercepted a pass at the six yard line. Then a false start took them back to the three. On the next play the QB drops back for a pass, the pocket breaks down, he scrambles for his life, and finally fumbles the ball in the endzone when the defenders reach him. He was not making an attempt to throw the ball. So, now we have a loose ball in the endzone. This is not going to end well for the offense no matter what happens.
Now, this is where I forgo-ed the purpose I resolved to effect. I made a colossal screw-up because I could not make-up my frigging mind.
During certain situations in the game, one of the axioms officials use is -- try to make the play what it wants to be. I wanted to make this play an incomplete pass. This poor team was getting killed and this unfortunate set of circumstances wasn't helping. I did not want to give the home team a Safety, but I just couldn't turn it into an incomplete pass.
So since I'm not ruling incomplete pass the play cascades into a scrum for the ball. But I still haven't given-up trying to make this an incomplete pass. Ok, fine its a fumble. Sorry guys. When I awake from this stupor, I'm thinking, oh crap, this is a loose ball... in the end zone... this is going to end in a Safety or TD... oh crap, which color is offense again... oh crap, why didn't I just rule incomplete... oh crap, why am I blowing my whistle!!!
As I'm blowing my frigging whistle the defenders jump on the ball. I pause. Oh my god, what have I done. So, now I want to crawl in a hole. How am I going to get out of this one?
My crew said my hands go up and it appeared I was ruling Safety, but then I separated them to rule TD. They were right. I was so focused on the Safety, or the prevention of the Safety, only at the last second did it register this was a TD for the defense.
Technically, I blew an inadvertent whistle, however it would be splitting hairs whether it impacted the outcome of the play. There were no offensive players around the ball. The play ended the way it would have ended.
If I was thinking clearly, I should have swallowed my pride and given the offense the Inadvertent Whistle. They could have replayed the down... better than ruling an incomplete pass.
In retrospect, in a JV game with the score 33-0, had the QB been tackled, I would have no choice than to rule Safety. But, it was a pass play, I'd make the play what it wants to be -- an incomplete pass even if it wasn't.
I haven't had a brain fart like this is a long time.
"Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose that you resolved to effect."
Bill, you're right. Make up my mind and stick with the decision.
