There was a strange duplicity in this week's game. There was the game I worked; and then there is the game that everyone else saw.
The game everyone saw was outstanding. A classic back-and-forth contest where the better team won, and the losing team was last years Champs. Coaches misused time-outs, turnovers came at inopportune times, and a failed hail-mary in the closing seconds made this game a good candidate for the year-end highlight reel. But overall, a very well played contest with a final score of 28-21.
Game management was excellent. We had a clock (a first this season) a chain crew, ball people. You may think this is trivial, but trust me, when these things don't go well, it makes for a long night.
This was a game I would take my young son to. There was good sportsmanship all around, players helping one another off the ground, etc. Enough foul language to remind you this was a football game, and way more than would be tolerated in a High School or College game, but overall not too bad.
That's the game everyone else saw. I, on the other hand, am not really sure what game I saw because I left my brain in the car. Or at home. I'm not really sure because I lost it.
It starts early in the first quarter with a pass about 15 yards down the middle of the field. As Umpire, I'm supposed to turn on these passes and watch the reception. On these short passing routes in the middle of the field the receivers back it typically towards the deep officials. In other words, the deep officials cannot see the ball. I'm the one with the best view on trapped balls.
So, I read pass, see the QB is going to throw, and I lock on the intended receiver ... I at least I tried. The QB had a cannon for an arm. The receiver dives back towards the LOS, sticks an arm out and...
I don't know for sure if he actually caught it, but it wasn't clear he didn't either. My head was not stationary, the ball was zipped, and the receiver was moving back towards me. It was one of those close ones. Luckily, I didn't blow my whistle (Minor League Football uses down-by-contact rule). Not because I ruled a completed pass. No, I didn't blow it dead because I didn't know. I didn't know because I did think what it takes to make a reception a 'catch'. I just thinking " gee, I don't know and it's too late now, so.... " So, the receiver is just laying there on the ground. No one touched him. He is still just laying there. It's like everything just stopped. It seems like he is sitting there for 10 seconds. Still no whistle.
Now, this should be a clue to me that the guy knew he didn't catch the ball, right? Of yea, STILL NO WHISTLE. So, he finally gets up and runs... and runs... and runs... and scores. During the run back there was a flag. Thrown by me. This is a story by itself which I will include in the next post.
But the real issue with all this is I did not know it was a catch, yet I ruled it was. As I replay it in my mind, I don't know if the ground aided the receiver or not. I 'think' his hand was under ball when it bounced-up and hit his chest. He was far enough away that I could not be certain. So, although this was one of those 'it can go either way' kind of calls, I think I was wrong. When in doubt, it is NOT a catch should be the rule of the day.
But you need to bring your brain to the game.
There are a lot more interesting (i.e. Brainless) things about this game I'll share in the next post.
