Minor League Football - Bizarre Game - Part 2

There was a second, more important down-by-contact play late in the second quarter. Two players leaped for a pass and made incidental contact in the air. The receiver touched and gained possession of the ball after the two separated and he completed the catch upon hitting the ground. Neither I nor the Field Judge blew our whistle. The player wisely gets off the ground and runs in for the score.

Of course my coach is coming out of his skin claiming down by contact. I said the receiver was never touch while he possessed a live ball (i.e., was not a ball carrier). How can you have down-by-contact on a non-call carrier?

Frankly, I don't know the rule. I looked in the NFL rule book and could not find an interpretation of this situation. It became an important play, because of what happens next.

So, the team attempts a two point conversion and fails. Recall last post I asked you to remember the score being 8-0. Now the score is 8-6. Remember this.

A series or two later, the Visitors (the team with six points) is at the 19 yard line on 4th and long. They decided to attempt a Field Goal. The kick is short and for some bizarre reason, the home team player catches the ball at the two. Yes, he can advance the ball, by why not just take a Touchback and get the ball at the twenty? Instead, this guy proceeds to run all over the friggin place and ends-up tackled in the end zone. Safety. Are you kidding me? Now the score is 8-9 and they have to kick the ball back to the Visitors.

So, go for three points, but get two, and get the ball back. Cool.

Then with about five minutes remaining in the 4th, the Side Judge comes running over to my side of the field, (during a play mind you) to confront my coach. What the hell? He yelling he has a right to defend himself, your players are threating me, I don't have to take this crap, etc. WHAT?

When you walk on to the field as an official you do have to put up with crap. Boat loads of it. But, there is a line players and coaches cannot cross and you better know how thick the line is. I usually draw the line when they start using second person pronouns. It becomes very clear, very fast when it turns into disrespect. When it turns into disrespect it becomes very simple. You toss a flag and take control. Simple. End of story. You don't make a scene in front of everyone, including the children of the players, and make a complete ass out of yourself. You make the entire crew and the association look terrible.

I told my coach I was embarrassed for the crew and that guy was way out of line and highly unprofessional.

After the game the Side Judge continued to justify his actions and claimed wasn't going to do this sport any more. Good.

Next week is the final regular season game, but I believe I have two games.

Minor League Football - Week 9 - Bizarre Game - Part 1

This week's game was the most difficult to officiate this season. The game was very odd and many unusual plays occurred. The final score was 9-8.

One thing that made the game different was I worked Line Judge. The LJ is the wing official who is opposite the Chains. My responsibility is watching the line of scrimmage, watching the 'inside' receiver, and helping on passes. I have forward progress all the way to the two yard line. On an interception, I do something called 'fade mechanics' where I have to back peddle all the way back to the goalline.

What is really awkward, and quite different from High School, is the LJ holds the line until a pass is thrown. In High School, when you read pass, you break down field to help the Back Judge. It's almost unnatural just standing there.

A reoccurring theme in this league is no clock. Eventually, they got it working, but we started the game with no clock.

So, the opening kickoff is fumbled and the home team recovers. Two plays later they score and then complete a two point conversion. The score is 8-0. This is important to remember later in our story.

Then we have very high, short punt. Nothing good ever happens when these occur. And sure enough we have a receiver touching the ball and the kickers recovering. The kickers then proceed to advance the kick. Why the two deep officials or the Umpire did not blow the whistle is beyond me. So, the play goes on, the guy scores, my sideline gets all jubilant and then the Side Judge comes in and says the receiver was blocked into the ball. Well Mr Side Judge, if you saw that, why the hell didn't you blow your whistle when K picked-up the ball. My coach wants answers, its not his fault the stupid receiver was that close to the ball. Everything went downhill from here.

Then, late in the second, I see flags flying on the other side of the field. Eventually, there are five flags on the ground and 45 yards of penalties against the visitors. One player is ejected for fighting and a flag was thrown on a coach. We wasted ten minutes getting this all figured out. Adding insult to injury, the Umpire walked the wrong way, and had to remark the penalty.

What else? Oh, yea the first questionable down-by-contact. We had a play in the middle of the field where a ball carrier broke through the line and then fell down. I blew my whistle. But, shortly realized (and I still don't know if I was right) the contact that occurred before he fell down did not cause him to go down. I told the White Hat I had an inadvertent whistle. The offense took the result of the play, so no harm done. I've asked our assigner for clarification on this rule because I actually don't know what it is.

There's more bizarre stuff that occurred during this game. More tomorrow.