OT: Dumbest play in football history

[slam]

When I first saw this I immediately said that the official blew it. Casually walking the ball within the endzone definitely indicates that no attempt is being made to advance the ball out of the endzone. This is particularly obvious when many of the opposing team arrive in the endzone. Poor play by the returner; terrible refereeing by the official.

I disagree. The official has to enforce the rules as written, not some interpretation of the player's action. For all the official knows, it could have been a trick play by Wofford akin to all the high school/pee wee "Hey coach, this is the wrong ball... Now I'm running for a touchdown!" plays you can find on YouTube. Lull the coverage team into a false sense of security, then flip a lateral and try to go for a touchdown.

 

[patchick]

That wasn't Eason on the play you cite by the way, it was Hugh Millen.

Right you are, my apologies for sullying Mr. Eason's name.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I disagree. The official has to enforce the rules as written, not some interpretation of the player's action. For all the official knows, it could have been a trick play by Wofford akin to all the high school/pee wee "Hey coach, this is the wrong ball... Now I'm running for a touchdown!" plays you can find on YouTube. Lull the coverage team into a false sense of security, then flip a lateral and try to go for a touchdown.

The official is not responsible for determining trick plays. He is responsible for judging whether or not the returner is making a reasonable effort to advance the ball out of the endzone. Your thinking may (and evidently does) differ, but there's no doubt in my mind that he was not making an attempt to advance the ball out of the endzone. Terrible non-call by the official.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

That... sucks.

That kid will never live that down. Even when everyone else has forgotten it years later, he'll always feel like everyone is thinking it every time they see him.

(This is from the point of view of a guy who missed an easy shot at an empty net in a big game back in the day)

I had really bad asthma through middle school and never played any sports till HS. In my 1st basketball game ever, intramural, I got the ball took a shot and threw up an air ball...at the wrong basket.

We lost 88-10. I'll never forget it.

 

[Tunescribe]

The official is not responsible for determining trick plays. He is responsible for judging whether or not the returner is making a reasonable effort to advance the ball out of the endzone. Your thinking may (and evidently does) differ, but there's no doubt in my mind that he was not making an attempt to advance the ball out of the endzone. Terrible non-call by the official.

Dude, this is ridiculous. The ref's job is to officiate the game according to the rules, not babysit brain-dead players. That situation was as fundamental as it gets. The only non-call on the play was not flagging the kid for taking his helmet off on the field.

 

[The Brandon Five]

I don't know about the dumbest play, but this is probably the worst call in football history:

Celebration penalty on TD costs Cathedral High School team title - ESPN Boston

BOSTON -- A Massachusetts high school lost a state championship game because a player raised his arm in triumph as he ran for what would have been a go-ahead touchdown, and Boston mayor Thomas Menino doesn't like it.

The penalty for the gesture by Cathedral High School quarterback Matthew Owens in Saturday's Division 4A Super Bowl led to the losing team wondering if the referee's decision could be challenged. The state association said Wednesday that it could not, and that there is no provision in MIAA rules to overturn an official's call after a game has been concluded.
...
The referee was enforcing a sportsmanship rule that prohibits players from celebratory or taunting behavior while scoring a touchdown.

The 18-year-old senior was racing for a score as time wound down in the game against Blue Hills. Video shows Owens briefly raising his left arm and then lowering it as he approaches the end zone. The penalty nullified the touchdown, and Cathedral lost the game 16-14.

Somewhere a douche is missing it's bag.

 

[robbomango]

The official is not responsible for determining trick plays. He is responsible for judging whether or not the returner is making a reasonable effort to advance the ball out of the endzone. Your thinking may (and evidently does) differ, but there's no doubt in my mind that he was not making an attempt to advance the ball out of the endzone. Terrible non-call by the official.

you have to take a knee, period. that was silly and should've been flagged, it's a pretty direct rule.

 

[drew4008]

Watched it live

lol'd

I'm really pulling for another Cat-Griz showdown in a couple weeks!

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

you have to take a knee, period. that was silly and should've been flagged, it's a pretty direct rule.

Yes. Football 101. A kickoff is a live ball until downed. You learn that in peewee.

I have seen a related example where after a safety there was a free kick. Free kicks are typically punted, but it is not a punt- the kickoff rules apply, so it is a live ball. I have seen the returner back away and let the ball bounce, like you might with a punt, and then get away. It rolled and the kicking team recovered and it was their ball, like an onsides kick

 

[brdmaverick]

Wow, that WAS bad!


BUT GREAT FOR ENTERTAINMENT VALUE!!!

 

[brdmaverick]

you have to take a knee, period. that was silly and should've been flagged, it's a pretty direct rule.

Wait, what should have been flagged?

 

[dsr]

Anyone can make a brainless mistake once. If you do it twice, then you have a serious problem.

That mistake, I would say, is on a par with running for a touchdown but putting the ball down on the 1 yard line instead of running it in.

This kid only did it once. DeSean Jackson, on the other hand ...

 

[scout]

Anyone can make a brainless mistake once. If you do it twice, then you have a serious problem.

That mistake, I would say, is on a par with running for a touchdown but putting the ball down on the 1 yard line instead of running it in.

This kid only did it once. DeSean Jackson, on the other hand ...

Patriots had a rookie (who made it to the Hall of Fame) who bounced a ball before crossing the goal line in a preseason game.

 

[Frezo]

This was pretty dumb too.
Jim Marshall's Wrong Way Run in 1964 - YouTube

 

[PatsFan24]

**** happens. we all do stupid ****

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

When I first saw this I immediately said that the official blew it. Casually walking the ball within the endzone definitely indicates that no attempt is being made to advance the ball out of the endzone. This is particularly obvious when many of the opposing team arrive in the endzone. Poor play by the returner; terrible refereeing by the official.

I do believe there was a player in the NFL last year(?) who was under the impression he could run out the clock while walking around in the end zone so he walked around until people got to him and then he took a knee. This is a similiar situation. An idiot in the end zone not knowing the rules only instead of just looking stupid, he cost his team 7 points.

 

[TruthSeeker]

you have to take a knee, period. that was silly and should've been flagged, it's a pretty direct rule.

That is not the rule. Period.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

What's missing in your analysis is the returner not only failed to down the ball, he also failed to play to the whistle. Handing the ball to the ref before the whistle doesn't kill the play; the ref simply would (should) let the ball bounce off his body and remain in the field of play until it's downed, returned, or recovered by the opponents. Also, if the returner takes full possession of the ball and then intentionally tosses it out of bounds through the end zone I believe it's a safety.

That's what I thought too. But the NCAA rule book is clear that a ball is dead once it touches an official, whether accidentally or intentionally.

Practically speaking, officials usually blow the ball dead when the player shows that he's not attempting to advance the ball. They usually do that by taking a knee, but I have seen it done by handing or tossing the ball to the official. I've also seen plays blown dead when the player clearly makes no attempt to advance the ball even when he doesn't take a knee; by rule, the official shouldn't do that.

I think you're right on the safety.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

you have to take a knee, period. that was silly and should've been flagged, it's a pretty direct rule.

Sorry, but that's not the rule. A touchback is defined by NCAA rules as occuring when a ball is "dead" in the endzone; the rule book makes no mention of "taking a knee."

One way, and the usual way, of creating a dead ball in the endzone is to "take a knee." But, a ball is also dead if it is handed to an official, since anytime the ball touches an official, whether by accident or intention, it is automatically "dead."

Officials also, probably incorrectly, blow balls dead once they see that the receiver isn't making any attempt to advance the ball.

 

[robbomango]

That is not the rule. Period.

oh lmao, my football ignorance rears it's ugly head again, sorry.

what is the rule?