TexDoc
12-05-2006, 12:59 PM
The previous thread was rudely closed, but I need to add a comment. Some things are important enough to continue to discuss. Officials being questioned for throwing out players and not calling safely type fouls are two things I find very important.
What I wished to post in response before the subject was closed:
With all due respect Mr. Wilson, you are not correct. A helmet opening has to be grabbed for a facemask penalty to be called. A helmet opening would be the facemask, ear hole, or the opening for the head.
A player cannot grab with any part of his body but his hand. So, if a player’s forearm goes across an opposing player’s facemask, causing the player’s helmet to turn, it is not a facemask penalty because an opening to the helmet has not been grabbed. A runner can even be tackled by his helmet if a helmet opening is not grabbed. A player’s head can be twisted in an attempt to make a tackle and there still be no foul.
This is exactly what happened in this instance and why it was not called a facemask penalty. Never did the tackler grab an opening to the runner’s helmet, even though the runner head twisted. In fact, the tackler might have had a pad on his forearm that caused the runner’s head to twist, but is still not a foul.
The OG team and coaches are a class act. The coach acknowledges that his players’ actions were out of line and has done other things to let it be known that he does not condone this type of play. The point is, these players did indeed do acts that warranted their removal from the game. That’s the point that was in question by some others that needed to be cleared up. Officials don’t just make up calls to get kids kicked out of games, and especially not playoff games.
FYI, I am an official, have been for 20 years, and I was at the game. There were about 15 to 20 officials on the sidelines for that game.
What I wished to post in response before the subject was closed:
With all due respect Mr. Wilson, you are not correct. A helmet opening has to be grabbed for a facemask penalty to be called. A helmet opening would be the facemask, ear hole, or the opening for the head.
A player cannot grab with any part of his body but his hand. So, if a player’s forearm goes across an opposing player’s facemask, causing the player’s helmet to turn, it is not a facemask penalty because an opening to the helmet has not been grabbed. A runner can even be tackled by his helmet if a helmet opening is not grabbed. A player’s head can be twisted in an attempt to make a tackle and there still be no foul.
This is exactly what happened in this instance and why it was not called a facemask penalty. Never did the tackler grab an opening to the runner’s helmet, even though the runner head twisted. In fact, the tackler might have had a pad on his forearm that caused the runner’s head to twist, but is still not a foul.
The OG team and coaches are a class act. The coach acknowledges that his players’ actions were out of line and has done other things to let it be known that he does not condone this type of play. The point is, these players did indeed do acts that warranted their removal from the game. That’s the point that was in question by some others that needed to be cleared up. Officials don’t just make up calls to get kids kicked out of games, and especially not playoff games.
FYI, I am an official, have been for 20 years, and I was at the game. There were about 15 to 20 officials on the sidelines for that game.