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Football Illegal hit & ejection

Llama57

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Feb 2, 2015
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looking for opinions on a "targeting" call & ejection. About the 1:23 mark on this video on the left side of the screen is a block that was flagged & the player ejected. Kicked out for 2nd 1/2, and all misses this week too. I just don't get it I guess. Block was in front of the play, guess I think the kid who got decleated should know he may get blocked if he's going to try & make a play.

 
I agree that i dont think it should be ejection offense but they way the rules are written the refs are correct. 1 the player is defenseless and must lead with his hands on the block which is illegal. 2 the blocker leaves his feet to make the block which is illegal. 3, he blocked him high enough that it looked like the player was aiming for his head which is illegal. My biggest problem is the player going high. But I dont think the rules are helping the game. they are helping keep players safe.
 
Seems pretty sketchy to toss a kid for that. I am going to bet the ejection was more for the way the player big timed it up to his sideline after the hit.
 
nutty, not going to agree with you this time, if a player is aiming high on a defenseless player that player shall not play anymore, if a player initiates contact without use of his hands first on a player who does not see him coming it is a flag and deemed illegal. with all the concussions going around in football anymore they are aiming for ultimate safety of the student athlete of today. it is a tough call but the stripes got it right.
 
nutty, not going to agree with you this time, if a player is aiming high on a defenseless player that player shall not play anymore, if a player initiates contact without use of his hands first on a player who does not see him coming it is a flag and deemed illegal. with all the concussions going around in football anymore they are aiming for ultimate safety of the student athlete of today. it is a tough call but the stripes got it right.
Judgement calls should never be an ejection, an officials judgment call cost a young man a game and a half and may cost his team a game. Sorry but thats a sad joke.
 
Judgement calls should never be an ejection, an officials judgment call cost a young man a game and a half and may cost his team a game. Sorry but thats a sad joke.

This is where my mind went to. Yes, there are times where someone should be ejected (punching/kicking someone). But for something that is actually a regular football play (just performed illegally) I don't like kids being ejected in high school football. My reasoning isn't so much that I don't care about the safety of the player (I'm one of "those" guys that thinks we're starting to go a wee bit too far on trying to protect kids from every single hit, but that's neither here nor there), but as Nut stated...they're judgment calls. And no disrespect meant to the referee profession, but there really are referees that aren't good. No I'm not saying that out of bitterness toward any ref. But I played football throughout high school and college and I go to a high school game almost every week, and the quality of the ref has legitimately gone down in the past 10-15 years (there are a lot less of them in general in Nebraska). I can think of at least 4 instances in the past 3 years where I saw a ref, who upon talking with other coaches/refs/fans that knew certain refs, that they were reffing their first or second game and made objectively bad calls. It's inexperience and I don't blame them for that, but teams are ultimately the ones who pay the price for a ref making a bad call. The other issue I've seen with refs is them being badly out of shape and not capable of being in the proper position to make the right call.

So you combine all those things and you get a whistle-happy/out-of-position referee that makes one really bad call and a kid is ejected wrongfully...that team could be screwed. If it happens in the first quarter, maybe they lose the game because in high school sports (particularly in lower classes where there aren't that many really good starters on a C2 team for example) an individual can make that much of a difference. If they get ejected in the second half...that team could lose that game because of it, and then they're out that player for a second game? Potentially miss 6 quarters of a season?

We don't have replay on the field like they do in college where they can review things and determine if an ejection is warranted for targeting. And these kids get 9 games to try and make the playoffs and one referee's wrong decision might cost a team 2 games? I don't like that one bit for an illegal hit that is actually a football play.

I would guess the NSAA allows a team to challenge whether a player should be suspended for a second game if they were ejected in the 2nd half of a game? If not, that's horrible. But even if they do...it's high school football where there is probably only one camera filming and it may not be on the player that actually made the illegal hit.

I do understand the letter of the law here and I do agree that by that rule, this player should have been ejected. But I agree with Nut that these judgment calls can literally turn the tide of a whole season for a small school program.

***This is not meant to bash refs. I am merely saying it's a reality of today as far as what type of ref is doing high school football in Nebraska. They will get the call right the vast majority of the time. Calls will always be missed. I generally do not believe that refs determine the outcomes of games...but in situations like this, they can be a major contributor to how a game ends up.
 
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This is where my mind went to. Yes, there are times where someone should be ejected (punching/kicking someone). But for something that is actually a regular football play (just performed illegally) I don't like kids being ejected in high school football. My reasoning isn't so much that I don't care about the safety of the player (I'm one of "those" guys that thinks we're starting to go a wee bit too far on trying to protect kids from every single hit, but that's neither here nor there), but as Nut stated...they're judgment calls. And no disrespect meant to the referee profession, but there really are referees that aren't good. No I'm not saying that out of bitterness toward any ref. But I played football throughout high school and college and I go to a high school game almost every week, and the quality of the ref has legitimately gone down in the past 10-15 years (there are a lot less of them in general in Nebraska). I can think of at least 4 instances in the past 3 years where I saw a ref, who upon talking with other coaches/refs/fans that knew certain refs, that they were reffing their first or second game and made objectively bad calls. It's inexperience and I don't blame them for that, but teams are ultimately the ones who pay the price for a ref making a bad call. The other issue I've seen with refs is them being badly out of shape and not capable of being in the proper position to make the right call.

So you combine all those things and you get a whistle-happy/out-of-position referee that makes one really bad call and a kid is ejected wrongfully...that team could be screwed. If it happens in the first, maybe the lose the game because in high school sports (particularly in lower classes where there aren't that many really good starters on a C2 team for example, an individual can make that much of a difference. If they get ejected in the second half...that team could lose that game because of it, and then they're out that player for a second game? Potentially miss 6 quarters of a season?

We don't have replay on the field like they do in college where they can review things and determine if an ejection is warranted for targeting. And these kids get 9 games to try and make the playoffs and one referee's wrong decision might cost a team 2 games? I don't like that one bit for an illegal hit that is actually a football play.

I would guess the NSAA allows a team to challenge whether a player should be suspended for a second game if they were ejected in the 2nd half of a game? If not, that's horrible. But even if they do...it's high school football where there is probably only one camera filming and it may not be on the player that actually made the illegal hit.

I do understand the letter of the law here and I do agree that by that rule, this player should have been ejected. But I agree with Nut that these judgment calls can literally turn the tide of a whole season for a small school program.

***This is not meant to bash refs. I am merely saying it's a reality of today as far as what type of ref is doing high school football in Nebraska. They will get the call right the vast majority of the time. Calls will always be missed. I generally do not believe that refs determine the outcomes of games...but in situations like this, they can be a major contributor to how a game ends up.
AGREE 100%
 
Flag for leading with shoulder on a defenseless player (new rule this year) correct. Contact looked helmet to helmet (targeting) which is an ejection (correct). Personally that block falls on the Coaches as that was a point of emphasis this year and the kid should have known that throwing a block like that in the first place would lead to a penalty. Kid went for a highlight reel hit (judging by the way he struts across the field after laying the kid out) and paid for it.
 
Flag for leading with shoulder on a defenseless player (new rule this year) correct. Contact looked helmet to helmet (targeting) which is an ejection (correct). Personally that block falls on the Coaches as that was a point of emphasis this year and the kid should have known that throwing a block like that in the first place would lead to a penalty. Kid went for a highlight reel hit (judging by the way he struts across the field after laying the kid out) and paid for it.
I know its a rule but its a soft, liberal way we are today, trying to take the man out of football also. I will always disagree with a judgement call leading to a player missing games ALWAYS
 
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LOL...nothing to do with liberal. A rule is a rule and the official enforced the rule. Is it kinda sad that these big hits won't be seen much anymore? Maybe a little. Is it better for the well being of these kids with what is being discovered about the long term effects of football and concussions. I believe it is. Just my belief. Sucks for the kid that has to sit a game, totally agree with you. Absolutely falls at the feet of the head coach for not getting across to his kid that this is now an illegal block. Had the coach done that the kid would still be playing because he never would have had himself in a position to go helmet to helmet.
 
I don't believe this absolutely falls at the head coach. What if the coach told and showed him how to block but the kid decided to do what he wanted? Probably both are at fault for the block not just one person.
 
LOL...nothing to do with liberal. A rule is a rule and the official enforced the rule. Is it kinda sad that these big hits won't be seen much anymore? Maybe a little. Is it better for the well being of these kids with what is being discovered about the long term effects of football and concussions. I believe it is. Just my belief. Sucks for the kid that has to sit a game, totally agree with you. Absolutely falls at the feet of the head coach for not getting across to his kid that this is now an illegal block. Had the coach done that the kid would still be playing because he never would have had himself in a position to go helmet to helmet.
Trying to protect kids by enabling them to be incompetent is NEVER the right thing to do. Ultimately the kid who gets blindsided is 100% at fault here. If you are incompetent and can't protect yourself we shouldn't have to govern laws to do it for you. Yes....liberal. That's what liberals do. Build laws for people that are too lazy or incompetent to help them selves.
 
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NUTTY, how can you disagree with the official who is point blank following the rule book. I don't get that at all, judgement call or not it was a illegal block and the kid should have known better. as far as TEACHERS comments maybe he has a good point in why there are not many people wanting to get into to officiating, his bashing of the officials on a media board does not help matters, I can tell you this much there has never been more of a need of new officials in sports then there is now, look at the games that have to be played on Thursdays and Friday afternoons and some Saturdays, it's do to nobody wanting to officiate and when they do they get bashed by people in the stands who think and feel they know more then the fellas who actually are working the games, it's not worth making the 75-100 bucks to a guy anymore. just my thoughts but I will go back to Nutter and say this, a rule is a rule and needs to be enforced and remember about the safety of the kids playing, you don't have to agree with it but look at it this way, if your boss tells you to do something and you ignore it what happens, pretty soon your out of a job, same applies here, if you don't enforce the rule pretty soon your not going to be hired by anyone even if there is a shortage of stripes, you can agree or disagree that is up to you.
 
NUTTY, how can you disagree with the official who is point blank following the rule book. I don't get that at all, judgement call or not it was a illegal block and the kid should have known better. as far as TEACHERS comments maybe he has a good point in why there are not many people wanting to get into to officiating, his bashing of the officials on a media board does not help matters, I can tell you this much there has never been more of a need of new officials in sports then there is now, look at the games that have to be played on Thursdays and Friday afternoons and some Saturdays, it's do to nobody wanting to officiate and when they do they get bashed by people in the stands who think and feel they know more then the fellas who actually are working the games, it's not worth making the 75-100 bucks to a guy anymore. just my thoughts but I will go back to Nutter and say this, a rule is a rule and needs to be enforced and remember about the safety of the kids playing, you don't have to agree with it but look at it this way, if your boss tells you to do something and you ignore it what happens, pretty soon your out of a job, same applies here, if you don't enforce the rule pretty soon your not going to be hired by anyone even if there is a shortage of stripes, you can agree or disagree that is up to you.
I am okay with the flag but any ejection based on a judgement call is shameful, you are assuming every official will do this correct, and if they do not they have zero consequences, and the player has to sit because of an error that may cost his team and himself the season. JOKE LIBERAL AND WRONG
 
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I am okay with the flag but any ejection based on a judgement call is shameful, you are assuming every official will do this correct, and if they do not they have zero consequences, and the player has to sit because of an error that may cost his team and himself the season. JOKE LIBERAL AND WRONG

Came here to say this exact thing regarding the ejection part. I'm totally on board with protecting people. It's the ejection party this sketchy to me. You can penalize without ejecting the guy. Hell maybe let a kid get ejected on the second one? We're just saying that you're letting a judgment call legitimately effect a high school football game where there is no ability to verify that the ref actually got the call right.

If you think my comments are bashing of referees, you my friend need toughen up. I said refs get most calls correct and even in this instance I think the ref was right. But I have personally seen refs get calls wrong, and get them wrong pretty horribly. And when that should happen in a case of a potential hit like this....he gets to be wrong, get paid, and get to a ref the next week. That kid who may be on the short end of his bad call doesn't get to play the rest of the game and doesn't get to play next week. Fact of the matter is there are bad refs. I've seen them. We've all seen them. Should refs not be scrutinized objectively? I wish we had more refs willing to admit that they made the wrong call. I can live with that. Owning up to your mistake and acknowledging that the call shouldn't have been made is cool with me, but just acting like they don't make bad calls (they are humans) and they are beyond reproach is a bad way to look at things. How can we address a potentially bad call if our scrutiny is considered bashing?

We've all seen refs that are badly out of shape and have no business attempting to run hundreds of yards a game. That's just a fact of life.

It sucks that we don't have as many refs as we used to, but if my comments, which are not a bash, are deterring an individual from becoming a ref, then that person doesn't have the mental fortitude to ref a high school football game.
 
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LOL...nothing to do with liberal. A rule is a rule and the official enforced the rule. Is it kinda sad that these big hits won't be seen much anymore? Maybe a little. Is it better for the well being of these kids with what is being discovered about the long term effects of football and concussions. I believe it is. Just my belief. Sucks for the kid that has to sit a game, totally agree with you. Absolutely falls at the feet of the head coach for not getting across to his kid that this is now an illegal block. Had the coach done that the kid would still be playing because he never would have had himself in a position to go helmet to helmet.
BS. All of it.
 
Teachers I don't disagree with you, there are officials who just don't have 'it', probably never will, yes there are out of shape one's too, I get that but at the end of the day they are trying to do a service and do it to the best of their ability and most of the time they probably do it well. I think that and I have coached baseball so I know the good ones from the bad ones and believe me we need more but that isn't going to happen anymore because of the constant scrutiny that they get these days, it's just not worth it for most young people to don the blue or the stripes and get bashed on social media websites because they got something wrong it is how the world works in todays society.
as for the ejection part of this dilemma, if the rule states he should be ejected then all they are doing is following the rule, they had NO choice so nutty there is your answer they are following the rule book and if the kid sits then the kid sits, remember the stripes don't make the rules they just try to enforce them to the best of their ability.
 
Teachers I don't disagree with you, there are officials who just don't have 'it', probably never will, yes there are out of shape one's too, I get that but at the end of the day they are trying to do a service and do it to the best of their ability and most of the time they probably do it well. I think that and I have coached baseball so I know the good ones from the bad ones and believe me we need more but that isn't going to happen anymore because of the constant scrutiny that they get these days, it's just not worth it for most young people to don the blue or the stripes and get bashed on social media websites because they got something wrong it is how the world works in todays society.
as for the ejection part of this dilemma, if the rule states he should be ejected then all they are doing is following the rule, they had NO choice so nutty there is your answer they are following the rule book and if the kid sits then the kid sits, remember the stripes don't make the rules they just try to enforce them to the best of their ability.
I am not against the stripes, I am against the rule and I wish the officials would stand up say Quit making us make these judgement calls on ejections, I am okay with judgment calls on flags, its all over the game and part of it, no one is perfect. BUT to place a judgment call on an official is a very injustice thing NSAA and NFHS has done and players, officials and Coaches need to take a stand. This is a total BS copout by the NSAA and mainly the NFHS and dumping the liability issue they are scared of onto an officials and costing players and teams at that expense. Full time career educated, well paid employees at the NFHS and the NSAA and dumping the ridicule, yelling, and chance at hate towards a part time or less than part employee who does this in his spare time and official by making them make a judgment call that may cost a player and his team and all they worked for the entire season of hopes. THIS is allowed by us the fans, players, coaches and officials and should not be so.
 
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so Nutty you want all the officials to boycott games until the rule is changed. I highly doubt that is going to happen. what if the white hat in Omaha likes the rule and the linejudge in wausa likes the rule, it is what it is but like I said before I don't see any change coming very soon. the NSAA and the NFHS are all about safety of the game so like it or not they are going to side with player safety that is just how it is.
 
I'm fine with the 15 yard penalty, just don't think somebody should be ejected. I've seen it many times in college football when they call targeting and then it's over ruled in replay.
 
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