Rubes Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) Overheard on the sidelines, Joe Flacco told teammates standing with him that they should tackle Ted Ginn Jr if he broke it and was heading for a final TD to win it. If that happened, what would the refs be able to do, right? Interesting thing is, the refs could actually award a score to the 49ers. I never knew that. The rule: Palpably Unfair Act. A player or substitute shall not interfere with play by any act which is palpably unfair. Penalty: For a palpably unfair act: Offender may be disqualified. The Referee, after consulting his crew, enforces any such distance penalty as they consider equitable and irrespective of any other specified code penalty. The Referee may award a score. Could you imagine this actually happening? The media firestorm would be crazy. Here's the NFL Films video showing Flacco saying these things. It occurs around the 4:00 mark. I can't quite tell if he's kidding around, but it doesn't seem like it. Edited February 7, 2013 by Rubes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KollegeStudnet Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) I'm at Cafe Rio and had to step out to view...nice find Edited February 7, 2013 by KollegeStudnet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDIGGZ Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 that would have been interesting haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I can't watch the video but I don't see the issue. Flacco told team mates to tackle the 49er with the ball if he was breaking it for a TD. Isn't that football? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I can't watch the video but I don't see the issue. Flacco told team mates to tackle the 49er with the ball if he was breaking it for a TD. Isn't that football? Hahaha, yeah assuming the tackler is one of the guys on who's legally on the field when the play begins! Flacco was telling guys on the sideline to basically run out and take matters into his own hands... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 This is the only incident of that I know of that actually happened in a game: http://www.ricefootball.net/tackle.htm College, not the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Bills Fan Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I think this happened once long ago. I recall some guy running from the bench to stop someone. They do get the TD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGun12TD Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Didn't Cower wanted to do that to San Diego RB Means? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) I can't watch the video but I don't see the issue. Flacco told team mates to tackle the 49er with the ball if he was breaking it for a TD. Isn't that football? Hahaha, yeah assuming the tackler is one of the guys on who's legally on the field when the play begins! Flacco was telling guys on the sideline to basically run out and take matters into his own hands... Ah-ha! This thread was fairly confusing until I got this far down. Edited February 7, 2013 by DrDareustein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) Ah-ha! This thread was fairly confusing until I got this far down. lol. Same here. Thanks for clarifying as I can't see the video. Edited February 7, 2013 by mrags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 You don't have to watch the video. There's a plain text story linked right there from the very beginning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Vader Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Flacco sounded dead serious to me. Good grief, if that had actually happened who knows what the officials would have done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Here's the NFL Films video showing ...a really good view of why the "no call" was the correct one {at the 2:25 mark}... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 If Ginn had a clear path to the endzone and a Ravens player came off the sidelines and tackled him, I'd have no problem with the 49'ers being awarded a TD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Formerly_of_Roch Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 It worked well for Woody Hayes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 If Ginn had a clear path to the endzone and a Ravens player came off the sidelines and tackled him, I'd have no problem with the 49'ers being awarded a TD. Sure, but what if he only had one man to beat? In that case, the odds are fairly even that the guy is either going to get past him or get tackled. Imagine the ref getting put into that position, where he gets to decide who wins the Super Bowl based on his determination if the guy would have scored or not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 as per rules......at the referee's discretion......they could rule the play a "score".....thats right, the refereee could rule touchdown or any amount of extra yardage he saw fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 It's funny if he was kidding. If he's serious, he's not too bright. Inthis scenario, SF would be awarded the TD no question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Sure, but what if he only had one man to beat? In that case, the odds are fairly even that the guy is either going to get past him or get tackled. Imagine the ref getting put into that position, where he gets to decide who wins the Super Bowl based on his determination if the guy would have scored or not... Scary thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Sure, but what if he only had one man to beat? In that case, the odds are fairly even that the guy is either going to get past him or get tackled. Imagine the ref getting put into that position, where he gets to decide who wins the Super Bowl based on his determination if the guy would have scored or not... I'm assuming Flacco meant if he were running free with no one in his way. Not that it's likely anyone could come off the sideline and get to him fast enough anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 I'm assuming Flacco meant if he were running free with no one in his way. Sure, but who knows if any of his teammates understood what he meant? Or even if they could see the one man left to beat and just thought he was running free? Some of these guys aren't too bright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanC883 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 That would have been the highlight of the game for me. Also, imagine instead of getting tackled, Ginn, surprised at being hit "out of nowhere" fumbles the ball when getting hit and it is recovered by the Ravens. They have to award the TD in that situation, but it would have made for some great theater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloboyinATL Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I wish we would have thought of that during the Homerun Throw Forward. Might have made the replays a bit more tolerable. btw, one of the players on the sideline said to Flacco "why don't you do it?" which is even funnier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 The scenario I think of is one which is a grey area. Imagine Ginn running free. The Ravens know that if they come off the sidelines to tackle him that he'll be awarded a TD. However, what if a Ravens player lunges at him but never makes contact and Ginn instinctively swerves to avoid him? In this hypothetical let's then say that Ginn swerving allows the Ravens pursuing him to catch up and tackle him. What's the ruling then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 The scenario I think of is one which is a grey area. Imagine Ginn running free. The Ravens know that if they come off the sidelines to tackle him that he'll be awarded a TD. However, what if a Ravens player lunges at him but never makes contact and Ginn instinctively swerves to avoid him? In this hypothetical let's then say that Ginn swerving allows the Ravens pursuing him to catch up and tackle him. What's the ruling then? Yeah, I still think it qualifies as a "Palpably Unfair Act", and if the ref believes it had a significant impact on the outcome of the play, he would have the authority to award whatever he sees fit. I think a grayer area would be if Ginn wasn't absolutely "running free" -- that is, that maybe there were one or two Ravens who might make the tackle, but just as easily might not. Say, for instance, that Ginn only has the kicker (or in this case, punter) left to beat for the TD, and someone jumps off the sidelines to tackle him? Does the ref believe the punter was really going to make the tackle to save the Super Bowl win? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 The scenario I think of is one which is a grey area. Imagine Ginn running free. The Ravens know that if they come off the sidelines to tackle him that he'll be awarded a TD. However, what if a Ravens player lunges at him but never makes contact and Ginn instinctively swerves to avoid him? In this hypothetical let's then say that Ginn swerving allows the Ravens pursuing him to catch up and tackle him. What's the ruling then? Yeah, I still think it qualifies as a "Palpably Unfair Act", and if the ref believes it had a significant impact on the outcome of the play, he would have the authority to award whatever he sees fit. I think a grayer area would be if Ginn wasn't absolutely "running free" -- that is, that maybe there were one or two Ravens who might make the tackle, but just as easily might not. Say, for instance, that Ginn only has the kicker (or in this case, punter) left to beat for the TD, and someone jumps off the sidelines to tackle him? Does the ref believe the punter was really going to make the tackle to save the Super Bowl win? That's a nice hypothetical too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 That would have been the highlight of the game for me. Also, imagine instead of getting tackled, Ginn, surprised at being hit "out of nowhere" fumbles the ball when getting hit and it is recovered by the Ravens. They have to award the TD in that situation, but it would have made for some great theater. Or how about if the refs didn't award the TD but just a 15 yard penalty, giving the Niners one more play to kick the FG and send the game to OT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanSleepWhenI'mDead Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 If we're into hypotheticals, how about this one. I was watching a game in the last couple years where the fancy mobile ESPN camera that runs along a guide wire directly over the field came crashing down and almost hit a player - - I'm a little hazy on the details, but I think it was a college game. Involving one of the Iowa teams, maybe? Fortunately no one got hurt, and it crashed between plays so it merely delayed the game for a while while they carted off the debris. What if that happens during the last play of a close Super Bowl where the outcome of the final play pre-crash isn't clear, and play is directly affected? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SavetheBills Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 The sideline tackler could always claim that Ginn Jr. tripped over a newly placed power cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogblitz Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 This is the only incident of that I know of that actually happened in a game: http://www.ricefootball.net/tackle.htm College, not the NFL. One of my high school classmates went on to TCU and did it against the Ducks. Frogs vs Ducks. Could be a cool video game. http://pastebin.com/bbHEtqep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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