So, should there have been a penalty called when Alabama's Terrence Cody took off his helmet after blocking Tennessee's attempt at a game-winning field goal? (Apparently the play was still in progress.) Cast your vote. We probably haven't heard the last of this.
P.S. Now that we have a healthy number of votes in, here's the official explanation (courtesy of SI's Andy Staples -- full story here):
Cody indeed removed his helmet while still in the field of play, which usually merits a 15-yard penalty. But even if officials had flagged Cody, Tennessee wouldn't have gotten another kick.
Because Alabama blocked and recovered the ball, Alabama had possession. The game can't end on a defensive penalty, but because of the possession change, Alabama wasn't on defense.
SEC spokesman Charles Bloom: "The foul for taking helmet off is a live ball foul treated as a dead-ball foul. That is, if it happens on a play where time does not expire then the penalty is enforced on the following play. However since the clock ran out on that play, then there is no next play, so there is no penalty to mark off."
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Here we go again (plus official explanation)
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5 comments:
After blocking his SECOND field goal--as time had expired--with the ball dead on the ground--give me a break!
ROLL TIDE!
Thank god my Florida Gators don't need questionable calls to pull out victories against inferior opponents...
oh...wait a minute. Nevermind.
Glad to see the SEC crew only grossly blowing calls that don't have an impact on the game now. But it would have been nice if they had correctly called that penalty and doubling the number of penalties called on Bama during the game from 1 to 2.
The ball wan't dead when the helmet came off and the Alabama bench emptied onto the field. The play is still live until a player picks up the ball.
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