Could this ever happen in the NFL?

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Watch this play from a middle school football game and tell me if you could ever see this happening in a more advanced league ... like the NFL.

http://tv.gawker.com/5684000/watch-a-middle-school-football-teams-stunning-trick-play

Isn't there a rule in how the ball must be snapped? If there isn't maybe there should be.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[muff528 3]

I wonder if they could get away with that twice!

[matthewcline 0]

That was cool.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[ASTKU 1]

No, I can not see that happening in a more advanced league...like the NFL

[ryoder 1,590]

ROTFLMAO!!!

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Andy9o8 2]

Heh heh, note how the ref in the clip does not put his arms up to signal TD; he doesn't know if it's legal, either.

Anyhow, I think I found the applicable rule. (Actually, it's a bit ambiguous as to whether this is from the NFL per se, or a generic set of American football rules.) But it seems to indicate that the snap might be legal. (But see my further comments below the rule.) See highlighted passage below. Here's the link where I found it.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:_ZQXb2nKoLoJ:en.allexperts.com/q/Football-Instruction-2069/2008/7/Started-Basics-Football-Understanding.htm+%22nfl+rules%22+%22legal+snap%22+between+legs&cd=13&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Quote

SECTION 23. Snapping the Ball
ARTICLE 1. a. Legally snapping the ball (a snap) is handing or passing it backward from its position on the ground with a quick and continuous motion of the hand or hands, the ball actually leaving the hand or hands in this motion (Rule 4-1-4).
b. The snap starts when the ball is moved legally and ends when the ball leaves the snapper’s hands (A.R. 7-1-5-I-II).
c. If, during any backward motion of a legal snap, the ball slips from the snapper’s hand, it becomes a backward pass and is in play (Rule 4-1-1).
d. While resting on the ground and before the snap, the long axis of the ball must be at right angles to the scrimmage line (Rule 7-1-3-a-1).
e. Unless moved in a backward direction, the movement of the ball doesnot start a legal snap. It is not a legal snap if the ball is first moved forward or lifted.
f. If the ball is touched by Team B during a legal snap, the ball remains dead and Team B is penalized. If the ball is touched by Team B during an illegal snap, the ball remains dead and Team A is penalized (A.R.7-1-5-I-II).
g. The snap need not be between the snapper’s legs; but to be legal, it must be a quick and continuous backward motion.
h. The ball must be snapped on or between the inbounds lines.
i. The position of the ball at the snap (Rule 9-1-2-e) refers to an imaginary line through the ball parallel to the sidelines from end line to end line (A.R. 9-1-2-IV-XI).

Note: in the video, was the snap "quick and continuous"? I suppose an argument can be made that it wasn't "quick".

[Andy_Copland 0]

How do they define "quick"?

Thats a bit relative.

Great video.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[Cheach 0]

I liek the video of the little kid who gets the ball snapped to him and then walks over to the sideline yelling "coach, something is wrong with the ball" and then darts down the sideline to score.

I woke up next to a blowup doll Ash....so what do you think?

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

How do they define "quick"?

Thats a bit relative.

Great video.

"Quick" is your posting this before I had a chance to edit my post to discuss just that.

[dgskydive 0]

Sneaky little boogers.

I saw a play like this in another game. Instead of walking right up the middle though. The QB walked towards the sideline like there was a problem with the ball. Then bolted down the sideline.

Dom

[wildcard451 0]

The Cleveland Browns pulled a similar stunt this weekend against the Patriots.

[JohnMitchell 16]

That's great, the old Razzle Dazzle. I would hope that NFL linesmen are too sharp to let that happen in the pros.

[LurkerGuy 0]

I bet the defense felt pretty stupid afterwards.

[muff528 3]

Quote

.....
e. Unless moved in a backward direction, the movement of the ball doesnot start a legal snap. It is not a legal snap if the ball is first moved forward or lifted. .........

Under these rules it looks like rule "e" might apply if the center simply picked the ball up and handed it to the QB. ....and it clearly looks like he did just that.

[lawrocket 3]

This is a redoing of an old play. The QB spent a whole quarter complaining about defensive holding and other penalties that the refs weren't calling - because there were no penalties going on. He finally yelled for the center to "Give me the ball. I'll mark ten yards myself" and pushed a defender, saying "Get out of my way." Then took off running.

This was back in the thirties or forties. I'll try to find an account of it.

My wife is hotter than your wife.