Who turned the game off?

[wolfe]

OK, a show of hands, who turned off the game when Ronde Barber ran that Int. back for a TD?

Most people that I've talked to this morning turned it off early.
Actually, if I didn't have so much invested in the fantasy aspect of the game I probably would have turned it, too.

And why should Simeon Rice be punished because he can jump 800" and just slightly brushes his knee on someone's back as he is falling. I can't believe the rule is written that way.
I see guys jumping and falling all over each other on every field goal.

[Jonathan S.]

The rule will change. This has almost, not quite, the same significance as the TUCK rule. The league office, of course, said the correct call was made.
I didn't turn it off either. Our game was too much of a nail-biter.

[wagordy]

Watched the whole thing. I was amazed.

[wolfe]

The rule will NOT change.

It has been in place since 1983 and it is very clear in its definition. It has been called 7 times over the last 5 years, so it isn't like this came out of no where. The last time it was called was against LaVar Arrington last season, but the kick was good so the penalty was 'reclined'.
(I'm still trying to find the source of this information ... I know I read it somewhere)

Fisher said his players on the kick block squad were aware of the rule before the Monday game.

[Jonathan S.]

Sorry, I meant that I think that the interpretation of the rule WILL change, and by that I mean, I think the definition will become more clear. I disagree that this rule is clear in definition. It's a judgment call; judgment calls are not always so clear-cut. I think everyone HAD been aware of this rule before Monday's game. It's meant to keep players from gaining leverage by jumping on top of another player. Clearly, Rice was not trying to gain leverage by jumping on top of a player. The player(s) he brushed, when landing, were blocked into him. I do think that it will be looked at after the season. Fisher agreed with the call, but just maybe, he was not trying to call out an official publicly. But, afterall, it was the official's judgment. In my judgment, Rice was not trying to climb a player to get to the kicked ball.

[wolfe]

On Fisher's Monday night TV gig, he spent several minutes defending this rule. He said it was a good rule and it was called correctly. I meant to listen to his radio show on Tuesday but I forgot, but the Tennessean had some quote from Fisher about the same thing.
I think this is a separate rule than using another player to boost yourself to block a kick.

The jumping rule says you can't line up more than a yard from the line of scrimmage and jump toward the line of scrimmage and land on another player. Apparently, players who are lined up on the line of scrimmage are allowed to jump and land all over each other. I guess that's why I see players all over the place on kicks.

And now I found the quote I was looking for:

ESPN.com reported the penalty has been called seven times in the last five years.

Before Monday it was last called against LaVar Arrington of the Washington Redskins in a Week 3 game against the Giants on the winning field goal by New York kicker Matt Bryant. But since the kick was good, the penalty was declined.

Fisher said the players on his field goal block team are aware of the leaping rule.

[Jonathan S.]

I think that your are right about the two separate rules. But, since it's a judgement rule they should interpret it differently when players are blocked into the jumper. Like when players are blocked into the kicker. Maybe, just maybe, that will be looked into.

[Jonathan S.]

That's my opinion.