Comments on: Goaltending for football?

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:39:23 +0000

Check out this story… R.C. “Alley Oop” Owens blocked a kick at the goalpost and it was outlawed soon after.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091008/A_SPORTS0205/910080335/-1/A_SPORTS#STS=g0jsi1bh.jhe

By: Mr.Murder

Mr.Murder — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:12:52 +0000

-mbrummer says: “But the way I’m reading the rule it seems to be an offensive penalty even though its on defense. The game can end on a offensive penalty, but wait it’s an accepted offensive penalty, so it can’t thus setting up the untimed down free kick.

My brain hurts.”

What if they try a four point FG off the fair catch? Shula tried to call the NFL rules cmmtte during a Super Bowl with the Niners over that because he knew thew points were needed and it was still in the earlier stages of the game….

By: Eric Burke

Eric Burke — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:07:59 +0000

I recall an old football card I had of Ed “Too Tall” Jones. On the back the “fun fact” was that he used to stand under the goal post (at 6’9″ tall) and jump up to block kicks. Can’t find anything online referring to that except this link: http://stormeyes.org/wp/2009/09/all-time-dallas-cowboys-team/ which refers to “…swatting away field goals…”. But I can’t find anything else. My guess it would have been before this rule was instated, or he cheated.

By: Her Loyal Sons » Friday Roundup: The “Settling In” Edition

Her Loyal Sons » Friday Roundup: The “Settling In” Edition — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:50:37 +0000

[...] Holy Carp, there’s such a thing as “goaltending” in football. [...]

By: Anon

Anon — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:51:59 +0000

Section 10 of the rules distinguishes between a muff, touching, and batting. Seems that trying to catch it and failing would not be batting, thus as long as the defender looks like he’s trying to catch the ball there’s no penalty.

By: stan

stan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:11:15 +0000

BTW — Alvin Harper (in the pic) high jumped 7-2 in college. I believe Carl Pickens also went over 7 ft. And Heath Shuler went 6-8 in the state finals in high school.

By: mbrummer

mbrummer — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:42:13 +0000

Chris: From the other poster

“B player in the end zone leaps above the crossbar and bats the ball
in flight. The ball goes out of bounds in the end zone. RULING:
Foul for batting the ball in the end zone.”

Notice the last part… Foul for batting the ball in the end zone is usually an offensive penalty thus leading to the safety. This comes up usually when a punter mishandles a snap. I don’t think there’s a penalty for batting the ball out of the endzone if your on defense to get the touchback. I have no idea.

But the way I’m reading the rule it seems to be an offensive penalty even though its on defense. The game can end on a offensive penalty, but wait it’s an accepted offensive penalty, so it can’t thus setting up the untimed down free kick.

My brain hurts.

By: 4.0 Point Stance

4.0 Point Stance — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:20:54 +0000

I don’t get it. Obviously it’s illegal to bat a live ball. But I assumed there was some kind of an exception for *kicked* balls. Otherwise on every single blocked punt or FG you could throw a flag for illegal batting.

Or is the distinction between blocking kicks behind the LOS and past the LOS? If so, many field goals are blocked by a defender who is just slightly behind the LOS. Should those be penalties as well?

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:54:17 +0000

I remember Hank Stram kicking around this idea, or maybe he wrote an article about it, or it was in his book? Fact is, not enough kicks fall short enough to be blocked, but could you imagine how it could change strategy if it were legal? Rather than try a 50 + yard FG, a team might have to go for it because the threat of a block at the goal post!

By: Bellanca

Bellanca — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:06:58 +0000

Last week I listened to Paul Rhodes (HC, Iowa State) discuss this possibility in their then-upcoming game with Army, which apparently has a 6’10″ guy. He didn’t mention the illegality and suggested that they expected Army to put the guy back at the goalposts.