Approved Rule Changes

[IzzyFlexion]

Faking a slide should be a 15-yard penalty.

Then............the fake quarterback spiking the ball???

I'm with SD.

Except for my problem with the stiffarm double standard.

[IndyBison]

Then............the fake quarterback spiking the ball???

I'm with SD.

Except for my problem with the stiffarm double standard.

What do you mean by stiffarm double standard?

[IzzyFlexion]

What do you mean by stiffarm double standard?

OK.............
This has go to be the eleventieth time I've whined about this............but OK.

LEGAL:


ILLEGAL:


It's a text book case of a double standard...............and it pisses me off.

[IndyBison]

Those examples are you not understanding the rules. A personal foul face mask is grasping and twisting of the facemask (actually any helmet opening or edge but facemask is most common). The first one doesn't meet that description at all so that could definitely not be the foul.

A related foul is something commonly referred to as illegal hands to the face. This is commonly called by linemen using this technique for leverage. It's more of an advantage foul than a safety foul like the facemask foul. For some reason the rule specifically states there is an exception by or against the runner thus taking out the double standard. If the defender did this same thing as your first photo to the runner, it's not a foul.

You can argue hands to the face should be a foul by or against the runner, but there is no double standard. It is otherwise consistent. One other point is the defender's helmet in the first photo is likely too loose if it going to come off that easily. Players are wearing them way too loose the past 5+ years. They added a rule for a player to sit out for a play if his helmet comes off as a way to get them to tighten their helmets, but I don't believe it's had much of an impact.

[IzzyFlexion]

Those examples are you not understanding the rules. A personal foul face mask is grasping and twisting of the facemask (actually any helmet opening or edge but facemask is most common). The first one doesn't meet that description at all so that could definitely not be the foul.

A related foul is something commonly referred to as illegal hands to the face. This is commonly called by linemen using this technique for leverage. It's more of an advantage foul than a safety foul like the facemask foul. For some reason the rule specifically states there is an exception by or against the runner thus taking out the double standard. If the defender did this same thing as your first photo to the runner, it's not a foul.

You can argue hands to the face should be a foul by or against the runner, but there is no double standard. It is otherwise consistent. One other point is the defender's helmet in the first photo is likely too loose if it going to come off that easily. Players are wearing them way too loose the past 5+ years. They added a rule for a player to sit out for a play if his helmet comes off as a way to get them to tighten their helmets, but I don't believe it's had much of an impact.

Well. I knew that this is how you'd respond.
Don't you dare tell me that I'm misinterpreting the images. (Not the RULES...........the IMAGES)

Regarding the guy that's receiving the stiff arm: His helmet is on correctly and the chinstrap is fully buckled. The force of the runner's stiff arm is so violent that his helmet is being ripped off of his head. (I'd like to see you put a helmet on "CORRECTLY" and not have that happen to you by that same ball carrier and at that same speed and force).

How idiotic of you to say that I'm "misinterpreting" the rule. Clearly, I understand the "RULE" perfectly. The facemask penalty against the defender is in place in order to prevent injury to the offensive player, correct? If you answered yes to this, then you are an absolute FOOL to defend the action of the ball carrier in the bottom picture.

I'm always amused how condescendingly you talk to posters about rules. Obviously you get a hard on every time someone calls upon your "expertise".

Get over yourself.

[Vet70]

Well. I knew that this is how you'd respond.
Don't you dare tell me that I'm misinterpreting the images. (Not the RULES...........the IMAGES)

Regarding the guy that's receiving the stiff arm: His helmet is on correctly and the chinstrap is fully buckled. The force of the runner's stiff arm is so violent that his helmet is being ripped off of his head. (I'd like to see you put a helmet on "CORRECTLY" and not have that happen to you by that same ball carrier and at that same speed and force).

How idiotic of you to say that I'm "misinterpreting" the rule. Clearly, I understand the "RULE" perfectly. The facemask penalty against the defender is in place in order to prevent injury to the offensive player, correct? If you answered yes to this, then you are an absolute FOOL to defend the action of the ball carrier in the bottom picture.

I'm always amused how condescendingly you talk to posters about rules. Obviously you get a hard on every time someone calls upon your "expertise".

Get over yourself.

Birthday hangover?

[Bison Loaf]

Those examples are you not understanding the rules. A personal foul face mask is grasping and twisting of the facemask (actually any helmet opening or edge but facemask is most common). The first one doesn't meet that description at all so that could definitely not be the foul.

A related foul is something commonly referred to as illegal hands to the face. This is commonly called by linemen using this technique for leverage. It's more of an advantage foul than a safety foul like the facemask foul. For some reason the rule specifically states there is an exception by or against the runner thus taking out the double standard. If the defender did this same thing as your first photo to the runner, it's not a foul.

You can argue hands to the face should be a foul by or against the runner, but there is no double standard. It is otherwise consistent. One other point is the defender's helmet in the first photo is likely too loose if it going to come off that easily. Players are wearing them way too loose the past 5+ years. They added a rule for a player to sit out for a play if his helmet comes off as a way to get them to tighten their helmets, but I don't believe it's had much of an impact.

I'm with Izzy on this one. Just because a rule was made excepting it, doesn't mean that it is NOT a double standard.

Double Standard - 1. a rule or principle that is unfairly applied in different ways to different people or groups:

[IndyBison]

Well. I knew that this is how you'd respond.
Don't you dare tell me that I'm misinterpreting the images. (Not the RULES...........the IMAGES)

Regarding the guy that's receiving the stiff arm: His helmet is on correctly and the chinstrap is fully buckled. The force of the runner's stiff arm is so violent that his helmet is being ripped off of his head. (I'd like to see you put a helmet on "CORRECTLY" and not have that happen to you by that same ball carrier and at that same speed and force).

How idiotic of you to say that I'm "misinterpreting" the rule. Clearly, I understand the "RULE" perfectly. The facemask penalty against the defender is in place in order to prevent injury to the offensive player, correct? If you answered yes to this, then you are an absolute FOOL to defend the action of the ball carrier in the bottom picture.

I'm always amused how condescendingly you talk to posters about rules. Obviously you get a hard on every time someone calls upon your "expertise".

Get over yourself.

I'm sorry if my tone was condescending, but you are misinterpreting the rule. I'm only trying to help everyone here understand the rules and why certain calls are made/not made. Here are the applicable rules word for word. Both are part of 9-1-8 (Personal Fouls - Helmet and Face Mask Fouls).

a. No player shall continuously contact an opponent’s face, helmet (including the face mask) or neck with hand(s) or arm(s) (Exception: By or against the runner).
b. No player shall grasp and then twist, turn or pull the face mask, chin strap or any helmet opening of an opponent. It is not a foul if the face mask, chin strap or helmet opening is not grasped and then twisted, turned or pulled. When in question, it is a foul.

The action by the runner falls under the first rule but there is a very clear exception this does not apply by or to the runner. In order for this to be a foul that exception needs to be removed. I would be fine with that if Rogers and the rules committee made that rule change. It would greatly reduce the ability of a runner to use a stiff arm because he may make contact with the helmet. The second rule requires grasping and twisting. There is no exception on the runner for that so if he does that then it's a foul. I have seen it called correctly. In your picture he is not grasping or twisting. If that exact same action were done against a runner it would not be a foul.

As far as helmets being worn correctly, if a player can pick up this helmet and slide it on his head with one hand with no effort (especially with two or more of the straps buckled), it's not properly fitted. I'm not sure the rules committee wants to go much further than they already have (i.e. making it a foul), but this continues to be a problem.

[1998braves64]

I would say my perception at Bison games the helmets falling off had been decreasing, last year seemed to have a slight increase again though. The impact seems quite small though.
Sent from Win8 phone on a bullet train from Hillsboro.

[FrozenTech]

To try to clarify this a bit, based on my understanding of what Indy has wrote.

If in the above photo, the defender stiff armed the runner from the front, basically pushing his head up and back without grasping a part of the helmet, and yanking it one direction or another, it would be a legal hit. (weather it would be called that way, the rules state it would be).

If the Runner grabs the face mask and yanks in a direction that would be a face mask call and illegal.

However, you almost never see defender stiff arms because its not an effective tackle technique. You see face masks because its and easy grab location and weather its intentional or not, its an effective take down.

So, by rules, its not a double standard - but due to the way the game is played and the most common occurances there in, it can seem that way.