Professional Football Researchers Association Forum
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65 toss power trap wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 1:05 am
A palpably unfair act does not have to involve a score. For instance, when Mike Tomlin interfered with a live play on Thanksgiving 2013, that should have been flagged as a palpably unfair act. Even though he didn't make contact (which is what I guess the covering official was thinking) it is clear that he caused Jacoby Jones to react. Awarding a score wouldn't be appropriate in this case, because it wasn't clear that he would have scored. But the officials could have assessed 15 yards or more (instead of half the distance).
Quirky Research has done a deep dive and found several categories of palpably unfair acts in college and the NFL. To date, there is no record of a palpably unfair act being called in the NFL.
The Tomlin thing was bizarre. I read the Quirky Research stuff. Not sure about the 'goaltending' penalty, as Morris Stroud did indeed almost block Blanda's kick at the crossbar in 1970. But I guess in that instance you'd rather take a 15-yard penalty then allow the game winning FG. Do you know the history of that rule? I'm not sure why it was ever put in place. It's not a player safety issue. Is it still in place?
One thing about the Tommy Lewis play....at least originally Dickie Moegle was given credit for a 95 yard TD run on the play, which gave him the longest TD run in Cotton Bowl history as well as (at the time) the most rushing yards in bowl game history. Is that still the case?
Watching Luvu launch himself, reminded of some of the antics former Redskins DE Dexter Manley used to do, hitting linemen before the snap. A talented pass rusher but willing to be dirty as well ... I kinda miss that.
GameBeforeTheMoney wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 8:12 pm
So - everybody's now talking about this one particular rule and the "palpably unfair act." Is that enough here? Below is the actual wording. I don't think this is correct. I think they were invoking another rule that I'll put after this one.
Section 2 - Touchdown
Article 1. Touchdown Plays
A touchdown is scored, and the ball becomes dead when...
"the Referee awards a touchdown to a team that has been denied one by a palpably unfair act."
Rule 11-2-1 which you cite above and quote (e) as the mention of a palpably unfair act is not where that term is defined. It is used throughout to define extraordinary situations that are so extreme as to require the crew to create an equitable enforcement in a manner that might go beyond standard rules. Some of these situations are committed in writing in the rules, such as goaltending and interference with a live play. The repeated fouls to deny a score rule you cited (12-3-2) doesn't specifically state "palpably unfair act" but it is by it's proximity to other rules and its enforcement. It was once adjacent to 12-3-4 that does use those words, so they used to be paired together. Another rule related to 12-3-2 but is not considered a palpably unfair act was placed in between.
Basically the old-timey language of "palpably unfair act" I just sum up as something that is "a travesty to football." Without having unsportsmanlike conduct and then palpably unfair acts in the rules, the leaping would continue until it was timed correctly. Without having a means to break that cycle is palpably unfair, because the defense is deliberately taking advantage of a meaningless half-distance penalty on the chance they time it right and thwart the offense.
An example where it is more glaringly unfair is when an edge rusher for the Texans tried to block a Panthers FG kick by repeatedly attempting to time the snap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtYLgTG8Rnk
Because he came across unabated, there is no play, so even if the kick succeeds, there is no kick because there's no legal snap. There was discussion by the officiating department that the palpably unfair act could have been warned on the third attempt had there been another flag.
So, the touchdown definition (back to Rule 11-2-1) and other places (such as overtime rules) state "or a score awarded by a palpably unfair act," it is meant to encompass all those situations where a referee awarded a score because an equitable enforcement was required.
A palpably unfair act does not have to involve a score. For instance, when Mike Tomlin interfered with a live play on Thanksgiving 2013, that should have been flagged as a palpably unfair act. Even though he didn't make contact (which is what I guess the covering official was thinking) it is clear that he caused Jacoby Jones to react. Awarding a score wouldn't be appropriate in this case, because it wasn't clear that he would have scored. But the officials could have assessed 15 yards or more (instead of half the distance).
Quirky Research has done a deep dive and found several categories of palpably unfair acts in college and the NFL. To date, there is no record of a palpably unfair act being called in the NFL.
65 toss power trap wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 1:05 am
A palpably unfair act does not have to involve a score. For instance, when Mike Tomlin interfered with a live play on Thanksgiving 2013, that should have been flagged as a palpably unfair act. Even though he didn't make contact (which is what I guess the covering official was thinking) it is clear that he caused Jacoby Jones to react. Awarding a score wouldn't be appropriate in this case, because it wasn't clear that he would have scored. But the officials could have assessed 15 yards or more (instead of half the distance).
Quirky Research has done a deep dive and found several categories of palpably unfair acts in college and the NFL. To date, there is no record of a palpably unfair act being called in the NFL.
The Tomlin thing was bizarre. I read the Quirky Research stuff. Not sure about the 'goaltending' penalty, as Morris Stroud did indeed almost block Blanda's kick at the crossbar in 1970. But I guess in that instance you'd rather take a 15-yard penalty then allow the game winning FG. Do you know the history of that rule? I'm not sure why it was ever put in place. It's not a player safety issue. Is it still in place?
One thing about the Tommy Lewis play....at least originally Dickie Moegle was given credit for a 95 yard TD run on the play, which gave him the longest TD run in Cotton Bowl history as well as (at the time) the most rushing yards in bowl game history. Is that still the case?
I think I remember reading (Punt Pass and Kick Library or Scholastic book fair book) that they put the goaltending penalty in after R.C. Owens blocked a field goal by doing it.
I believe the Cotton Bowl longest run record is still standing, as is Moegle's 24.1 yards per carry record for any bowl game.
Alabama's safety on the Tommy Lewis play was Bart Starr. He told me he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was a sophomore and played QB and S. Tommy Lewis scored the game's first touchdown that day. Starr set up the score by intercepting a Rice pass.
