View topic - New Article: Stillers-Titans Postgame Analysis and Grades

[Pump-N-Iron Profile]

Without being disrespectful...

In an onside kick situation (i.e. the ball has already struck the ground, thus eliminating the possibility of a fair catch), the kicking team members can do anything short of grasping the face mask in order to recover the ball. In essence, it is like a fumble situation. The ball is live and anything goes as far as who gets the ball first.

Previous to the recent rule change requiring at least 4 members of the kicking team on each side of the kicker, the most effective onside kick technique was to line up 6 players 5 yards behind the ball in a 3 point stance, with 4 players 5 yards further behind them. The idea was that the 1st 6 players made no attempt to recover the ball. Their only job was to block/blast all of the receiving team's players out of the way so that the 4 guys behind them could have a free chance to recover the ball. As you might imagine, the guys on the hands team were getting blind sided quite often and hence the rule change for safety reasons.

[Still Peon Profile]

According to the Wikipedia regarding fumbles (no reference unfortunately.......will find) since the onside kick rules are treated as such, and yes after the ball has touched the ground and traveled 10 yds :

Since neither team is on offense or defense while the ball remains loose, there are no restrictions on the type of contact allowed as long as all players are making legitimate efforts to recover it. A loose ball has been described as the only situation in football where the rules are suspended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumble

Now......this may be simply a matter of opinion, but to me the Tits player who upended Battle was clearly NOT making a legitimate effort to recover the ball, and should have been penalized for "Illegal Use of Hands." Incidentally, if someone can find some footage of players arbitrarily knocking each other down in a loose ball situation, and not getting penalized, then I will concede the point. But as far as I know, in loose ball situations a player can only make intentional contact with an opposing player as long as they are making an attempt at recovery. All I can find so far to support my argument is a reference-less Wikipedia entry, and 20+ years of watching football........but I will find the actual rule from a more reputable source.

Incidentally, I am not the only one who feels this way:

Stan Savaran made a good point. On that first onsides kick where Arnaz Battle jumped up to get it, the Titan defender hit him before the ball got there. That should have been a penalty. You can hit the defender in that situation before the ball gets there. Officials missed that one.

http://www.steeleraddicts.com/forum/sho ... p?p=448227

The gentleman I'm quoting is an owner/administrator/blogger/radio guy of http://www.steeleraddicts.com/ , so you can try to prove he's a moron if you want to.

The gentleman he is quoting is Stan Savran, who "has been working for Fox Sports Pittsburgh since 1991, when it was known as KBL. For 17 years, he was the host/co-host of Savran on Sportsbeat, shown weeknights from 6:30–7:30 pm on Fox Sports Pittsburgh. Sportsbeat was the longest running sports show in Pittsburgh television history."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Savran

So now that I have some back up from a couple of non-morons, you wanna try again BGSUsteelers ya dumbfuck!?