December 21, 2017
MERRY CHRISTMAS/HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOR CHRISTMAS, GET ARRESTED!!!!!
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High
They did it again! The Saints won for the 5th time despite being -1 in turnover differential (really -2 since the last interception was meaningless).
As a quick reminder, the Saints lost to the Falcons with a +2 turnover margin. In 2014, Harvard Sports Analysis published a study showing that NFL teams won over 80% of the games where they finished with a +2 turnover differential. Also keep in mind, the Saints other loss in the last month at the Rams came when the Saints were +1.
It doesn’t stop there. Think back to the games this year and the turnovers the Saints have had. Against the Bears, Mark Ingram fumbled twice. Last week, Brandon Coleman fumbled twice. The Green Bay game, Brees threw two first half interceptions. The second half against the Lions was a feast of turnovers. Now, stop and realize the Saints were within a half of setting the NFL record for fewest turnovers to start the season.
The turnovers have come in flurries, and the team has still found a way to win. That is great, but the turnovers have to stop. As a math teacher, I am here to say, the odds will catch up with the Saints. I will confidently say they will not win another game this year where they lose the turnover battle.
I hate to be the realist, but the Saints have not been the same team since losing Alex Okafor and various offensive lineman to injury. Okafor was dominant against the run, and made teams pay for doubling Cameron Jordan. Losing AJ Klein for the year is another big loss. He had a great talent for blitzing that caused sacks and turnovers.
I am proud of the defensive improvement, and the young talent on the defensive side is exciting. Still, I don’t think the Saints will win many games from here on out if they don’t get the penalties and turnovers cleaned up. They have just made it too easy on offenses.
On offense, the Saints have been able to make big plays in the running game recently to make the average yards per carry look good. But watching the games it is clear the Saints are not controlling the line of scrimmage like they were earlier in the year. Of course, that trend could turn right back around because Peat, Warford, and the rest of the offensive linemen injuries have been minor compared to the defense.
The Falcons and Panthers appear to be playing their best football, and the Saints peaked about a month ago. Hopefully, the Saints can get things rolling again, and give New Orleans the best Christmas gift possible with a win over Atlanta.
HEY REF
In the past month or so as the high school playoffs took flight I was loaded down with questions, questions and more questions. I hope the answers I provide are correct because I have in the past and to this day still make mistakes. First and foremost is, as I’ve always done, been honest to those that have taken time out of their busy days to contact me and inquire about a certain rule or a play situation. I want to insure coaches and officials I WILL NEVER REVEAL TO ANYONE THOSE THAT’VE PUT THEIR TRUST IN ME. EVERYTHING WE TALK ABOUT REMAINS CONFIDENTIAL.
Even with the great success that local schools had in the finals down in the Dome I don’t see them moving for quite some time. The BLIZZARD of 2017 was a distraction for some but not enough to where it had any effect on the teams. Some parents and fans didn’t make the trip to New Orleans which they blamed on the snow and their lack of experience driving in it. Cox Sports televised all the games and yes I agree watching a game on TV doesn’t come close to being there under the big roof.
Back in “my day” we had a crew of eight to ten officials that went down for the then two day event. And I don’t remember a time where snow or freezing rain kept us from making the trip. I won’t go so far as to say the finals will never move out of the “Big Easy” because of weather since we usually don’t have any issues with ice and snow. There have been years where it did get cold enough for the rain to turn into ice and shutdown some highways but for the most part weather has never been a threat in the time allotted by Super Dome management.
The next question asked of me was to explain the “catch” versus the “NO CATCH” in last week’s NFL games. The NFL began scrambling for an explanation as to why Pittsburg’s late TD was ruled incomplete and to be honest I’ve yet to understand it myself. From what I’ve heard since that game concluded, handing New England another divisional title makes no sense at all. League officials claim that since it was a pass play the receiver doesn’t become a player until he’s secured the ball and makes a football move. To be very blunt I’m confused as to football move.
The NFL explained the ruling that Pittsburg’s receiver hadn’t established himself as a RUNNER before crossing the goal line. That in itself is wrong since the ground cannot cause a fumble. To be considered a complete pass the ball of course has to be secured which it was before the player hit the ground in the end zone. Once the pass was held firmly and any part of his body EXCEPT for a hand or foot hits the ground then you have a completion. Pittsburgh’s receiver had touched the ground in the end zone with his knee and elbow (if I remember correct) then the front tip hit and the ball moved one millimeter before the player twisted onto his back.
On the play I believe the NFL blew it as they’ve gotten away from the INTENT of the rules and are making decisions with microscopes. Just as when a player close to the sideline reaches out to grab a pass they rule “touching” as a completed pass. I’ll explain it simply that “touching” occurs BEFORE possession. There has to be a short amount of time between touching and possession. The NFL needs to adopt baseball’s rule between touch and possession. On a fly ball the rule is all runners must tag up if they want to advance. Said runner(s) may not advance until the ball is TOUCHED, NOT CAUGHT.
I just feel the NFL should acknowledge there is a difference between touching a ball and possessing it. I see in every game a close pass to a sideline and the receiver is putting his tie-toes close to the sideline and as soon as he touches the ball he flops continues to that sideline. More often than naught the ruling is complete pass yet POSSESSION wasn’t made on the field but TOUCHING was. Oh, well, there’s something for them to work on in the offseason.
The biggest question I received this week was of course the measurement in the Oakland-Dallas game. Late in the fourth quarter a very important measurement was so close that the referee used a folded over play card to determine “IF”. I’ve heard of stories of this happening in previous years but have never seen the mechanics actually used in a game on any level. To answer the questions I’ve received this week on that way of ruling for a first down all I can say is it was very amateurish at best.
The CORRECT way I was taught to measure when the distance is less than the thickness of a piece of paper is; (A) Put two crew members on the front stake and allow them to verify the stake is plum on both axes. (B) The referee instructs one crew member to watch and verify that he rolled the ball parallel toward the stake. (C) IF THE TIP OF THE BALL TOUCHES THE STAKE THEN YOU HAVE A FIRST DOWN. On the other hand if there is space between the tip of the ball and the stake you’ll next snap the ball for a succeeding down. Officiating football is not rocket science and I was shocked to see a so called professional official measure as he did with the rolled over game card.
That white hat did poo-poo on the whole of football officiating by making a mockery of the measurement. There’s no room for that kind of thing to go on during a competitive game on any level. The NFL said he didn’t break any rules by measuring that way but you can bet he was reprimanded in the sternest way possible.
One last thing to say; Coaches I continue to hear how upset you are at the quality of the officials calling your games and I can’t say it enough that YOU’VE GOT TO GET INVOLVED IN GETTING YOUR GAME OFFICIALS TO BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE! Sitting around meetings and bitching about this call or that one does nothing to improve the way your games will be called. And officials you too must do everything possible to get better each week. Coaches and officials don’t get better by sticking their collective noses in a book, no; it’s on the field where you’ve got to do your best work. Things won’t get better on the field on Friday nights until both sides get together the other six days and get serious about working to rid the games of incompetent officials.
I hope everyone has the MERRIEST CHRISTMAS OF ALL TIME NEXT WEEK!!!!
Till next week…
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