Calling Timeout - Football.

12 Oct 08 Sunday

Poor Sportsmanship in American Football - The Split-Second Timeout During a Field Goal Attempt Current mood: annoyed

This is probably the most unethical and GRIMY strategy ever done. Tonight the Arizona Cardinal's head coach called timeout a split second BEFORE the snap of a Dallas Cowboy field goal attempt with 4 seconds left in the game and his team up 24-21. The bad news for HIM is that his defense BLOCKED the field goal, but since he called timeout the play didn't count (they were on a timeout at that time...). So, they line up for the field goal attempt and this time the Cowboys field goal attempt at 52 yards was GOOD.
I am GLAD that this type of strategy got what was coming to it.
Had he NOT called timeout this game would have been OVER with his team winning 24-21. No overtime would have been needed.
Overtime: Dallas receives the ball to start overtime. The Arizona special teams blocks the punt and scores 6 to win on the blocked punt.
The Special Teams SAVES the Arizona Cardinals.
The point being, that dirty tactic NEARLY cost them the game. It definitely put them in a bad spot with Dallas getting the ball in overtime.
They need to put a rule against split second time outs. You either are calling a time out, or you are not. Calling it that close is ridiculous....AT LEAST they should have to review it. They should review from the booth EVERY split-second time out to ENSURE that the coach called the time out prior to the snap..because once that ball leaves the ground on a snap, the play is on...so they definitely should review it...if you are going to be grimy you should be ready to be penalized. I mean, its just poor sportsmanship.