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From: phipps@fortune.UUCP (Clay Phipps)
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Re: Rule Changes
Message-ID: <1942@fortune.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Dec-83 00:22:42 EST
Article-I.D.: fortune.1942
Posted: Fri Dec 16 00:22:42 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 11-Dec-83 04:58:26 EST
References: <99@ucbvax.UUCP>
Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA
Lines: 30

How about changing the rule on fumbles thru the end zone
by an advancing team.  Presently, in both pro and college ball,
if the advancing team (nearing a touchdown) fumbles the ball
into and out of the end zone, the result is a touchback,
and the defending team is awarded the ball on its 20 yard line.
All other touchbacks I know of can happen to a team only in its own end zone.

Recall that when the ball is fumbled out of bounds thru the sidelines,
the last team to have possession retains the ball where it went out of bounds.
This should be generalized to the end zone case, with the last team
having possession being awarded the ball on either the 1, 3, or 20 yard line
(let the rule-makers pick one; all are popular yard lines).
It really hurts to see your team advancing toward a touchdown,
only to have the ball bounce out of the end zone to be handed
to your opponent at their 20; they don't even have to worry about a safety.

And why am I grinding *this* axe ?  Aside from the illogic of the current rule,
Florida fumbled into Auburn's end zone in this year's game.
Auburn got the ball on their 20, and Bo Jackson scored a TD on their 1st play.
Final score: Auburn 28, Florida 21.  No, I am not blaming the rule
for the loss, but those things sure don't help in a close game.
Florida Coach sure raised a rather unsportsmanlike post-game ruckus
about the fumble, which was a hotly disputed (but actually correct) call.

-- Clay Phipps

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