Was it just me...?

[PolisHusky]

....or did anyone else notice last night that stedman bailey was about to fake an injury after his last minute pass catch against USF. While all of the WVU players were rushing up to the line of scrimmage to spike the ball and stop the clock, bailey fell down at the spot after getting up and standing there waiting for his teammates. However, geno smith and the line got up there fast and bailey got right back up and rushed to his stance. Holgerson met him and patted him on the back after the play (I think he was thanking him for making the catch), but was this part of the stalling/two minute drill tactics to ensure bitancurt could get time to kick? Should we consider a rules change regarding this?

In addition, did people notice that Justin Francis (among the slew of other rutgers players that were supposedly injured) was carted off the field in the first half last Saturday and then he was back out on the field before the end of the half.

Again, maybe I'm being a nitpicky observer, but I can't help but notice these things after the giant's defenders made those blatant stoppages to kill the rams momentum (yes, I did say rams needed to be stopped...stop it! Roger goodell, get on that.) imagine if this was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for intentionally delaying the game, 15 yards back and the field goal might have been a bit more difficult. What if conferences could review this and fine the head coach, money talks.

Soapbox dismounted.

 

[mets1090]

Only problem with a rule like that is it's virtually impossible to prove if someone is faking

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Didn't notice the Bailey thing last night.

Regarding Francis, I don't think he was faking the injury for a couple of reasons. First, and most importantly, there was no reason to do it. Secondly, after watching the replay on DVR, the announcers mentioned that they were not going to show the injury because it was graphic. Apparently someone's knee brace cut a gash in his calf. Probably went in, got stitched up, and all was good. He was also in tears on the cart (baby).

He did commit a cheap shot on McEntee later in the game when he buried the crown of his helmet right under his chin. God I hate that team.

 

[Gate97]

The Francis injury was legit, he got his leg stitched up and got back on the field. Can't knock that one but I get your point on the injury / timing issues. Problem is, very subjective if it is real or fake.

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2011/11/rutgers_justin_francis_returns.html

 

[mattp]

i think it'd be a decent idea to make any player requiring help from the field or a clock stoppage to sit out the rest of the drive instead of just one play, or something along those lines. if you need help from the field you should probably sit for more than 40 seconds to recover anyway.

 

[Gate97]

Not always a black and white case, it's often very gray...I took a helmet to the nether-regions in a highschool game, almost threw up in my mouth, got helped off the field, and went back in 2 plays later (same drive).

Over the course of a game, losing a couple of minutes in the middle of quarter is pretty inconsequential - if you can recover and play without doing further damage to yourself in a couple of plays, why must you wait an entire drive?

I hear you on injuries in the final minute, team is driving situation (either way, offense or defense), maybe that's the distinction.

 

[mattp]

wait an entire drive b/c it detracts from the incentive to fake an injury. it's becoming a pretty common tactic over the last few years. i can't remember which game i was watching a year or two ago, but i think it was against Oregon and there were instances where 2 or 3 players would go down and then get back up when they realize a 4th person already took the dive

 

[PolisHusky]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I didn't know all the details about Francis. The guys in my section were all yelling he was cramping and needed a cart, maybe I listen to the wrong people. Glad to get some clarity on that one. I still think Francis was an absolute baby about it.

As for stedman bailey, he caught the ball at the end of the game, he flopped, and there is no future drive. I really wish people would investigate these things in the future and an offending player would miss a quarter or half of the next game. I'm sorry, but I hate it when there are guys that give it their all and fight through pain and other players that make a mockery of the game.

As a previous poster said the injury/incident must be taken seriously due to the safety of the player, and to think that big east refs are competent enough to make those decisions, even after the fact, is a joke (exhibit A: be replay officials at end of Toledo/Syracuse game).