Question about NFL...

[Alphabet Man]

i watched Kansas City Cheifs and Atlanta Falcons game and just curious about some things:

1. When the refferee turns to the TV camera to signal a foul or late or unsportsmanlike play (don't know specific name) and says a 15 metre (or yard) penalty, there seems to be an echo, does his words project through th stadium speakers so everyone at the game knows what is happening?

2. Is 8 rushing touchdowns a record?

3. Do the whole team have to wear the same boots?

4. Do players get to choose if they have socks up or down? or is it have to stay up?

5. Do the sleeve length of shirts vary? or is it the same length for the whole team? (long sleeve? 3/4 length sleeves? are they allowed?)

6. How on earth do they run with all the stuff (pads) on plus a helmet?

7. Do you have to wear a helmet? if you do, do they fine you for taking it off?

8. Why no celebrations after a touchdown? if i were playing i'd be bringing the crowd into the game after a touchdown with my celebratory moves (chainsaw)

9. How can they get injured? with all the pads on?

10. Who will Ben Graham most likely get signed to? I reckon the Giants or Jets

11. Do you want me to shut up now?

[Stampman]

I'll answer some and leave some for others

1. When the refferee turns to the TV camera to signal a foul or late or unsportsmanlike play (don't know specific name) and says a 15 metre (or yard) penalty, there seems to be an echo, does his words project through th stadium speakers so everyone at the game knows what is happening?--

Yes the echo is from stadium speakers...

5. Do the sleeve length of shirts vary? or is it the same length for the whole team? (long sleeve? 3/4 length sleeves? are they allowed?)

Sleeves?

6. How on earth do they run with all the stuff (pads) on plus a helmet?

Put the helmet on last...

7. Do you have to wear a helmet? if you do, do they fine you for taking it off?

Not sure about the NFL, but in the CFL after a couple of helmet throwing incidents last year, this year it's aginst the rules to take it off on the field at all...

8. Why no celebrations after a touchdown? if i were playing i'd be bringing the crowd into the game after a touchdown with my celebratory moves (chainsaw)

3 words--No Fun League

[Alphabet Man]

got it... with sleeves i meant can you gety long sleeve shirts/jerseys?

also has anyone around here played Gridiron? i would rhink it'd get a bit too hot in all that padding (i'd be a punter cos' i wont have to do much but kick a footy around)

[Nick 1733]

Here, I'll answer the rest.

2. Is 8 rushing touchdowns a record?

Yes, previous was 7.

3. Do the whole team have to wear the same boots?

All players wear cleats. Depending on the surface they are playing on they wear different types of cleats. Kickers wear two different special types of cleats, on for planting and a lesser type of cleat with shorter "cleats" on the bottom.

4. Do players get to choose if they have socks up or down? or is it have to stay up?

Players are required to wear them up.

5. Do the sleeve length of shirts vary? or is it the same length for the whole team? (long sleeve? 3/4 length sleeves? are they allowed?)

Players are not allowed to wear a jersey with a sleeve longer than their elbow. Players wear different lengths depending on the position they play and their personal preference.

6. How on earth do they run with all the stuff (pads) on plus a helmet?

They don't wear that many pads. Shoulder pads, hip pads, thigh pads, knee pads and a helmet.

7. Do you have to wear a helmet? if you do, do they fine you for taking it off?

It's a personal foul for removing your helmet on the field of play.

8. Why no celebrations after a touchdown? if i were playing i'd be bringing the crowd into the game after a touchdown with my celebratory moves (chainsaw)

because again, that's an unsportsmanlike conduct 15 yd penalty.

9. How can they get injured? with all the pads on?

again, not that many pads.

[Alphabet Man]

there seem to be alot of pads they wear but then you guys just said that there aren't many pads....do you have to wear pads?

[Nick 1733]

there seem to be alot of pads they wear but then you guys just said that there aren't many pads....do you have to wear pads?

Yes. You have to for safety.

Shoulder pads are the biggest, they seem to be more than they are.

[Nick 1733]

Anything else you'd like to know?

[Alphabet Man]

yes....

let me think for a sec.....

How good is Darren Bennet? the former 78 game AFL player for Melbourne and the WEst Coast Eagles before moving oversees...

any news in the States about Benny Graham switching to Gridiron?

[Nick 1733]

Bennett is one of the best punters to play the game. A pro bowler (all-star) many years with the San Diego Chargers. Personally the best punter I've ever seen play, also one of the thoughest players to ever play football, and he's a friggin punter. He plays for the Minnesota Vikings now, he's pretty much at the end of his career.

I don't even know who Graham is, so I can't answer that.

[Big Africa]

I have a question, how come when their is an INT and the defensive player is tackled in their own endzone their is no safety?

Also, where abouts can you buy NFL merchandise in Australia?

Thanks

[Alphabet Man]

Graham is currewntly playing Aussie Rules for Geelong and has been in trials with the Giants, Jets, Vikings and Patriots over the past few weeks and is currently talking over a move with his family in Melbourne somewhere.....

Pic here:

[Alphabet Man]

I have a question, how come when their is an INT and the defensive player is tackled in their own endzone their is no safety?

Also, where abouts can you buy NFL merchandise in Australia?

Thanks

a few years back i got a Cowboys shirt form Target out of all palces but are you in Melbourne? there is a place called 'Touchdown' at Fountain Gate that may have jerseys....albeit replicas and maybe at Footlocker

[Nick 1733]

I have a question, how come when their is an INT and the defensive player is tackled in their own endzone their is no safety?

Also, where abouts can you buy NFL merchandise in Australia?

Thanks

It's the same rule when a returner catches it in the endzone and it's a touchback.

The player obtained possesion in his own endzone and never crossed the goaline, therefore it's a touchback.

[mjrbaseball]

I have a question, how come when their is an INT and the defensive player is tackled in their own endzone their is no safety?

If a player catches an INT (or a kickoff or a punt) in the end zone and stays there, it is a touchback and they get the ball on the 20-yard-line. If he runs out of the end zone then back into it, it is a safety and 2 points for the throwing/kicking team.

[Discrim]

got it... with sleeves i meant can you gety long sleeve shirts/jerseys?

also has anyone around here played Gridiron? i would rhink it'd get a bit too hot in all that padding (i'd be a punter cos' i wont have to do much but kick a footy around)

Australian Gridiron Webring

Gridiron Australia

heh, got ya some starting points...cus ya always gotta start somewhere.

[Alphabet Man]

thanks discrim

some of the photos on some of the links show players with socks shoved down....my style.....watch me playing for Tampa Bay Buccaneers in about 10yrs (if they still exist) as a punter!!!! better than Darren Bennett

[pcgd]

Its just the NFL that requires socks up to the knee.

NCAA (College) rules are that everyone on the team must wear the same colors of shoes or style of socks. So if a team wants to wear short socks, everyone must. (Notre Dame wears short ones) If a team wants to wear long ones pushed down (80's dancer style) they sure can. Even in D3 this rule is enforced. We got a penalty because someone decided to wear white shoes while everyone else had black. What can't happen is some people wearing all black socks, some wearing the white and black "NFL" style socks, some wearing white socks.

High School its up in the air. Depends on conference, state, team, whatever. Some don't care at all. Others do. My team had a black sock rule. Didn't have to be long or short, you just had to wear them. Kinda weird, at least in Illinois. There is no rule in any sport about shoes, socks, etc. except in the relays for track and field. Everyone has to wear the same thing. If someone wants tights, everyone wears them or nobody does.

[robbman21]

1. When the refferee turns to the TV camera to signal a foul or late or unsportsmanlike play (don't know specific name) and says a 15 metre (or yard) penalty, there seems to be an echo, does his words project through th stadium speakers so everyone at the game knows what is happening?

Next time you are able to watch an NFL game,pay attention to the referee's right arm closely.Just before he speaks he will reach down and touch his hip.When he does this he is activating a small microphone on his collar that is connected to the personal address speaker system in the stadium as well as the the TV trucks.This makes him audible and allows the stadium crowd as well as the television veiwers

to hear what the particular call is.

2. Is 8 rushing touchdowns a record?

As mentioned before,yes....although that is for the 'team' and not for an individual.The individual rushing touchdown record for one game is 6,held by Gale Sayers,formerly of the Chicago Bears.

3. Do the whole team have to wear the same boots?

As far as color....yes.It is NFL uniform policy that all team members-excluding kickers-wear matching-color shoes.However,it is the player's choice of what brand of the shoes they wear.The NFL allows 3 brands of shoes to be worn:NIKE,Reebok,

and Adidas.Other manufacturer's shoes can be worn but they have to be covered up with athletic tape as the NFL only has advertising deals with the afforementioned three.

4. Do players get to choose if they have socks up or down? or is it have to stay up?

NFL socks are actually double-layed.They all have a white over-layer and then either a solid-colored or striped second layer.The socks must be worn to the knees so that no part of the leg is showing,however,the white part can be pulled down to a certain length and most younger players leave only a small portion of white showing above the tops of their cleats.

5. Do the sleeve length of shirts vary? or is it the same length for the whole team? (long sleeve? 3/4 length sleeves? are they allowed?)

As mentioned earlier,no jersey sleeve is allowed to be worn longer than the elbow,and how long it is other than that involves the position played as well as the personal preference of the player.Also,most skill-position players will wear long-sleeved undershirts under their jerseys and shoulder pads in cold weather games.For those unfamilar this makes some jerseys appear as if they are long-sleeved or 3/4 length.

6. How on earth do they run with all the stuff (pads) on plus a helmet?

The padding is designed for movement,and as mentioned earlier it really is not a whole lot of padding.In fact,most running backs,wide receivers,and defensive backs do not wear any padding on their legs,thus making them lighter and able to run and move faster.Also,shoulder pads are hinged allowing them to move at certain joints.They also do not weigh that much AND appear bigger than they are since the jerseys are usually snug-fitting.Also,maybe the best explanation is the fact that most NFL'ers have played football since youth,and have thus grown acustomed to having to move around in padding.

7. Do you have to wear a helmet? if you do, do they fine you for taking it off?

see above.Tommy McDonald was the last NFL'er to play without a helmet.He last played in the late 1960's.

8. Why no celebrations after a touchdown? if i were playing i'd be bringing the crowd into the game after a touchdown with my celebratory moves (chainsaw)

Celebrations are allowed,but only individual and not with teammates and only to a certain extent.Overly celebrating will lead to a penalty and/or fine.

9. How can they get injured? with all the pads on?

Common injuries are at joints where they were bent the wrong way and thus padding would not prevent this.Also concussions are a serious problem even with helmets due to violet impacts.No helmet can prevent this,and I know as I suffered 2 on-field concussions myself.

10. Who will Ben Graham most likely get signed to? I reckon the Giants or Jets

Graham will likely come into the NFL as a punter and thus he will be signed by the team that needs to fill that position.Unfortunately punters are a dime-a-dozen and only the very good ones(Darren Bennett included)last for more than a handful of seasons.Also as a punter it is likely his contract he signs will be very low on the NFL pay scale.

There ya have it Aussie!I hope I made everything as clear as possible

[winters in buffalo]

Actually, that reminds me....I have a question too. I don't remember ever seeing this happen before, but I've seen it twice this year and wonder if the rule changed.

Twice this season, I've seen the kick returner step out of bounds prior to catching the kickoff, although the ball itself was not yet out of bounds. Each time, the kicking team was flagged the same as if the ball had gone out untouched, and the recieving team was awarded possession at the 40.

Now, I understand the point that, since the reciever is out of bounds, the ball is as well. But since the reciever in each instance deliberately caused it to be out of bounds, is it really fair that the penalty still be called on the kicking team?

[Nick 1733]

Actually, that reminds me....I have a question too. I don't remember ever seeing this happen before, but I've seen it twice this year and wonder if the rule changed.

Twice this season, I've seen the kick returner step out of bounds prior to catching the kickoff, although the ball itself was not yet out of bounds. Each time, the kicking team was flagged the same as if the ball had gone out untouched, and the recieving team was awarded possession at the 40.

Now, I understand the point that, since the reciever is out of bounds, the ball is as well. But since the reciever in each instance deliberately caused it to be out of bounds, is it really fair that the penalty still be called on the kicking team?

The reason is so the returner can make the correct decsicion so if the ball is headed out of bounds and the opponents are closing in, they are awarded the illegal procedure penalty for the kickoff going out of bounds.

That's the extent on what I know about that rule.