8.07.2006

More Hatin' On Madden

I know I've gone football intensive, but this one interests me. (Here is the video clip). Most Cowboy fans remember when Barry Switzer decided to go for it on 4th and 1 against Philadelphia in the mid 1990s. The Cowboys were so deep in their own territory that if they failed to get the one yard, then Philadelphia would certainly kick the game winning field goal. The Switzer moment was famous because Emmitt Smith was stuffed for no gain. Luckily for the Cowboys, the two minute warning occurred before the ball was snapped. The officials nullified the play and the Cowboys got a do-over. Unfortunately, and this was the idiotic part, Switzer went for it again - and Emmitt got stuffed again. But I like the clip because it shows what an idgit Madden is. The rule is simple: If the two minute warning (that is, if the clock rolls down to 2:00) before the ball is snapped, the play should be called dead. In this case, the clock rolled down to 2:00, on the next second the ball was snapped, and on the next second the officials blew the whistle because of the two minute warning. Madden goes nuts because the whistle wasn't blown before the ball was snapped. Of course, that doesn't matter. The key is that the clock hit 2:00 before the ball was snapped. And to think he is a Super Bowl winning coach.