Bowl Games Are Bad

October 6, 2014

The idea to conduct one or more high school football bowl games in Florida in late December is a bad idea on every possible level of consideration. The idea will triumph only if greed trumps good sense.

A misguided marketing firm is trying again, this time attempting to bribe schools and state high school associations to bend or break their rules. A national media chain is trumpeting the plan to give some legs to its foolish national rankings. So there is some buzz about the plan, but no brains.

At a time when concerns rage for excessive head contact and concussions in football, no responsible party would for a single second think seriously about adding more football practices or games for school-age players.

Well before late December, high school football has ended, and winter sports are well underway with practices and competition that are far more important than several more weeks of practice and another game of football.

How could we ever allow one team to have an extra month more of football practice than all others? How is that fair to all the other football teams?

The answer is that it’s not fair to the football programs of other schools; it’s not fair to the other sports at the school involved; and it’s not healthy for the football players involved.

Be the Referee: Pass/Kick Off Crossbar

By Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials

November 7, 2023

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Pass/Kick Off Crossbar - Listen

It’s 3rd-and-goal from the 12-yard line when the quarterback throws a pass high over the middle. It goes over the out-stretched hands of the receiver, hits the crossbar of the goalposts and ricochets back toward the receiver who is able to grab it while standing in the end zone.

Is this a touchdown?

It is not. Once a pass hits the crossbar – or uprights – of the goalposts, the pass is dead. It’s an incomplete pass, and now it’s 4th-and-goal.

So … they send out the field goal unit and the kick hits an upright and also bounces back into the field of play. Is the ball returnable by either team?

Nope. Once it hits the goal post and comes back onto the field – it is a missed field goal. The defense now takes over, 1st-and-10.

Previous Editions

Oct. 31: Cross Country Interference - Listen
Oct. 24: Soccer Overtime - Listen
Oct. 17: Tennis Spin - Listen
Oct. 10: Blocked Kick - Listen
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen