Looks like I totally disagree with almost everyone here. I think it's great gamesmanship. Add pressure to the guy, that's all you have left. You do whatever you have to do to win within the rules. I would hope Les would do the same. Take every advantage you can take because they sure as hell are.
Icing a kicker is fine as long as the TO doesn't interrupt the flow of a play. But calling a TO the second before the ball is snapped when it's blatantly clear that the refs won't be able to stop a play in time should not be allowed.
If the ball has not been snapped, a timeout should be able to be called. You can't just institute a last second field goal rule. You'd also have to institute a rule where the OFFENSE can't call a timeout once a field goal team has set up. Plus, it couldn't only apply to last second field goals, it would have to apply to PAT's and normal FG's. What would happen if a team audibled out of a FG formation? Could the defense not call a timeout then? There's too many what if's involved here for this ever to be addressed in a rule.
My problem with it is the coaches ability to interrupt the flow of a play; specifically a last second field goal. If they changed the rule to say only players can call time out, all of those situations work themselves out.
It seems to me that it's a game of cat and mouse with the timing of it all. If the ball is snapped before he calls the time out then the play stands, right? I would say the offense needs to either get out there and snap it right away or jerk with the timing so that they can get it snapped before the other coach calls it.
Which won't happen, but even that wouldn't change it... Coach: Hey Mr Safety...go stand next to the umpire and call a timeout right before they snap the ball... Safety: Got it coach
How do you police that. what if a team calls a timeout because they realize there are only ten men on the field, should it be ilegal just before the ball is snapped. Also who knows when the ball is going to be snapped. He took a stab at it and got it just right.
I agree with you. I hate all of those tactics. As for "gamemanship," the coach should not really be part of the game, as in effecting the outcome. Period. The same has always gone for me with walking a strong hitter in baseball or people punting away from Skyler Green for 2 years. It's chickens#%*.
