What's is the most bizarre sports result?

[blinkingblinking]

My vote goes for an Australian Football game played yesterday. The result will be determined on Wednesday.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Commission-to-decide-Dockers-game-result/2006/05/01/1146335653739.html
http://afc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=afldisplay&articleid=262010

Let me explain for our American readers. In Australian football they have a strange rule that timekeepers off the field sound a siren when the time runs out. But the official rule says that the game actually ends when the Umpire puts up his hands indicating that he has heard the siren.
Problem was- in yesterday's game the time ran out. But the umpires just let them keep playing. About 10 seconds after the siren the Saints kicked a tying score.
I think the ruling body of Australian Football may be seen as an international joke.

[blinkingblinking]

This link has the rules if you are interested.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,18982353%255E19742,00.html

[RickJay]

I must admit that that is a colossally stupid rule, and anyone should have been able to anticipate something like this happening.

[An Arky]

American football is similar in that respect. There's a clock on the field, but one of the officials keeps time and is the ultimate authority. There have been times when there's been a discrepancy that figures in the outcome of the game, but naturally, I can't think of a good example right now.

[GorillaMan]

Sounds like a silly compromise to me. Either have an absolutely fixed duration, or have give the referee sole discretion, without a great big siren which contradicts him.

[RealityChuck]

American football is similar in that respect. There's a clock on the field, but one of the officials keeps time and is the ultimate authority. There have been times when there's been a discrepancy that figures in the outcome of the game, but naturally, I can't think of a good example right now.Probably not, since in the NFL, the stadium clock has been the official time since the AFL/NFL merger in the 60s. NCAA rules seem to allow either method -- either the referee keeps time, or the stadium clock does. I assume that's because there may be some small college venues where there is an old clock that's unreliable.

[Robot Arm]

Most bizarre result? I'd have to say it's this (http://www.snopes.com/sports/soccer/barbados.asp).

In a nutshell, Barbados needed to win a soccer game by two goals to advance to the finals of a tournament. If they didn't, their opponent, Grenada, would. However, the rules in place said that if a team won in overtime, it would be scored as a two-goal win.

Near the end of the game, Barbados was leading, but only by one goal. They kicked the ball into their own net to tie the score and try to force overtime. Having realized what was happening, Grenada spent the last few minutes trying to put the ball into either net, but Barbados successfully defended both goals.

Barbados scored first in overtime and advanced.

[An Arky]

Probably not, since in the NFL, the stadium clock has been the official time since the AFL/NFL merger in the 60s. NCAA rules seem to allow either method -- either the referee keeps time, or the stadium clock does. I assume that's because there may be some small college venues where there is an old clock that's unreliable.


Officials can make adjustments, though. I've seen them request seconds be returned to the clock many times. Certainly that could have made the difference in at least one game. Hard to google that, though.

[ElvisL1ves]

The 1982 California-Stanford football game (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Play), ending on The Play. Cal executed 5 laterals, all both successful and legal, on a kickoff return as time ran out and the Stanford marching band took the field in celebration of their apparent win. Cal ran it in for the winning touchdown, knocking over a trombone player to do it.

[Hostile Dialect]

There was a bowl game this last season like that too. Michigan and some other team. Maybe even Cal? There were something like six laterals, all the fans thought the game was over after the fifth lateral and rushed the field, and eventually the guy got tackled (by a player).

[brianjedi]

American football is similar in that respect. There's a clock on the field, but one of the officials keeps time and is the ultimate authority. There have been times when there's been a discrepancy that figures in the outcome of the game, but naturally, I can't think of a good example right now.

The first Patriots-Steelers game last year, where the Patriots ended up getting an extra minute because the referee didn't notice the clock was reset after a penalty.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/8895637

[PoorYorick]

Just for the sheer scope of lopsidedness (well, it should be a word), I'd have to go with the 222-0 Georgia Tech drubbing of Cumberland Collge (http://www.cumberland.edu/about/gotc/gamestory.html) in 1916, when Georgia Tech was coached by John Heisman (yeah, that Heisman). Georgia Tech scored on every possession while Cumberland College never achieved a first down.

[brianjedi]

There was a bowl game this last season like that too. Michigan and some other team. Maybe even Cal? There were something like six laterals, all the fans thought the game was over after the fifth lateral and rushed the field, and eventually the guy got tackled (by a player).

Alamo Bowl. Nebraska-Michigan.

[brianjedi]

Oh, and to add a few more:

- The 1972 Olympic basketball final, where the U.S.A. beat the Soviets only to see the referees put 3 seconds on the clock so the Soviets could get a last shot.

- The "Pine Tar Game" between the Royals and Yankees in 1983. George Brett hits a 9th-inning homer to give the Royals the lead, only to be called out because the pine tar on his bat may or may not have exceeded the maximum length. After multiple appeals, the home run counts and the game is replayed following the homer a month later, ending in a Royals win.

- The "Jeffrey Maier" game between the Yankees and Orioles in the 1996 AL playoffs, when 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier interfered with a fly ball that would have been an out but became a home run through his reaching over the wall to catch it.

[JohnBckWLD]

I hope this doesn't stray too far from the OP's question - but IMHO, it's quite bizarre and loosely stays within the confines of being a sporting (College Football (http://www.pupress.princeton.edu/chapters/s6678.html)) "result".

The disproportionate drive to victory became tragically manifest in 1893 when seven fatalities were reported in college football. Twelve more deaths occurred in 1894. In 1905, eighteen players were killed in college football games (bringing the 1890-1905 total fatalities to 330), and scores more seriously wounded, largely from use of the flying wedge formation and the absence of protective gear. Columbia, Northwestern, Stanford, and California declared that they would no longer sanction football at their schools.

President Teddy Roosevelt summoned representatives of Harvard, Princeton, and Yale to the White House to discuss the growing violence of college football, (Roosevelt's own son had recently broken his nose in a freshman football game at Harvard.) Carrying a big stick, he threatened to proscribe intercollegiate football unless the game was reformed. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was formed later in 1905 to address this problem

[glee]

Soccer:

USA 1 England 0.

Oh, the shame.

[HubZilla]

American football is similar in that respect. There's a clock on the field, but one of the officials keeps time and is the ultimate authority. There have been times when there's been a discrepancy that figures in the outcome of the game, but naturally, I can't think of a good example right now.

How about the fifth down (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Down), where Colorado got an extra fifth down to beat Missouri in 1990?

[kunilou]

Just for the sheer scope of lopsidedness (well, it should be a word), I'd have to go with the 222-0 Georgia Tech drubbing of Cumberland Collge (http://www.cumberland.edu/about/gotc/gamestory.html) in 1916, when Georgia Tech was coached by John Heisman (yeah, that Heisman). Georgia Tech scored on every possession while Cumberland College never achieved a first down.

It could have been worse. The game was called after three quarters.

Hubzilla I graduated from the University of Missouri. Please don't mention the 5th down outside of The Pit.

[HubZilla]

Hubzilla I graduated from the University of Missouri. Please don't mention the 5th down outside of The Pit.

From a Nebraska alum, I'm sure you don't want to discuss the '97 flea-kicker, either ;)

[Ellis Dee]

Officials can make adjustments, though. I've seen them request seconds be returned to the clock many times. Certainly that could have made the difference in at least one game. Hard to google that, though.It's a minor distinction. The refs control when the time should start and stop, but the scoreboard controls the actual keeping of the time.

Occasionally the refs will have to actually keep the time due to technical difficulties, but in every case they will announce this to the crowd. It's highly unusual.

There was a (Cowboys I think) game within the past few seasons where the home team was trailing late in the fourth. A receiver had caught the ball and run out of bounds with 1 second left on the clock. The timekeeper stopped the clock the moment the guy first set foot out of bounds, allowing one final play.

This was a major gaffe by a homer timekeeper. When a player steps out of bounds, the official blows the whistle. The timekeeper isn't supposed to stop the clock until he hears the whistle. In this game, the clock stopped well before the whistle blew.

Bush league, all the way.

[kambuckta]

My vote goes for an Australian Football game played yesterday. The result will be determined on Wednesday.

Problem was- in yesterday's game the time ran out. But the umpires just let them keep playing. About 10 seconds after the siren the Saints kicked a tying score.

You might also note that a free kick was awarded to the St Kilda player AFTER kicking the behind, so he went on to another shot at goal and kicked another point, thus sealing the game as a win for the Saints.

Ultimately though, it is the umpire who calls the end of the game. Now in 99.9% of situations that is upon hearing the final siren, and the ump puts his hands up to indicate cessation of play. Until THAT happens, the game continues. So 'legally', St. Kilda won the game fair and square.

And being the only Saints supporter at work, don't you think I have copped shit over the past cuppla dayz. Hehehehe. :D

[Sublight]

There was also the NFL game in the late 80's where the Patriots had one of the groundsmen come out with a snowblower to clear a patch for their kicker to make a field goal attempt (which succeeded, putting them ahead to win the game). It was allowed at the time, but I believe resulted in a rule change very soon afterwards.

[blinkingblinking]

You might also note that a free kick was awarded to the St Kilda player AFTER kicking the behind, so he went on to another shot at goal and kicked another point, thus sealing the game as a win for the Saints.

Ultimately though, it is the umpire who calls the end of the game. Now in 99.9% of situations that is upon hearing the final siren, and the ump puts his hands up to indicate cessation of play. Until THAT happens, the game continues. So 'legally', St. Kilda won the game fair and square.

And being the only Saints supporter at work, don't you think I have copped shit over the past cuppla dayz. Hehehehe. :D

As far as I know the second kick was a replacement not an extra kick. Thus in no way can you say St Kilda won the game. The AFL was just lucky he did not kick a winning goal, as the AFL would have been the laughing stock of the world.

[kambuckta]

As far as I know the second kick was a replacement not an extra kick. Thus in no way can you say St Kilda won the game. The AFL was just lucky he did not kick a winning goal, as the AFL would have been the laughing stock of the world.


Oops, sorry for my mistake. My hearing of the news reports was that St. Kilda had actually won the game, not drawn as I have now realised upon more discerning reading of the sports pages (not my usual haunts, I've gotta admit) :)

[Angry mob mulls options]

Another odd one from the AFL, where a game in 1996 (also involving St. Kilda) was cut short with just over a quarter to go because the floodlights failed, and were unable to be restored.

So they came back 3 days later, and carried on where they'd left off, same scores, same time on the clock.

[kambuckta]

Another odd one from the AFL, where a game in 1996 (also involving St. Kilda) was cut short with just over a quarter to go because the floodlights failed, and were unable to be restored.

Had to be at Waverly, right?

:D

[don't ask]

Just for the sheer scope of lopsidedness (well, it should be a word), I'd have to go with the 222-0 Georgia Tech drubbing of Cumberland Collge (http://www.cumberland.edu/about/gotc/gamestory.html) in 1916, when Georgia Tech was coached by John Heisman (yeah, that Heisman). Georgia Tech scored on every possession while Cumberland College never achieved a first down.

An Australian schoolboy Rugby League team (Patrician Brothers IIRC) achieved a perfect game in a knockout carnival. They kicked off, the other team fumbled the ball and on their set of tackles Patrician Brothers scored. The other team kicked off and every time they did Patrician Brothers scored in their set of tackles. This continued after the other team kicked off to start the second half. The Patrician Brothers team made a total of 0 tackles in the game and 0 errors.

[Angry mob mulls options]

Yeah. Also much debate back then about what to do, Stan Alves (the St. Kilda coach) suggested that both sides get the premiership points, an idea which didn't catch on.

[Jurph]

Alamo Bowl. Nebraska-Michigan.

The real shame of this was that the refs could have made it right but didn't. The game cannot end on a defensive penalty, and a defensive penalty (too many men on the field) was certainly appropriate. Had they called such a penalty, the offense would have been given one last, final last play... from the eleven yard line, where their runner was finally tackled by the only defensive player who was paying any attention. From the eleventh yard line, they could conceivably have executed a play which would have changed the outcome of the game.

I remember, however, that the officials were having a hard enough time calling the regular plays, never mind the kind of clear-headed, toe-the-line rulesmanship that this call would have required. Was it me, or did that game's officiating stink from front to back?

[An Arky]

It's a minor distinction. The refs control when the time should start and stop, but the scoreboard controls the actual keeping of the time.

Occasionally the refs will have to actually keep the time due to technical difficulties, but in every case they will announce this to the crowd. It's highly unusual.

There was a (Cowboys I think) game within the past few seasons where the home team was trailing late in the fourth. A receiver had caught the ball and run out of bounds with 1 second left on the clock. The timekeeper stopped the clock the moment the guy first set foot out of bounds, allowing one final play.

This was a major gaffe by a homer timekeeper. When a player steps out of bounds, the official blows the whistle. The timekeeper isn't supposed to stop the clock until he hears the whistle. In this game, the clock stopped well before the whistle blew.

Bush league, all the way.

Yes, that's kind of my point. Sure, the stadium clock is the official time, but the human refs and timekeepers have control over the start and stop and can sometimes be a difference-maker. I think the clock should be controlled from the field to cut out the lag (or anticipation) between whistle and timekeeper. Have a wireless setup in the refs' whistles. The instant a whistle blows, the clock stops/starts.

[ElvisL1ves]

Another odd one from the AFL, where a game in 1996 (also involving St. Kilda) was cut short with just over a quarter to go because the floodlights failed, and were unable to be restored.

So they came back 3 days later, and carried on where they'd left off, same scores, same time on the clock.A bit like the 1975 NHL playoffs - Philadelphia at Buffalo, Game 3, in warm weather. The fog on the ice was so thick that the puck could not be easily seen, and the game was stopped while players skated around flapping towels to dissipate it.

[Hostile Dialect]

Another odd one from the AFL, where a game in 1996 (also involving St. Kilda) was cut short with just over a quarter to go because the floodlights failed, and were unable to be restored.

So they came back 3 days later, and carried on where they'd left off, same scores, same time on the clock.

Fantastic Dopername, BTW.

That actually occurs every once in a while in baseball games here too. I believe that if the game gets rained out before five innings have been played, it restarts at the same point in the game with the same score. Actually, I may be wrong about that, but I do remember that once in the 70s or 80s there was a game between Kansas City and the New York Yankees (I think) that set the record for length of game both in innings and in time played; the game went into so many extra innings that it was pushing way past midnight and they sent everyone home, then the teams showed up the next day to continue where they left off. It ended up spanning 20-something hours and a whole lot of innings.

A bit like the 1975 NHL playoffs - Philadelphia at Buffalo, Game 3, in warm weather. The fog on the ice was so thick that the puck could not be easily seen, and the game was stopped while players skated around flapping towels to dissipate it.

Reminds me of a game between the New York Rangers and Montreal around 2001 or so. One team's home uniform was red helmets, blue tops and red bottoms. The other's was blue helmets, red tops and blue bottoms. It was such a dizzying haze of colors that the refs stopped the game and made one of the teams change into their alternate uniforms because they couldn't tell one team from the other.

[ElvisL1ves]

Fantastic Dopername, BTW.Oh my, yes. :D

That actually occurs every once in a while in baseball games here too. I believe that if the game gets rained out before five innings have been played, it restarts at the same point in the game with the same score.If the game has not reached 5 full innings with the visiting team ahead, or 4.5 with the home team ahead (i.e. half of the game), the rescheduled game starts from the beginning. All individual accomplishments during the cancelled game count, but no team accomplishments.

If the game is tied after that point, then it restarts from that point. The resumption date can be so far in the future that player rosters change, too - I believe there's been at least 1 case of a player appearing for both teams in the same game.

If weather or other considerations don't enter into it, yes, the game goes on until there's a winner. The major league record is 26 innings, and the minor league record is 32. In Japan, IIRC, if the game is tied after 12 it ends as a tie.

[brianjedi]

The real shame of this was that the refs could have made it right but didn't. The game cannot end on a defensive penalty, and a defensive penalty (too many men on the field) was certainly appropriate. Had they called such a penalty, the offense would have been given one last, final last play... from the eleven yard line, where their runner was finally tackled by the only defensive player who was paying any attention. From the eleventh yard line, they could conceivably have executed a play which would have changed the outcome of the game.

I remember, however, that the officials were having a hard enough time calling the regular plays, never mind the kind of clear-headed, toe-the-line rulesmanship that this call would have required. Was it me, or did that game's officiating stink from front to back?

Except that both teams rushed the field, so if you call one penalty you have to call the other, and they offset. Game over.

[Hostile Dialect]

If the game is tied after that point, then it restarts from that point. The resumption date can be so far in the future that player rosters change, too - I believe there's been at least 1 case of a player appearing for both teams in the same game.

I had thought that a game that had gone past 4.5/5 was considered a full game if it was cut off and that it wouldn't be continued, but that the result would stand. Your version makes a lot more sense. Thanks.

[Fear the Turtle]

Oh my, yes. :D

If weather or other considerations don't enter into it, yes, the game goes on until there's a winner. The major league record is 26 innings, and the minor league record is 32. In Japan, IIRC, if the game is tied after 12 it ends as a tie.

Some cities have curfews and an inning cannot start after a certain time of day. In that case the game will resume from that point at a later date (usually the next day, if the same two teams are playing).

[Maus Magill]

A couple of years ago NC State hosted New Mexico (I think) in a pre-season game, that was just full of horrible officiating. State had the ball, and the play started as the whistle blew. 20,000 NC State fans waited to find out what this bogus call was going to be.

The call was delay of game - on the defense.

To quote the Gary Hahn, the Wolfpack Radio Network announcer, "Huh."

[Boulter's Canary]

Soccer:

USA 1 England 0.

Oh, the shame.

Likewise (Well, Scottish soccer):

Forfar 5 Fife 4

[Gangster Octopus]

The 1982 California-Stanford football game (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Play), ending on The Play. Cal executed 5 laterals, all both successful and legal, on a kickoff return as time ran out and the Stanford marching band took the field in celebration of their apparent win. Cal ran it in for the winning touchdown, knocking over a trombone player to do it.

Although the play was allowed the last lateral is clearly forward.

Thhe Buffalo Sabrea and Philadelphia Flyers palyed a Stanley Cup game in the fog in 1975.

i recall a baseball game many years ago that there was a massive downpour and I canot recall the situation, something about trying to make it a legal game. But the crux was the one team batting was trying to get themselves out and the team on defense was trying desperately to keep the game going. They wanted the umpire to call the game before the inning ended thus negating the inning they were playing. Or something like that.

[Lute Skywatcher]

On May 4th, 1984, Dave Kingman and the A's visited the Metrodome. Kingman hit a towering fly ball that never came down! It went through a drainage hole in the roof and lodged itself inbetween the roof's layers.The Twins' infielders gathered near the mound and peered skyward. Shortstop Houston Jimenez covered his head, fearing he might be bopped by a falling object.
"it was like a rocket going off," said Twins second baseman Tim Teufel. "I was waiting for it to come down through the atmosphere. I knew it had to land near the pitcher's mound somewhere."
Umpire crew chief Jim Evans declared the drive a roof-rule double. A's manager Steve Boros said a ground rule--make that a sky rule--about a ball being lost in the roof never had been discussed.
"That's like a hole-in-one in my book," said Twins first baseman Mickey Hatcher.

The next day, a stadium official tried to retrieve the ball that was lodged in the roof, but couldn't reach the real one. So he dropped a substitute through the hole and Hatcher dropped it.
"Hit my leg," Hatcher said. "I didn't even get my glove on it. I felt so dumb."Then there was that Astros home game that was called on account of rain--nobody could get to the Astrodome because the streets were flooded.

[T_SQUARE]

T_SQUARE'S 2 favorite sports clips of all time:

1) George Brett storming out of that dugout after his bat was inspected.

2) Stanford trombone player eating turf.

Just saying.

[bob_loblaw]

in a peewee hockey tournament, i guess it would be close to 15 years ago now, my team was disqualified from the semi-finals becuase of a bizarre rule change that was either ignored, forgotten, or never explained to our coaches (i'm really not sure which, and would not be surprized at any of the options.)

anyway, the game was seemingly won handily by our team - final score 14 - 5. our team's top scorer for that year had one of those games where every time he touched the puck, something magic happenned. he scored 13 of our 14 goals that day. it was awesome. we were going to the tourney finals.... until the opposing coach appealed the game to the organizers.

seems there was a new rule in the tourney that year; no player was allowed to score more than 3 goals in a game. (this was apparently aimed at encouraging more "team play" and "better opportunities for players with less experience and skill" or some other such nonsense.)

so the organizers decided that only four of our goals in that game actually counted, and that we in fact lost 5 - 4.

i mean, it was a peewee tourny, so it really didn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but i tell you we were a bunch of very confused and angry 12 & 13 year olds at the time.

[Angry mob mulls options]

Fantastic Dopername, BTW.
Simpsons reference, of course.

Another strange one, this cricket Test (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1997-98/ENG_IN_WI/SCORECARDS/ENG_WI_T1_29JAN-02FEB1998.html) was abandoned because the pitch was deemed to dangerous to play on.

I believe there's been at least 1 case of a player appearing for both teams in the same game.
I think that wins the prize.

[elmwood]

A bit like the 1975 NHL playoffs - Philadelphia at Buffalo, Game 3, in warm weather. The fog on the ice was so thick that the puck could not be easily seen, and the game was stopped while players skated around flapping towels to dissipate it.

Jim Lorentz also raised his stick to kill a bat that was flying arounf the Aud during the game. It's the only time an animal was ever killed by a player during an NHL game.

[Cerowyn]

The call was delay of game - on the defense.

To quote the Gary Hahn, the Wolfpack Radio Network announcer, "Huh."Not sure why that would elicit confusion. Aren't there several actions the defensive team can take that result in a delay of game? Deliberately moving the ball, interfering with the position or view of an official, etc.?

[Snooooopy]

Not sure why that would elicit confusion. Aren't there several actions the defensive team can take that result in a delay of game? Deliberately moving the ball, interfering with the position or view of an official, etc.?

What about barking out phantom signals? If that's not a delay of game, it's some kind of penalty.

[Askance]

Sounds like a silly compromise to me. Either have an absolutely fixed duration, or have give the referee sole discretion, without a great big siren which contradicts him.Neither would work, as like US football there are many reasons why the clock stops and starts. There has to be an off-field timekeeper.

The problem in this case was that the ground was not usually used for big games and so did not have a siren loud enough to be heard over the unusually large crowd.

The rules clearly state that the game is over when the ref raises his arms to acknowledge the siren. As this did not happen, it was not over until he was alerted by, I think, one of the coaches. It's not fair to the team that should have won, but they have no valid grounds on which to appeal. IMO the points should be split 3-1, but I doubt that will happen.

[Marley23]

- The "Jeffrey Maier" game between the Yankees and Orioles in the 1996 AL playoffs, when 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier interfered with a fly ball that would have been an out but became a home run through his reaching over the wall to catch it.
Similarly, there's the "Steve Bartman game" from 2003. Story for non-baseball fans/non-Americans: the Chicago Cubs were leading the Florida Marlins 3-0 late in game six, and the team was five outs away from reaching the World Series. The allegedly cursed Cubs have not reached the Series since 1945, and haven't won it since 1908.
Bartman, a fan sitting in foul territory along left field, reached for a fly ball that Cubs outfielder Moises Alou would have had a very good chance at catching. Bartman's interference prevented the play from being made. That batter reached base, and the Marlins scored eight times in the inning. They won that game 8-3, won the final game of the series, and then won the World Series. I think it's terrible to blame the guy for what happened, but you can't say it wasn't bizarre. The Cubs totally fell apart after that play.
1) George Brett storming out of that dugout after his bat was inspected.
For those who have never seen this (I guess most American fans have), Brett rushes out of the dugout at an incredible rate of speed. He's yelling and really looks like he could murder the umpire.

[BabaBooey]

The Saints playoff hopes were on the line with I believe three games to follow the one taking place and a 6 and 6 record. This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39PPv7kLC9k&search=saints%20jaguars) play occurs and is followed by missed PAT.

[Ellis Dee]

The Saints playoff hopes were on the line with I believe three games to follow the one taking place and a 6 and 6 record. This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39PPv7kLC9k&search=saints%20jaguars) play occurs and is followed by missed PAT.I don't even have to look at the link.

That was just about the funniest goddamn thing I ever saw.

[BabaBooey]

I don't even have to look at the link.

That was just about the funniest goddamn thing I ever saw.

Probably the saddest for me. Weird how things go that way. :(

[Angry mob mulls options]

The result of the game in the OP has been changed. I think, surprisingly.
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=262776

[kambuckta]

The result of the game in the OP has been changed. I think, surprisingly.
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=262776


I'm quite surprised too!! Although I do think that Fremantle won the game, in the 'spirit of the game'.

But 'spirit of the game' and AFL decisions have never been all that congruent before. I wonder what sort of precedent this will set? How many other teams in the future will be calling on this decision to determine their winning/losing status?

I predict dark times ahead. Ooooooooh. :eek:

[don't ask]

I too am amazed by the decision. I think it is very gutsy and entirely correct under the circumstances. Usually sports administrations just stick to the old "well rules are rules" excuse, without any regard to the justice of the decision.

[blinkingblinking]

I too am amazed by the decision. I think it is very gutsy and entirely correct under the circumstances. Usually sports administrations just stick to the old "well rules are rules" excuse, without any regard to the justice of the decision.

I was not actually surprised by the AFL changing the result. I am embarrassed to say I won money from the office sweep because I picked all 8 results for the week. I told the organizer that I do not deserve the money as I tipped Freo to win.
This story http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/afl/connolly-sees-positive-from-debacle/2006/05/03/1146335800143.html
surprises me -the AFL trying to put a positive spin of their incompetence. The AFL is in the 19th century

[Maus Magill]

Not sure why that would elicit confusion. Aren't there several actions the defensive team can take that result in a delay of game? Deliberately moving the ball, interfering with the position or view of an official, etc.?
Sorry, I wasn't clear. The whistles blew after the play started, and the play started before the clock ran out. If the whistles were blown before the play started or the clock had run out, a delay of game call might have actually made sense.

[ElvisL1ves]

Jim Lorentz also raised his stick to kill a bat that was flying arounf the Aud during the game. It's the only time an animal was ever killed by a player during an NHL game.
You do have to give an honorable mention to Scott Mellanby of the 1995-96 Florida Panthers, who slap-shot a rat against the locker room wall before a game - then scored 2 goals for the "rat trick", starting the Panthers on a successful run into the NHL playoffs. Eventually the team had to forbid fans to bring rubber rats to the game so the ice wouldn't be littered with them after Panthers goals.

[Hostile Dialect]

seems there was a new rule in the tourney that year; no player was allowed to score more than 3 goals in a game. (this was apparently aimed at encouraging more "team play" and "better opportunities for players with less experience and skill" or some other such nonsense.)

A youth soccer league I reffed in briefly had a rule like this, but it was a goals-per-season rule. Much harder to calculate.

Jim Lorentz also raised his stick to kill a bat that was flying arounf the Aud during the game.

What on earth is an Aud?

He must've gotten at least four minutes in the box, right? ;)

Somewhere around 2001, in baseball's spring training, Randy Johnson (then pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks) inadvertently smoked the hell out of a passing bird with one of his searing fastballs. IIRC the ball still went straight through to the catcher's mitt. The bird turned into an explosion of feathers and I don't think they could even find the "body", it had been torn into so many little pieces. That bird really got served.

What about barking out phantom signals? If that's not a delay of game, it's some kind of penalty.

Linebackers call audibles too. How do you tell the difference between phantom signals and legitimate defensive audibles?

For those who have never seen this (I guess most American fans have)

Not all of us are old enough to have seen that, you know. I appreciate the clarification, though--I had wondered what was so special about him running out of the dugout.