# Anybody else tired of seeing play-clock violations in really important NFL games?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-tired-of-seeing-play-clock-violations-in-really-important-nfl-games/146815>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [January 5, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-tired-of-seeing-play-clock-violations-in-really-important-nfl-games/146815 "2003-01-05T21:12:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-tired-of-seeing-play-clock-violations-in-really-important-nfl-games/146815/21 "2003-01-07T14:59:57Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cerowyn \*  
> \*\*As Simms pointed out, one of the problems is that the officials can’t see the play clock and the center at the same time, so they have to look away from the play to check the time (the “beat” between that **White Lightning** mentioned). \*\*

Which is why they should install a horn–so they don’t need to look away.

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-tired-of-seeing-play-clock-violations-in-really-important-nfl-games/146815/22 "2003-01-07T19:26:17Z")

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Merry X-mas from the SDMB…

**HOOOOOOOOONNNNK**

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**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-tired-of-seeing-play-clock-violations-in-really-important-nfl-games/146815/23 "2003-01-07T20:15:04Z")

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Was my onomatopoeia really that amusing?

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**Author:** ![Zelski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c67d28/32.png) [@Zelski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zelski)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-else-tired-of-seeing-play-clock-violations-in-really-important-nfl-games/146815/24 "2003-01-08T18:53:25Z")

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I don’t think they need a horn, per se, but I would like them to install a system similar to the NHL’s goal system. In the NHL, the clock is connected to a light over each goal. When the clock expires, that light will turn on. Meanwhile, whenever the goal judge sees the puck cross the goal line (scoring), he will push a putton that turns on a different colored light and stops the clock. However, the goal light will not shine if the time light has already lit.

In the NFL, the clock can be connected to a light on the scoreboard, or a horn, or a bell that only the referee can hear in his earpiece. In any case, when the play clock reaches zero, the light or sound goes off. The referee can be staring at the snap and if the light (or horn) goes off he can just call it a dead ball. I actually would prefer that the referee has a button in his hand that he pushes when he sees the snap. The button would send a signal to the play clock and the system would adjudicate it in the same manner the NHL uses. If the play clock had expired it would not accept the signal from the referee and the refs would be notified that there was a delay of game penalty.

Late Comer and I discussed this during and after the game. I feel that Holcomb was in violation five times on Sunday, but he was only flagged one of those times.

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