OK. This one is going to sound stupid, but I’m passing a friend’s question on to prove I’m right.
At an NFL game, what happens to the coin after the flip?
I always assumed the ref put in his pocket and went back to reffing the game, or at least getting in the way of a few well placed passes from Cade McNown.
Though, I also assumed that for the SuperBowl and the like the league rep took the special coin and it went to the Hall of Fame.
Any confirmation on this?
“Enter any 11-digit prime number to continue…” Anon.
NFL officials have a standard issue coin for regular season games. They usually say “HEADS” and “TAILS” on it.
For the Super Bowl, they make one with each team’s logo on it. That way no one has to call the toss. I would imagine that that coin goes to Canton after the game, although the referee probably holds on to it in case of overtime.
Umm…I think you’re wrong, Bob. Didya WATCH the Super Bowl? Last I checked, they sure do call the coin toss.
And I’ve never heard of one that says just Heads or Tails. It’s possible, of course, but I know that I HAVE heard many officials’ horror stories about calling the coin the wrong way. I also know this happened in the Super Bowl a few years back…I want to say the Redskins were involved?
But the question is still unanswered: What happens to the coins? Do the refs keep them all season? What if one gets lost while traveling or a ref (and this isn’t a stretch…anyone see that Vinny Testaverde “TD” in the playoffs two years ago?) pops it in the vending machine?
“Enter any 11-digit prime number to continue…” Anon.
An article in the January 29, 2000 Atlanta Journal stated that the commemorative Super Bowl coin was going to the Hall of Fame after the game.
They actually had a press conference the day before to discuss the coin toss.
It sure as shit happened to the Steelers when they were playing…I’m almost positive it was the Lions, on thanksgiving day 2 years ago. Game goes into OT. Jerome Bettis calls it. Ref gets it wrong. Lions get the ball. Lions win, goddamit.
Of course, that was back 2 years ago, when the Steelers could actually, y’know, still play a good game of football…
:sigh:
It’s gonna be another long season.
“My Accountz Reeceevable Posse don’t call me Tha Troubleshoota for nothin’. Suckas think I be chillin’, but I gots to represent at all times, 'cuz ain’t nobody else reeceeve accountz right but ME.” --Herbert Kornfeld
In a competition that I am involved in, we have a coin that we flip that says “HEADS” on one side and “TAILS” on the other.
It’s a sterling silver coin from Tiffany’s about the size of a quarter. We got it long before I got involved four years ago, so I don’t know if it’s still available. It’s sort of neat.
Remember, too, that the opening coin toss usually takes place before the teams go out onto the field. The one at the beginning of the game is just for show. The coaches want time to decide what to do and to make personnel decisions that depend on whether they have the ball.
The toss before an overtime period is real, though.
“What we have here is failure to communicate.” – Strother Martin, anticipating the Internet.
I believe the opening coin toss is real now. In the past, the NFL used to have it about a half hour before the game and then they would have a “reenactment” of it a few minutes before kickoff.
I think the NFL changed that policy back in the 1980s because the coaches wanted to wait closer to game time to make their decisions (in case the weather changed dramatically).
I can’t speak for the NFL games, but in the numerous high school games I’ve seen, the referee takes the coin and puts it into one of his pockets.
I would think that the same would happen with an NFL ref. The NFL probably doesn’t worry about the referee losing the coin. It’s not like he’s going to stick it in a candy machine at halftime.
Although I,ve never wondered about the final destination of the coin, I have always wondered what would happen if the ref forgot his coin? Southwest was running an ad during the last football season abouth the ref who was going through his pockets looking for a coin. He was asking the captains if they had change. Pretty funny. Would he run to the stands and boerrow a quarter from the beerman?
Like a lot of jobs, football referees have a set pattern of pregame preparations. They check out the footballs, the down markers, they talk with the clock operator, etc. I imagine somewhere on their list, there is an item that says: “Check for coin.”
OK. Either I have asked THE STUPIDEST question known to mankind, the hardest known, or I’ve stumped the Straight Dope Board…which I don’t think is possible.
And I’ve heard stupider questions – heck, uncle cecil published a list!
Can anyone answer this:
In a regular season football game:
A) What kind of coin is used?
B) What happens to the coin after the flip?
