# McNabb didn't know NFL game could tie **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 17, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059 "2008-11-17T01:02:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/1 "2008-11-17T01:02:29Z")
[http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/recap?gid=20081116004](http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/recap?gid=20081116004) [QUOTE=McNabb] “I didn’t know that,” said McNabb, who played a leading role in keeping it tied. “I’ve never been part of a tie. I never even knew it was in the rule book. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately with the rules, we settled with a tie.” [/QUOTE] How could a player not know that? You’ve played the game your whole life and presumably watched it. You make millions off of the game, but you’ve never read the rulebook? If I was his coach, I would be pissed. We would have exams on each chapter of the rulebook next week. Are NFL players that stupid? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/2 "2008-11-17T01:06:44Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Are NFL players that stupid? Did you really have to ask? Really? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/3 "2008-11-17T01:39:24Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > If I was his coach, I would be pissed. The Eagles year-in year-out are the worst team in the league at managing late game situations and handling the clock. It’s safe to say the Andy Reid doesn’t understand the rules any more than McNabb and his being pissed would be hypocrisy in the highest degree. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/4 "2008-11-17T01:42:23Z")
The last time an NFL game ended in a tie was six years ago. It’s not that frequent an occurrence. Yes, he probably should have known, but who cares? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/5 "2008-11-17T01:45:13Z")
In all fairness to the **jtgain** , it does show an unusual level of ignorance. I find it hard to believe a long time veteran like McNabb could be this ignorant of a basic football rule. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/6 "2008-11-17T01:51:28Z")
Hell, in the CFL a couple of years ago a quarterback lost in the Grey Cup after taking a penalty for 2 forward passes on the same play in overtime, and after the game told reporters that he didn’t know that a (blocked) forward pass caught by the quarterback is indeed a forward pass. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/7 "2008-11-17T02:02:52Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Are NFL players that stupid? Howard Stern had some of their Wonderlic scores awhile back. This is a test on which a 20 corresponds to a 100 IQ - in other words, average intelligence. There were some absolutely abysmal scores, including those of some players you would assume are smart. I seem to recall Dan Marino had like a 15 (which would seem to equate to a borderline mentally retarded IQ of 75 but I don’t know if it works like that.) And there were some single-digit scores in there, too. BUT If he had never been in a game that tied, or happened to hear about one by chance, I don’t see any reason for him to know it. A lot of NFL players have been playing the same position since they were 5 or 6 years old and don’t care about aspects of the game not directly involved with their job because they don’t have to. And even if they have ever sat down and read the rule book cover to cover (which I kind of doubt anyway), there’s no reason to expect them to memorize every rule. Maybe he knew you could tie at one point and forgot because it’s not very important for him to know. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/8 "2008-11-17T02:03:26Z")
This doesn’t surprise me at all. I would bet that the vast majority of both players and coaching staff do not know all the rules. Sure, this isn’t the most obscure rule, but it pretty much never affects any player, so who cares? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/9 "2008-11-17T04:55:06Z")
Hell, the officials often don’t know all the rules. Holler if you hear me, Packers fans - “illegal forward pass out of the endzone” my arse (called on Rodgers last week, but the official _meant_ to call grounding, but it wasn’t grounding anyway) ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/10 "2008-11-17T05:11:25Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > …there’s no reason to expect them to memorize every rule. You mean, being the starting quarterback in the undisputed highest level of the sport? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/11 "2008-11-17T05:32:18Z")
Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/12 "2008-11-17T05:44:26Z")
I think he meant to say : You mean, other than being the starting quarterback in the undisputed highest level of the sport? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/13 "2008-11-17T06:45:10Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > I think he meant to say : > > You mean, other than being the starting quarterback in the undisputed highest level of the sport? Even if he did, it’s no reason to memorize every rule. Spending their time watching tape or reading the playbook would be a much more productive use of their time. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/14 "2008-11-17T07:13:20Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Even if he did, it’s no reason to memorize every rule. Spending their time watching tape or reading the playbook would be a much more productive use of their time. It’s not like memorizing the rules for where the back judge lines up for a safety kick. Knowing that the game can result in a tie (something that most reasonably devoted fans know) is. I mean, they even explain it at the beginning of each overtime, and the Eagles have gone to overtime 11 times since they drafted McNabb. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/15 "2008-11-17T12:45:12Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > Hell, in the CFL a couple of years ago a quarterback lost in the Grey Cup after taking a penalty for 2 forward passes on the same play in overtime, and after the game told reporters that he didn’t know that a (blocked) forward pass caught by the quarterback is indeed a forward pass. Fran Tarkenton did EXACTLY the same thing in the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sadly, the one and only big pass he completed that day was called back! Dwight White had batted down one of his passes, which came right back to Fran’s hands. He scrambled a little, spotted a man downfield, and threw for a huge gain. Curt Gowdy was thrilled, but color man Don Meredith said immediately “No good. No good. You can’t do that.” Give credit to Meredith for knowing that rule, but even a veteran sportscaster like Gowdy didn’t know that rule, because the situation is so rare. Well, ties in the NFL are mighty rare, too. McNabb probably hasn’t ever been part of one. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/16 "2008-11-17T12:56:26Z")
Is it just me, or does McNabb look like he simply doesn’t give a shit? He was slouching around, smiling when they were in bad situations; just no sense of urgency whatsoever, like he knows they’re not going to make the playoffs and he’s going to be cut/traded and is just marking time. That and the fact that he always seems too tired in the late part of the game, a sign of not taking conditioning seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/17 "2008-11-17T14:43:33Z")
I find this hard to believe. Has McNabb never checked the standings before? There’s a column for “Ties” that is pretty glaring. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/18 "2008-11-17T14:55:38Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Fran Tarkenton did EXACTLY the same thing in the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers. > > Sadly, the one and only big pass he completed that day was called back! Dwight White had batted down one of his passes, which came right back to Fran’s hands. He scrambled a little, spotted a man downfield, and threw for a huge gain. Curt Gowdy was thrilled, but color man Don Meredith said immediately “No good. No good. You can’t do that.” > > Give credit to Meredith for knowing that rule, but even a veteran sportscaster like Gowdy didn’t know that rule, because the situation is so rare. > > Well, ties in the NFL are mighty rare, too. McNabb probably hasn’t ever been part of one. I may be wrong, but wasn’t Meredith himself a former Quarterback? I was pretty young, but I seem to recall he spent some time as QB - which might be why he knew the rule. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/19 "2008-11-17T16:31:49Z")
I play club side rugby, and our ranking in the Union at the end of the season is based on a point system. 4 points for a win, two for a tie, 0 for a loss. In addition, one bonus point is given if your team scores four or more tries. The losing team also gets one bonus point if they lose by less than seven. That’s some pretty fundamental stuff, any of the guys who have played through a full season are quite aware of the system. I’m not really surprised, though, because: > [@An\_Arky](#): > > Is it just me, or does McNabb look like he simply doesn’t give a shit? He was slouching around, smiling when they were in bad situations; just no sense of urgency whatsoever, like he knows they’re not going to make the playoffs and he’s going to be cut/traded and is just marking time. That and the fact that he always seems too tired in the late part of the game, a sign of not taking conditioning seriously. this is pretty much how I felt when he was in Super Bowl XXXIX. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059/20 "2008-11-17T16:41:30Z")
More importantly, I think McNabb got me eliminated from the Survivor pool. I would rather have gone out with a loss than with a tie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-didnt-know-nfl-game-could-tie/473059.md?page=2)