If you have watched an NFL game in the last few years, you
may be aware of the new rule allowing coaches to officially challenge a call
made on the field by the use of a "challenge flag."
Previously, coaches could yell and scream at the refs, to no
avail. The only time a call was reviewed
and possibly overturned was if the referees were debating the call amongst them
and decided to review the play. Now, the
coaches can officially challenge up to two calls per game, and if the call is
overturned, the coach is happy and feels justified. If the call is not overturned, then the coach
loses a time out, and feels like a fool.
Those details are not as important as the fashion in which
the coach “asserts” his challenge. The
NFL, consisting of some of the most testosterone driven minds in sports, opted for the throwing of a red flag onto the
field, in order to assert a challenge.
EXHIBIT A
That’s right, so the coach keeps this red handkerchief in
his back pocket, and when he disagrees with a call, he pulls it out and tosses
it to the ground. Plus, just for effect,
he will typically have a look of disgust or complete disbelief on his face to
go along with the tossing of the handkerchief.
I really expected more from the
NFL. In this day and age of amazing half
time shows, the big screen in every stadium, smoke and rings of fire, I would
have hoped for something with a little more flare – literally, a flare gun
would have been more exciting. Wouldn’t
it be fun to see the coach whip out a gun, twirl it a few times and then shoot
it into the air? Even a handful of those
firecrackers that pop when they hit the ground would have been better. Instead, it looks like they are tossing a flag in a game of cornhole.
Nonetheless, this ultimately presents a perfect opportunity
for us moms to get the attention of our NFL fans in and around the house. What if we had a red handkerchief to toss out
at the most egregious times? Would that
not get the attention of your husband or your teenage son? What about your daughter who insists on watching the Browns every week to see if Johnny Football gets in? The younger kids
will easily adapt to the use of the challenge flag not only because it is so
simple and easy to use, but because it is NOT the typical yelling and screaming
we have tried for years. No more “time
outs” or “grounding” the kids, just throw the challenge flag and get their
attention.
Granted, we moms are not going to have a neutral referee to
come in and make a fair call, but we don't need one. We are always right. So, very likely we
will still get some pushback, but what a way to at least get the conversation
started, with a little hint of fun and yet all of the effect of true
disgust.
You can get your challenge flag here and now, and now you
will have a perfect way to keep your house in order during the football
season and beyond.
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