NFL sets rules for Cowboy Stadium video-board plays

[Auggie]

ESPN.com news services, 8-28-09

The NFL has ruled that the down will be replayed and clock will be reset if a football hits the massive video display board that hangs over the field at Cowboys Stadium.

Perhaps the key piece of the ruling, issued Friday morning, is that it is only for this season. The league can review it after the season.

By setting the video boards 90 feet above the field, the Cowboys cleared the current league standard by 5 feet. But this action indicates the 85-foot rule might be re-examined in the offseason, which could force the first major renovation to the $1.15 billion stadium.

This season, if the video board comes into play, the replay official will have the power to institute a booth review without a coach's challenge, even if it isn't in the final two minutes of a half. Coaches, however, can also throw a red flag to challenge on close plays.

"We will continue to address the particular circumstances in Dallas, giving full consideration to the competitive, safety and fan experience issues involved," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "The Cowboys have been fully cooperative as we have addressed this subject, and we will continue to work closely with the club on a longer term resolution."

LINK: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4428556

[trumad]

1. I wish Reggie Roby still played.

[madinmaryland]

9. Only on roids could he have hit it.

Maybe Ray Guy.

[trumad]

10. Are you serious...

Reggie had the greatest hang time of any punter---ever...

[madinmaryland]

11. **snort**

:rofl:

Wonder why the punts had "the greatest hang time of any punter"

huh?

[BulletproofLandshark]

20. The 2nd string punter for the Titans managed to hit it.

What makes you think Roby couldn't? He was a basically a linebacker playing punter.

[joeybee12]

2. Another mess-up by the Cowpie Organization...how can anyone root for them?

I don't see how that's possible, do you?

[madinmaryland]

8. Come on, joey. The "85-foot rule" was NOT violated by the COWBOYS Organization.

Unlike Belicheck who openly broke an NFL rule AND GOT CAUGHT.

[Auggie]

3. I want the Cowboys penalized 10 yards every time it's hit

}(

[JonLP24]

4. LOL

Then quarterbacks that come into town will just chuck it straight up on 4th down or whatever.

I think the NFL is being reasonable here. J Jones did meet the NFL Requirement for height by an extra 5 feet.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. I want the Cowboys penalized ten points every time it's hit

Hang that ball up there, guys.

[madinmaryland]

5. I see the usual dipshits are whining about Jerry Jones stadium again!

WHAAAA!!

:D

[northzax]

6. bad ruling

should be a ground rule=play her as she lies. hurts the home team more than visitors.

[MrSlayer]

7. Ray Guy would have kicked it over the board.

Or smashed the shit out of one of the screens.

[Onceuponalife]

13. Jesus Christ!

I just saw the size of that thing! Do they really need a screen that big? How much tax payer dollars was spent on it? Doesn't Texas have enough money problems what with constantly having to defend lawsuits challenging them trying to put mandatory prayer in school and "Intelligent Design"?

[Crowman2009]

14. Ironically whoever came up with that screen sure didn't have an intelligent design.

[joeybee12]

16. Yuk-yuk...and welcome!

:hi:

[Crowman2009]

17. I'm not new, I'm originally Crowman1979. But I lost my password and used an e-mail addy that I no..

...longer used. So I couldn't recover it.

[Iggo]

18. Ba-dump, psh!

:rofl:

[TZ]

15. Who in their right mind shells out all that money to go to a game

to watch it on TV anyway. ASFAIK, real life is still better than HD...:crazy:

[4lbs]

19. My Chargers' punter Mike Scifres will easily hit the video board. He's known for high booming punts

that can reach about 110 feet with 8 or 9 second hang times.

They'll need to raise the video board to about 120 feet. The rule should be changed to 120 feet as well.

The 85 foot rule was established in the 1960s when NFL punters weren't anywhere nearly as strong and powerful as they are now. It hasn't been modified since.

Interestingly, the Colts' GM was talking about having a similar video board in their new stadium when it was being built last year.. However, he was smart enough to have a target put on a 90 foot high pole and see if his own punter (Hunter Smith) could reach it. He did most of the time. So the Colts chose to put the video displays on the sides of the stadium, instead of on a video board directly above the field.

Jerry Jones isn't that smart.