With the announcement today by the CFL Rules Committee that footballs coming into contact with the goalpost ribbon will henceforth be live rather than dead balls, perhaps a clarification is warranted.
For instance, on a day when the wind is light, and the goalpost ribbon dangles limply by the side of the post, yet the ball grazes the ribbon, or worse, glances off it slightly, will there be a replay official to determine if the ribbon actually came between the ball and the post? And if a coach challenges the question of whether or not the ball actually came into contact with the ribbon, will he obtain an additional challenge if his challenge is upheld? What happens if the coach’s challenge of the ball grazing the goalpost ribbon is overruled? Does he forfeit a timeout, or perhaps grant a “ribbon rouge” to the opposing team?
When the wind is strong, as it is most often on the prairies, will there be arbitration over the permissible length of goalpost ribbons? If there is unlimited goalpost ribbon movement on windy days, officials in Regina and Winnipeg and Calgary may elect to install longer goalpost ribbons than usual, the better to block the kicks.
How does long ribbons help … if the ribbon is between the goal posts when the ball contacts it then it has always been a field goal … if the ribbon is “outside” the posts, in 2018 the ball would have been blown dead … without the change, imagine a wide field goal attempt grazes the ribbon and the ball gets blown dead when there is 110 yards of open field in front of the returner … this is really just a minor housekeeping item correcting an idiotic rule … stunned people GAD.
I can honestly say that in 50 years of watching CFL (or any football) that I can not remember a single time when the ball hit the goalpost ribbon. Let alone one where it made a difference in the game.
1 - What is to clarify? Right now, if the ball hits the ribbon it is viewed as a part of the post, and thus a dead ball. So, it is not returnable.
2 - The dead ball on contact to the ribbon/post is already in practice and always has been. They are talking about removing the removing the rule, not adding to it…so there is nothing to challenge and no new duty for officials…it is actually less.
3 - There are regulations on ribbons, same as everything else with the field.
Why would any of that happen if the ball remains live
To show wind direction
It happened last year in Montreal. A field goal attempt was wide and Out the back...We expected them to scrimmage from the 35 but they scrimmaged at the 25. The ref then announced the ball hit the ribbon No point
It did not affect the game but it could have....it could have tied the game or won the game. With the new rule, it now has no effect on the outcome
If I hits the ribbon and is good...its good...if it hits the ribbon and is wide...its wind! And I guarantee no one will even notice it hit the ribbon in the first place, except the ref standing right below the upright
What if the ribbon is front of the post when the ball hits and bounces straight back off the ribbon? I know what the ruling should be, but the wording of the rule better account for this situation.
CatsFanInOttawa is right. What provision is there for an erect ribbon, and is the angle of the erection to be taken into account? The wind in Ottawa makes for fairly stiff ribbons.
Should the colour of the ribbon be designated in the rules? I submit that if the home team puts up ribbons with their uniform colours, they would have an unfair advantage. Those colours might be a subtle visual intimidator when the visiting teams kicker lines up for a field goal.
