Wow, Anyone Watching Stanford?

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Up 17-13, about 1:30 left in the game, Arizona State has no time outs left.

Stanford halfback runs for the clinching first down and has a clear path to the end zone, he stops running, sits down at the 5 yard line, and hands the ball to the ref.

Game over.

Rare. Classy. Wonder if any of it sank into Dennis Erickson across the sideline?

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

I don't know if that is classy. Why is it classy? Not scoring with you should is classy? Did they go for it on 4th down to run up the score? What am I missing?

[Green Mean]

Agreed. I think it was pretty stupid not scoring if you ask me and you are only up by 4 points and you never know anything can happen. You take the touchdown because that almost assures you a win. But being up only 4...not so much even if ASU didn't have any timeouts.

[McKinneyMiner]

You know what makes me sad...??

YOU DO...!!

You jackwagon...!!

[Mean Green 93-98]

Agreed. I think it was pretty stupid not scoring if you ask me and you are only up by 4 points and you never know anything can happen. You take the touchdown because that almost assures you a win. But being up only 4...not so much even if ASU didn't have any timeouts.

If "anything can happen," how is it going to happen? I have never personally seen anything bad happen for a team lining up in the victory formation and taking a knee. However, if Stanford gets the TD, they kick off to Ariz State; and if they score, they have a shot at an onsides kick.

What Stanford did was not only classy, it was the smart play.

[MeanGreenTeeth]

Up 17-13, about 1:30 left in the game, Arizona State has no time outs left.

Stanford halfback runs for the clinching first down and has a clear path to the end zone, he stops running, sits down at the 5 yard line, and hands the ball to the ref.

Game over.

Rare. Classy. Wonder if any of it sank into Dennis Erickson across the sideline?

Classy, but also smart. A-State could have run the ensuing kickoff back and then gotten an onside kick. The odds would be really really long, but still higher than muffing the kneel-down. No reason to risk a sure-thing.

[Green Mean]

If "anything can happen," how is it going to happen? I have never personally seen anything bad happen for a team lining up in the victory formation and taking a knee. However, if Stanford gets the TD, they kick off to Ariz State; and if they score, they have a shot at an onsides kick.

What Stanford did was not only classy, it was the smart play.

I agree that it is highly unlikely but I would take the points when you're only up by 4.

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

I agree that it is highly unlikely but I would take the points when you're only up by 4.

Agree. You always take the points. You don't go out of your way to not score points, that is just stupid, not smart football.

Non-classy move is to go excessive on points, which isn't this case.

[eulessismore]

I agree that it is highly unlikely but I would take the points when you're only up by 4.

I must disagree. Taking the knee gives you continued possession, with the option of running out the clock, as mentioned. Also, there's little likelihood of key players getting injured that way, whereas kicking off provides a greater likelihood of such injuries.

[NT80]

I agree that it is highly unlikely but I would take the points when you're only up by 4.

Take the points. Victory formation fumbles do happen. Troy lost to OSU recently 41-38, however...

“Anybody that had a heart condition probably struggled through the game,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said.

With 54 seconds left, the Cowboys lined up in victory formation. It’s the simplest play in football - the quarterback takes the snap, touches his knee to the turf and watches the clock roll.

However, in a game replete with oddities and spectacular mistakes, nothing was simple. Cowboy quarterback Brandon Weeden, playing with a sprained right thumb, fumbled the snap. Troy linebacker Daniel Sheffield recovered at the Trojan 34-yard line. Troy was only 30 yards shy of reasonable field-goal range."

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OSU/article.aspx?subjectid=93&articleid=20100911_231_0_STILLW378769

[MDH]

For every game lost by victory formation kneel-down fumble I bet there's at least 25 for giving the ball back to the other team, a quick score, a recovered onsides kick and another score.

Smart play, classy play.

[gangrene]

The fix was on. Stanford was favored to win by 4 1/2....someone lost or made a lot of money on that stunt.

[VideoEagle]

I think was Stanford did was smart football. Not sure it was really classy as ASU will certainly spin it as "Stanford had so little respect for ASU they chose to just sit down."

If I was ASU, I think I'd feel insulted more by the sit down than by a score.

Still, Stanford ran out the clock without ever giving the ball back and that is just smart football.

Edited November 14, 2010 by VideoEagle