[BostonCard]

I was going to say that too, but then I thought BC meant the ref wouldn't blow the whistle while throwing the flag, so the play would continue. Of course then, as you said, after the review (if needed) and after Stanford accepted the penalty, the TD would be nullified and the game would be over.

Yes, that was my point.  The other thing is that if they throw a flag for illegal forward pass, I think the flags for fans coming onto the field would have been offsetting, so it probably would have resulted in a re-kick.  Had the play been whistled dead, then it's over before everyone streams onto the field and the flags would not have been thrown.

BC

[BostonCard]

I was going to say that too, but then I thought BC meant the ref wouldn't blow the whistle while throwing the flag, so the play would continue. Of course then, as you said, after the review (if needed) and after Stanford accepted the penalty, the TD would be nullified and the game would be over.

Yes, that was my point.  The other thing is that if they throw a flag for illegal forward pass, I think the flags for fans coming onto the field would have been offsetting, so it probably would have resulted in a re-kick.  Had the play been whistled dead, then it's over before everyone streams onto the field and the flags would not have been thrown.

BC

[Jamesy]

What would have happened if one of the band members had tackled the ball carrier? Surely the refs can't assume he would have made it into the end zone. That person would have been legendary...

[Jamesy]

What would have happened if one of the band members had tackled the ball carrier? Surely the refs can't assume he would have made it into the end zone. That person would have been legendary...

[CompSci87]

What would have happened if one of the band members had tackled the ball carrier? Surely the refs can't assume he would have made it into the end zone. That person would have been legendary...

Actually they might have. There have been some games where a player came off the bench during a play to make a touchdown saving tackle, and the refs awarded a touchdown to the offense.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Le..._football)

[CompSci87]

What would have happened if one of the band members had tackled the ball carrier? Surely the refs can't assume he would have made it into the end zone. That person would have been legendary...

Actually they might have. There have been some games where a player came off the bench during a play to make a touchdown saving tackle, and the refs awarded a touchdown to the offense.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Le..._football)

[Embo]

What would have happened if one of the band members had tackled the ball carrier? Surely the refs can't assume he would have made it into the end zone. That person would have been legendary...

In the summer of 1983, Sports Illustrated had a long article about the Play.  The writer did speak with a LSJUMB member who did play HS football.  The band member did state that the thought of tackling Moen came across his mind in real time.  He opted not to.  The author did bring this up with one of the refs (it may have been the ref who had already planned to retire after this game). That ref was thankful he didn't

Addendum:  Here's the source, and the paragraph in question:

As Moen passed the goal line, he brushed past saxophonist Scott DeBarger, a former high school football player who later acknowledged he toyed with the notion of trying to tackle the runner, a deed that would have thrown what was already football's most improbable play into even greater chaos. Moffett shudders to this day at the awful prospect. "Imagine the confusion if Moen had run into or tripped over or been tackled by a band member," says Moffett. "Then we would have had to make a decision on whether to award a touchdown." Fortunately, DeBarger's better instincts prevailed.

SI article

[Embo]

What would have happened if one of the band members had tackled the ball carrier? Surely the refs can't assume he would have made it into the end zone. That person would have been legendary...

In the summer of 1983, Sports Illustrated had a long article about the Play.  The writer did speak with a LSJUMB member who did play HS football.  The band member did state that the thought of tackling Moen came across his mind in real time.  He opted not to.  The author did bring this up with one of the refs (it may have been the ref who had already planned to retire after this game). That ref was thankful he didn't

Addendum:  Here's the source, and the paragraph in question:

As Moen passed the goal line, he brushed past saxophonist Scott DeBarger, a former high school football player who later acknowledged he toyed with the notion of trying to tackle the runner, a deed that would have thrown what was already football's most improbable play into even greater chaos. Moffett shudders to this day at the awful prospect. "Imagine the confusion if Moen had run into or tripped over or been tackled by a band member," says Moffett. "Then we would have had to make a decision on whether to award a touchdown." Fortunately, DeBarger's better instincts prevailed.

SI article

[CowboyIndian]

Fortunately, DeBarger's better instincts prevailed.

SI article

"Better"??

[CowboyIndian]

Fortunately, DeBarger's better instincts prevailed.

SI article

"Better"??