Hair Pulling

Should have been called holding. You can tackle a player by the hair if they have the ball. When blocking you aren't allowed to grab a player at all.

Pulling hair is not illegal and that should not have been a penalty. The ref thought it was a facemask.

The hair is considered part of the uniform and yes, yank it as hard as you can (when he has the ball). Earl, please give Sherm your barbers phone number!

AZ was throwing a hissy fit over that call (like pretty much every thing at that point of the ass whooping) but really it was just the difference between tacking-on a 10 yard holding penalty and tacking-on the 15 yard personal foul penalty...

LawlessHawk":33q79rmy said:

AZ was throwing a hissy fit over that call (like pretty much every thing at that point of the ass whooping) but really it was just the difference between tacking-on a 10 yard holding penalty and tacking-on the 15 yard personal foul penalty...

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The Seahawks were so close to the end zone already that it was a half the distance to the goal line mark off.

Bigpumpkin":v6k8qmyg said:

Last Sunday when Sherman was pulled down to the ground by his hair during a punt return, the Ref called a Face Mask Penalty. Was this a correct call? Can a player pull an opponent to the ground during a block by any means possible?

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As others have already said, the penalty was incorrect but it WAS a penalty. By NFL rule, the hair is considered part of the uniform. If it's legal to grab the uniform (i.e. to tackle the ball carrier), then it's also legal to grab (and pull) the hair. In fact this has happened quite a lot in the NFL with no flags thrown.

What is NOT allowed is to grab and hold (let alone tackle) when BLOCKING another player, and that is what happened to Sherman. It doesn't matter whether you grab the shirt to block or grab the hair. Both are holding and both are illegal.

Imagine how light Sherm would feel if he takes that 10 lb of hair of him.

LawlessHawk":2a24ppkd said:

AZ was throwing a hissy fit over that call (like pretty much every thing at that point of the ass whooping) but really it was just the difference between tacking-on a 10 yard holding penalty and tacking-on the 15 yard personal foul penalty...

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Either way you slice it, RW throws a quick dart for the TD. End of story

Notice the difference:

Sherman was tackled after an interception by his hair against the Ravens. No flag.

Sherman was pulled down by his hair on a punt return. Flag comes out.

Like others have said, it was a penalty. Maybe not the right one, but it really didn't matter.

The rule makes sense, but Sherman was the one doing the blocking. Doesn't that change the situation just a bit?

Can, for instance, a D-Lineman hold a blocking O-lineman when trying to get through him to the QB?

Bigpumpkin":6bn44696 said:

Thanks for the feedback! Now we all know the rules.

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except for the officials