Evening star., 1932-02-17
MAG0FF|N PREDICTS
PAY TILT FOR BEST
Clever Official Varies With
Coaches in Interpreting
Changed Laws.
BY JOHN B. KELLER,

M ODIFICATION of the foot
N ball rules by the intercol-
1 ' i legiate committee means
the end of the timid game
official, but it also may mean that
prosperity is just around the cor
ner for the able referee or other
game handler. That's the opin-
ion of Paul P. Magoffin-Maggie
to you-WaShington's best known
gridiron arbiter.
Recent revision Of the code, &C
cording to Magoff1n, makes i'm
perative the quick calling as we'll
as detection Of rule infractions
and inf1iction of penalties. AS he
sees it, there can be no quibbling
by the official. He must act quick
ly and firmly. Hesitation or weak
ness will bring about his undoing.
Under the new rules Magoffin says
the official must be a cZar.
And with so much more to look for
In the way of fouls and so much more
TO contend with in the way of crab
blng coaches and tempestuous teams,
ofhcials will have to be of such high
order to undergo the extra strain that
naturally greater compensat ton will be
sought. In view of the heavier burden
to be assumed there is reason to be-
lieve the business of foot ball officiating
Will become more profitable.
~ int tot af %r,o 80
the modified rules are rather startling
in that none of the many coaches
about the country whose opinions of
the code revisions have been rushed
into print seemed to have considered
the possibilities of the rules.
EOR instance, the rule affecting the
l. kickoff in brief states that the
receiving team is to have the oppor-
tunity of making fair catch without
interference by members Of the kick
ing team, even though they are on side.
Sounds as though any member of the
receiving side in a reasonable position
to get the ball may signal for a fair
catch and thereby prevent the kicking
side from recovering the ball. Not So
says Magofin.
The player signaling for the fair
catch may misjudge the flight Of the
ball and his signal would in no way
make illegal recovery Of the pigskin
by one of the kicking side, provided
the player recovering was on side at
the time Of the kickoff, according to
the veteran official. As he sees it. the
rule only prevents unnecessary charg-
ing into the player who has signaled
for fair catch.
Then again Magonin interprets the
rule liberalizing subatitutions different
ly from those coaches who have been
quoted in the press. Says, Magofin, this
rule will benefit the smaller but clever
player immensely for it will give him
a chance to be rested each period. AS
announced the rule permits the re-
placement of a player at any time and
the player withdrawn allowed to re-
turn once in any subsequent period
Not once more in the game. but in any
subsequent period. There's the catch.
LIE sees in the rule prohibiting the
i i flying tackle and the flying block
the root of many arguments in a
game. Lots more work for the official
says Magofin. Many alleged fouls here
tofore have been difficult enough to rule
on, but checking the moment of contact
between tackler and ball runner or
blocker and defensive back and the
position of the tackler or blocker imme
diately before such contact will be
enough to harass the best of officials.
And that 5-yard penalty for such foul
will bring many howlS from the penal
lied team, it is feared
Magofin also sees trouble arising from