Whenever Dean Blandino’s name comes up, it sounds like someone is being called into the principal’s office.
But according to NFL.com the league’s vice president of officiating applauded the way Clete Blakeman handled the overtime coin toss in Saturday’s NFC divisional playoff game between the Packers and Cardinals.
Blakeman had to think quick when Aaron Rodgers demanded that the coin be flipped again because it didn’t actually flip in the air. Had he not flipped the coin again, there would have been a controversy even though there’s no rule specifically saying that the coin has to flip in the air.
By flipping again, Blakeman risked another controversy because if the Packers won the second flip the Cardinals would have complained there was nothing wrong with the first flip.
The only chance of putting out a potential firestorm was for Blakeman to flip again and hope the Cardinals won the toss a second time, and that’s exactly what happened.
Good thing, because after hearing all about the ideal gas law last year we would have had to endure a second straight offseason of science lessons. This time it would have been all about the combination of torque and gravity that causes a coin to flip.
From now on, refs will make damn sure that coin goes end over end.
