Is it poor sportsmanship to try to freeze the kicker ?

[digroute88]

I for one have never liked it if the opposing coach calls time out after the field goal kicker has started his attempt . I don't mind the coach calling a time out just prior to the attempt . I just wanted to see the consensus on it .

[ReMeDy]

To be fair, the coach can do that on every play. They can wait to see how the defense lines up, then call a timeout, so you could argue that's bad sportsmanship too, since the team took the time to trek out there and show you their defensive look, lol.

 

I'll tell you what is bad sportsmanship though is Gronkowski acting like a child, but I digress.

[crazycolt1]

No. Time outs are at the coaches disposal. If he uses them to manage time or as a choice to give a kicker the freeze it's his choice. I don't have a problem with it.

[Happy2BeHere]

Yea it's part of the strategy so this is a non issue for me. Sometimes it comes back to haunt a coach who does it also.

[shakedownstreet]

This is like the thread about trying to draw the defense off sides or catch 12 men on the field 

[Gramz]

No,  I don't think so.   It's all part of the plan  to try to win, and it's fair and square.

 

Unsportsmanslike is:  ~~  is pushing, shoving, cussing, throwing a punch, setting out to harm another player intentionally,  etc...  and so on.

[shakedownstreet]

Is the play-action fake unsportsmanlike conduct?

[Valpo2004]

I don't think it's unsportsmanlike.  I just don't think it works.  I think they've done studies that have confirmed this.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icing_the_kicker

 

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2014/09/18/does-icing-kicker-work-numbers-say-it-doesnt-matter-with-game-on-line.html

 

But here is why I don't think it works. . . 

 

The kicker already knows ahead of time what the stakes are going into the kick.  He's already got the pressure on him.  Having him think about the pressure longer doesn't do anything.

 

Also consider that usually these kicks happen on a final drive. . . so the whole final drive the kicker has had the chance to think about the pressure when he's doing his practice kicks on the sidelines.  

 

Not poor sportsmanship. . . I just don't think it does any good.  

[RockThatBlue]

No.