Ducks fans irate over perceived fake injuries

[Warren2ThaG]

Coaches across the country spent the offseason trying to figure out a way to stop top-ranked Oregon’s bullet-train offense. No matter what they’ve tried, no one’s been able to do it.

 

A new tactic may be emerging: faking injuries.

 

Outlandish as it may seem, speculation over fake injuries has been rising over the past few weeks as seemingly healthy players fall to the ground, howling in pain, their season apparently over, only to be back on the field the next play.

 

Ducks fans have been screaming about this unusual human-speedbumping method almost since the season started, often booing opposing players they believe to be Meryl Streep-ing it up.

 

Opposing coaches deny it’s happening.

 

Pac-10 officials say not much can be done about it.

 

This is a gray area hovering out there between the lines of ethics and the rules.

 

“Obviously, you don’t know when a player is really injured and not injured,” Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. “I don’t know really what can be done about it.”

 

He’s right.

 

The NCAA rulebook frowns upon faking injuries, calling the practice unethical. There are no specific rules to prevent it, though. Officials can’t call delay of game or unsportsmanlike conduct if a player claims to be injured. The only recourse is that an injured player has to sit out the next play.

 

Whether injury faking is actually happening is up for debate.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-pac-10-fakinginjuries