Unfair catch

Louisville punted with 13:18 left in the third quarter. As the UConn returner moved into position to catch the ball, he clearly signaled for a fair catch near his own 25 yard line. It was a smart play, as an unimpeded Louisville gunner was in position to blow him up if he didn't make a fair catch. He made the catch, the Louisville guy held up ... everything was normal. Then, the UConn guy took off running ... all the way to the end zone.

The announcers said "But there's a lesson to be learned, even though the fair catch signal was on, you go to the whistle."

Apparently, this play is not reviewable. WTF? The guy obviously signaled for a fair catch. The officials obviously blew it. The returner should have been penalized for running after making a fair catch! It's against the rules to run after signaling for a fair catch.

You don't go to the whistle on a fair catch because if you blow up the returner after a fair catch, you get a 15-yard penalty. Chris Spielman is saying the lesson to be learned is to play through the whistle. That is just asinine. If you signal for a fair catch, you are giving up the ability to run so that you don't get nailed. If the Louisville guy nails a returner who signals for a fair catch, he'll get a penalty 99.9% of the time. Spielman's lack of common sense should get him pulled off the air. There is no excuse for such idiotic commentary.

Then, the officials had the audacity to call a ticky-tack holding penalty on a long kick return on the next play. Way to go guys. You can probably call holding on every return (if not every play). It was nice that you screwed Louisville over twice.

Here's the question I want answered: why is a fair catch not reviewable? My guess is that it will be reviewable in the near future. It's pretty obvious to look at a replay (or real-time footage) and see if the returner is signaling for a fair catch.

Usually, judgment calls aren't reviewable. Maybe, the rule makers think a fair catch signal is a judgment call. If so, that is awful ... the coverage team is supposed to have to make a judgment about whether or not the returner raising his arm above his head constitutes a fair catch? Running at full speed, fighting blocks, the players are supposed to make a judgment call? Perfect.

If that play is not reviewable, maybe it is time for an entirely different change. Perhaps, they need to do away with the fair catch as it currently exists. If you are going to catch it, you are fair game. Or, to get a fair catch, you have to catch the ball after taking a knee - because you are down if your knee is down. Then, the play would be reviewable because whether or not your knee is down is reviewable. I don't think this extreme is necessary, but maybe there needs to be a clarification of the fair catch rule and whether or not the call is made has to be reviewable.