<p>Ah, for the simplicity of less civil times. Ah, for the Bootsie play.</p>
<p>Actually, the Bootsie was only one name for it. It was also known, depending on the team you were playing for, as the Dead Dog, 99-Suicide, Socko, Snakebite, The Law, 48-Undertaker and Say Goodbye to the Wife and Kids, according to one of its practitioners. What it amounted to was this: The offense snapped the ball — and then 10 guys knocked the snot out of the opposing player who had strayed too far over the line.</p>