Here's a possible explanation for the 5 minute penalty.
The Ref used this tactic to keep the player off the field. I have seen Refs tell a coach that it would not be in the team's or player's best interest to have a player come back on the field. It was the refs opinion that the player was only a play away from losing control and getting another yellow or a straight red. Usually the ref somehow expresses that to the coach and the coach does not return the player to the field immediately. In the case last week the ref was on the other side of the field from the coach and thought the five minutre rule was an easier way of getting the job done. This explanation was given to me tonight from someone at that game last week. - Not the most correct way of keeping a player from getting ejected, but effective.
