The era of weird and obtuse football rules. - Page 2

**Rain Man** · 12-18-2006, 09:50 AM

Does it seem like we've had a lot of bizarre technical calls in recent times? Off the top of my head, I can recall:

1. The whole blocked punt thing last night that showed that a team can get a first down without the ball ever crossing the first-down mark and without a penalty or giving up possession.

2. We had the Vincent Jackson thing a couple of weeks ago where a player can take a live ball and willingly toss it onto the ground, but if it goes forward, then it's a forward pass and therefore not a fumble.

3. We had the situation with Darren Sproles of the Chargers early this year or late last year where he muffed a punt and the other team recovered, only to be penalized because, even if the returner completely loses control of the ball, the other team still has to wait around to see if he can regain control before it hits the ground.

Are there others? It seems like I've seen more, but if they don't involve the Chiefs I tend to forget them.

(It's probably just a coincidence that all these involve the Chargers and ended up to their advantage, and I'm not being facetious.)

What's up with this? Are we seeing situations that have never, ever occurred before? Or are we seeing situations now where football referees are much "better" at reading rules according to the letter of the law?

I would say they're reading the letter of the rule to the expense of the spirit of the game, but I also realize that ambiguity is also a bad thing. What say ye about this?

**cdcox** · 12-18-2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrickyNicky

If the touch is the ruling, then any time anyone first blocks the punt, the ball is live and if the kicking team recovers, they should get the first down. The first contact the receiving team makes is on the block...

Nope. It depends on where the ball is:

When touched behind the LOS the ball is not live (Pollard's touch did not make the ball live)

When touched beyond the LOS the ball is live (Ross' touch made the ball live)

In short summary, the fact that the punt was blocked changes nothing as to when and where the recieving team can touch it.

JonesCrusher · 12-18-2006, 10:21 AM

I think that the schitzophrenic officiating is a result of the Instant Replay implimentation. Officials feel like they are being second guessed and over-analyzed. They are asked to be judges at high speed and then are scrutinized in slow-motion.

I am in no way defending the officials, this is their job and they are paid very well. I am just explaining my take on human nature.

Now to tie back to thread topic, the officials are using these "weird and obtuse" rules to show flaws in system. It is like if my boss became very critical of every move I made and created a committee to review my faults I would become hostile and a stickler for every rule and regulation that I think shows flaws in company policy.

digi2fish · 12-18-2006, 10:21 AM

I would like to mention the penalty of the tackle LJ played to Polamanu.
I strongly suggest Carl to sign ZZ Top as our RBs.

**Bearcat** · 12-18-2006, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

What's up with this? Are we seeing situations that have never, ever occurred before? Or are we seeing situations now where football referees are much "better" at reading rules according to the letter of the law?

1 & 2 have to do with players not paying attention/knowing the rules, and I think that's the biggest issue (I don't remember #3). Just Plaxico Burress' spiked ball that was ruled a fumble. Granted, #1 is different because you could argue "it happened so quickly blah blah blah".... maybe the refs are getting smarter or the players are just getting stupider.

big nasty kcnut · 12-18-2006, 10:26 AM

LOL digi

**noa** · 12-18-2006, 10:28 AM

How about Colquitt's "fumble" that was returned for a TD against the Seahawks? I still don't understand how the official interpreted what he did as a fumble rather than a sissy throw.

**morphius** · 12-18-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ugly Duck

Yeah... we recovered a fumbled kickoff at a critical point, but were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct because one of our players got pushed out of bounds and "didn't make a strong enough effort" to get back in bounds quickly. Didn't look much different than any other kickoff on the replay. They took away our fumble recovery & penalized us 15 yards.

I have seen that called a few times, and the Oakland guy never really tried to get back onto the field of play for 40 yards.

**morphius** · 12-18-2006, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noa949

How about Colquitt's "fumble" that was returned for a TD against the Seahawks? I still don't understand how the official interpreted what he did as a fumble rather than a sissy throw.

Yup, how is a spike going forward a fumble and a soft toss (okay it was more like a layup) going forward a fumble?

Frankie · 12-18-2006, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boltpower 21

I don't think this would work. If it's not a live ball, you could not have blocked punts returned for touchdowns anymore. Just turning it into a dead ball seems to take all the excitement that follows what happens after the blocked punt.

so let's make the recovery within 10 yards unreturnable.

Frankie · 12-18-2006, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdcox

Nope. It depends on where the ball is:

When touched behind the LOS the ball is not live (Pollard's touch did not make the ball live)

When touched beyond the LOS the ball is live (Ross' touch made the ball live)

In short summary, the fact that the punt was blocked changes nothing as to when and where the recieving team can touch it.

Good point.

**Fire Me Boy!** · 12-18-2006, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptlyon

That rule of having to have a cover sheet for the TPS reports still boggles my mind.

rel="Lightbox"?attachmentid=64124&stc=1" border="0" alt="" class="tcattdimgresizer" onload="NcodeImageResizer.createOn(this);" />

trndobrd · 12-18-2006, 12:38 PM

Teams should start bringing in an attorney as part of their special teams packages.

Demonpenz · 12-18-2006, 12:51 PM

Madden is always talking about this one, but what about the cards rams game earlier this year where the rams were punting and there was an offsides on the cards and the rams declined it and since the game can end on a defensive penalty the cards would have had a shot at an untimed freekick down. Then when they were lining up for a field goal the refs said wait... now they want to accept the penalty game over.

Megbert · 12-18-2006, 01:00 PM

Troy Palumaluloalaola's interception that wasn't. Against the Colts in the playoffs last year.

**Rain Man** · 12-18-2006, 01:12 PM

Anyone else remember the Sproles play? That one really got me. A punted ball bounced off his chest and caromed forward right into the arms of a punt coverage guy who caught it and kept going. The punt coverage guy then got penalized for "interfering with a punt return" or some such thing, because apparently it's not a muffed punt until it hits the ground. Jeepers - the guy couldn't even dodge the ball.

12-18-2006, 09:50 AM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3338491 VARSITY	The era of weird and obtuse football rules. Does it seem like we've had a lot of bizarre technical calls in recent times? Off the top of my head, I can recall: 1. The whole blocked punt thing last night that showed that a team can get a first down without the ball ever crossing the first-down mark and without a penalty or giving up possession. 2. We had the Vincent Jackson thing a couple of weeks ago where a player can take a live ball and willingly toss it onto the ground, but if it goes forward, then it's a forward pass and therefore not a fumble. 3. We had the situation with Darren Sproles of the Chargers early this year or late last year where he muffed a punt and the other team recovered, only to be penalized because, even if the returner completely loses control of the ball, the other team still has to wait around to see if he can regain control before it hits the ground. Are there others? It seems like I've seen more, but if they don't involve the Chiefs I tend to forget them. (It's probably just a coincidence that all these involve the Chargers and ended up to their advantage, and I'm not being facetious.) What's up with this? Are we seeing situations that have never, ever occurred before? Or are we seeing situations now where football referees are much "better" at reading rules according to the letter of the law? I would say they're reading the letter of the rule to the expense of the spirit of the game, but I also realize that ambiguity is also a bad thing. What say ye about this?
Posts: 141,344

12-18-2006, 10:21 AM	#17
JonesCrusher Knock Knock Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Southeast Wisconsin Casino cash: $10006550	I think that the schitzophrenic officiating is a result of the Instant Replay implimentation. Officials feel like they are being second guessed and over-analyzed. They are asked to be judges at high speed and then are scrutinized in slow-motion. I am in no way defending the officials, this is their job and they are paid very well. I am just explaining my take on human nature. Now to tie back to thread topic, the officials are using these "weird and obtuse" rules to show flaws in system. It is like if my boss became very critical of every move I made and created a committee to review my faults I would become hostile and a stickler for every rule and regulation that I think shows flaws in company policy.
Posts: 771

12-18-2006, 10:21 AM	#18
digi2fish Your Asian Chief Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: New York Casino cash: $10004900	I would like to mention the penalty of the tackle LJ played to Polamanu. I strongly suggest Carl to sign ZZ Top as our RBs. __________________ 堪薩斯 = Kansas / 市 = City / 酋長 = Chiefs 驢子 = doncos / 看到驢子輸球就很爽 = always a pleasure to see the doncos lose I'm the noontime nitecrew
Posts: 2,097

12-18-2006, 10:26 AM	#20
big nasty kcnut The pizza king of kansas Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Somewhere in the u.s.a. Casino cash: $1640900	LOL digi __________________ When it's grim, be the grim reaper and go get it. Adopt a chiefs Travis Kelce. You woke up the wrong mother****er!
Posts: 18,829

12-18-2006, 10:28 AM	#21
noa Band Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $1615453	How about Colquitt's "fumble" that was returned for a TD against the Seahawks? I still don't understand how the official interpreted what he did as a fumble rather than a sissy throw. __________________ Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes, well, he eats you.
Posts: 8,302

12-18-2006, 12:38 PM	#27
trndobrd 'Stachecicle Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Tolerance Box Casino cash: $4975087	Teams should start bringing in an attorney as part of their special teams packages. __________________ "I don't really think there is a need to raise or debate this point." -jAZ
Posts: 7,074

12-18-2006, 12:51 PM	#28
Demonpenz I got Rice cookin in the micro Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Apartment "G UNIT!" Casino cash: $3142136	Madden is always talking about this one, but what about the cards rams game earlier this year where the rams were punting and there was an offsides on the cards and the rams declined it and since the game can end on a defensive penalty the cards would have had a shot at an untimed freekick down. Then when they were lining up for a field goal the refs said wait... now they want to accept the penalty game over. __________________
Posts: 54,271

12-18-2006, 01:00 PM	#29
Megbert New and shiny. Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: KC KS Casino cash: $9270260	Troy Palumaluloalaola's interception that wasn't. Against the Colts in the playoffs last year.
Posts: 10,198

12-18-2006, 01:12 PM	#30
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3338491 VARSITY	Anyone else remember the Sproles play? That one really got me. A punted ball bounced off his chest and caromed forward right into the arms of a punt coverage guy who caught it and kept going. The punt coverage guy then got penalized for "interfering with a punt return" or some such thing, because apparently it's not a muffed punt until it hits the ground. Jeepers - the guy couldn't even dodge the ball. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,344