11/23/24
August 18, 2005
Host of new rules for the 2005 NFL Season: It continues to amaze me how part time NFL officials can remember all the complicated rules which frequently change and be expected to accurately spot and call violations in blazing real time action.
posted by tommysands to football at 08:42 AM - 22 comments
The hard part is understanding the plays and techniques, not the rules. They dont change every year, so much as they are refitted to the league every year. It is essentially the same rule with a clearer definition or a steeper penalty, nothing the average fan shouldnt be incapable of understanding or worried about.
posted by Drallig9399 at 09:38 AM on August 18, 2005
It continues to amaze me how part time NFL officials can remember all the complicated rules which frequently change and be expected to accurately spot and call violations in blazing real time action. I would agree with this post entirely(except for the blazing real time action part) yes, the infraction is at real time,the "call" is real time, but the huttle by 5 officials to decide whether the call was right(unfortunately)happends at real time aswell.I must also say, i'd rather have the huttle (and replay)than a bad call.
posted by Web_Spiner at 09:39 AM on August 18, 2005
It is essentially the same rule with a clearer definition or a steeper penalty, nothing the average fan shouldnt be incapable of understanding or worried about. I had to read the following example several times and I still don't fully understand it: "An offensive player who is aligned in the tackle box at the snap and moves to a position outside the box cannot initiate contact on the side and below the waist of an opponent if the player is moving back toward the direction of his own end line. If the near shoulder of the blocker contacts the front of his opponent's body, the "peel back" block is legal."
posted by tommysands at 09:58 AM on August 18, 2005
I am sure most of the rules are written along those same lines, they have to be exact so that they can be applied. Would you really want them to write it like: An offensive player lined up inside the box cannot move outside the box to initiate a chop block on opponent, however they can perform a "peel back block". I think their way of writing it makes sense but I guess I am above the average fan.
posted by Drallig9399 at 10:28 AM on August 18, 2005
9399, I'm not objecting to the way the rules in the NFL are written. My concern is how the officials and aveage fans can understand them and how the part time officials can spot them and accuracy call an infraction. I spoke with a NFL Back Judge one time who told me the most difficult thing he had to do was remember the constantly changing rule on pass interference. A contrasting sport is baseball where the rules are relatively simple and do not change all the time and the umpires are full time employees of MLB.
posted by tommysands at 10:51 AM on August 18, 2005
I think your point is a little off target. The hardest things for refs are the infractions that happen every play like holding. The pass interference shouldnt be a so much of a problem now, as far them judging it. This year if either player initiates contact past the first 5 yards and is not in the act of going for the ball, coincidental contact, then they will be charged with pass interference whether they are on offense or defense. I think its fair, thats the way they call it at the lower levels, dont they? I dont see how baseball helps your argument. Their "strike zone" is a joke, every ump has a different one and they really give star pitchers (and hitters) benefit of the doubt.
posted by Drallig9399 at 12:56 PM on August 18, 2005
and they really give star pitchers (and hitters) benefit of the doubt This happens in every sport. Look at the travelling "rule" in basketball, or the way penalties are called in hockey. Hell, just read through the threads here about Todd Bertuzzi if you want to see how stars get preferential treatment. Until we can build robots that recognize infractions, it's gonna happen...
posted by MeatSaber at 01:01 PM on August 18, 2005
Their "strike zone" is a joke, every ump has a different one That's a little different. The strike zone is relatively simple. It's the umps who choose to call it differently.
posted by tommysands at 01:35 PM on August 18, 2005
Build the robots and let the old men that call themselves refs become regular fans like the rest of us, thats my vote.
posted by Drallig9399 at 02:21 PM on August 18, 2005
what 9399 said
posted by tommysands at 02:56 PM on August 18, 2005
What is a huttle?
posted by Bobochub at 03:32 PM on August 18, 2005
Where we resolve any muttles the kinfolk have.
posted by yerfatma at 03:51 PM on August 18, 2005
I've said it often: it's amazing to me that so many people are such fanatical fans of a game that's so complicated they can't possibly fully understand it. I agree with Fabulon. The NFL does not exist as we know it today without television or fans. Why do they continuously want to make it more difficult for the fans to understand the game? Here is a simple example: There appears to be holding on every play yet it is not called on every play. Why? And please refrain from a "to speed up the game" answer. Wouldn't it be nice if the NFL had a fans website for their rules with video tape for examples of the various penalties? At the age of 41, I still have trouble with the rules.
posted by panteeze at 04:02 PM on August 18, 2005
What is a huttle? Where we resolve any muttles the kinfolk have. fatma give me big laugh, again.
posted by tommysands at 04:26 PM on August 18, 2005
I think i did that twice due to the "space shuddle"article i was reading just before the post. But i do thank you chubboboob for your first post here at spofi.witty, informative and nowhere near the topic.You'll fit right in here. I suffer from a mild case of dickslexus-a.
posted by Web_Spiner at 08:03 PM on August 18, 2005
Web_Spellspoof.......Thanks for the props .....shuddle...muttle....huttle... Boo Hoo...you had me, you lost me. I'll keep a Raider eye out for you!
posted by Bobochub at 08:19 PM on August 18, 2005
thank you chubboboob Web_Spellspoof Admin, Admin, they're trying to take my job away from me. I thought I was the official Snicker Nicker Picker. Tell them they have to check with me first...please. /just askin
posted by tommysands at 08:33 PM on August 18, 2005
It's like an 18 wheeler from Vowel and Consonants Shipping jack-knifed on our discussion highway.
posted by yerfatma at 08:50 PM on August 18, 2005
Wow, such poetry, fatma. I kneel before thee...
posted by tommysands at 09:02 PM on August 18, 2005
what the dennis miller rant are you people talking about?
posted by Web_Spiner at 01:17 AM on August 19, 2005
Here is a simple example: There appears to be holding on every play yet it is not called on every play. Why? And please refrain from a "to speed up the game" answer. They dont call it if there was no impact on the play. If there are just 2 guys on the backside going at it the ref isnt going to waste his time.
posted by Drallig9399 at 09:03 AM on August 19, 2005
I've said it often: it's amazing to me that so many people are such fanatical fans of a game that's so complicated they can't possibly fully understand it. Go Pack! (Yes, I know, they're going to suck. Shut up.)