4-2-2 New rule for holders
From the Comments on 2006 Rules Revisions.
ACTION BY THE HOLDER (4-2-2): The holder is now allowed to recover a short snap that bounces high in the same way a high snap is handled.
So here is the rule now with the added words underlined.
4-2-2a2 The ball remains live if, at the snap, a place-kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground and with a teammate in kicking position rises and catches or recovers an errant snap and immediately returns his knee(s) to the ground and places the ball for a kick or again rises to advance, hand, kick or pass.
So let's look at the definition of recovery. I think we all know what it is but let's just review.
2-35-1 A recovery is gaining possession of a live ball after it strikes the ground. An airborne player has completed a recovery when he first contacts the ground inbounds with the ball in his possession.
So we are trying to recover a snap and we know how to recover it so let's see what exactly a snap is.
2-39-1 A snap is the legal act of passing or handing the ball backward from its position on the ground. I think we all also knew that one so next rule.
2-39-2 The snap begins when the snapper first moves the ball legally other than in adjustment. In a snap, the movement must be a quick and continuous backward motion of the ball during which the ball immediately leaves the hand(s) of the snapper and touches a back or the ground before it touches an A lineman. I think we knew that one too so on to the last part.
2-39-3 The snap ends when the ball touches the ground or any player.
Ah, now we are getting somewhere. A snap ends when it touches the ground but yet to recover a ball, the ball must be grounded. It appears that you can't recover a snap. We now have a rule which describes an impossible situation.
Anybody see this differently.
|