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Let me give a little background to this question.
When the NF instituted this penalty, several of our crews were placing the ball in the center of the field on the proper yardline (I myself probably did this). We (they) were reminded that the rule stated that the ball will be placed at the inbounds spot (6-1-8b if chosen) and we began properly placing the ball.
Several officials were discussing this play and came to the conclusion (logically) that this was a loose ball foul and that loose ball fouls were enforced from the previous spot (10-4-2b). The question then asked was if you kicked from the left hash mark and the ball went OOB on the right side line then wouldn't you mark the penalty from the previous spot and place the ball 25 yards ahead at the left hash mark? (There was a short side bar regarding the referee's trip to the side line to explain the ball placement.)
In my heart of hearts, I believed that we have been applying this rule properly all along. I presented this question to the board in hopes getting another angle on the question. I had previously argued that the defintion of inbounds spot (2-40-4b), the rule itself (6-1-8) and the special enforcement rule (10-5-1a) dictated that the ball should be placed on the hash mark where it went OOB. Still there was the nagging response "loose ball, previous spot".
During our latest meeting, the umpires, at their position meeting were tasked with solving this "problem". They came up with this interpretation: The actual wording of the rule is "... at the inbounds spot 25 yards BEYOND the previous spot" not FROM the previous spot. Therefore, placing the ball at the appropiate inbounds spot is definitely beyond the previous spot. This interpretation removed the "loose ball, previous spot" argument and BTW, satisfied any questions about ball placement when the kick was made from somewhere else along K's free kick line.
I found this question to be a good exercise "rule reading", however, I makes me wonder if are not our own worst enemies at reading between lines.
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Dave
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