[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Official

Ok so a lot of you guys are giving different explanations: I'm confused.

FOUL AT THE SNAP: If after the ready for play AND after the center has placed his hand on the ball if B is in the NZ at the snap. No foul if defense gets back???

FOUL BEFORE THE SNAP: If B crosses into the NZ after the ready for play AND after the center has placed his hand on the B.

Your confusion is not caused by the rules, it's a question of understanding how, and when, to apply the rules. The over arching umbrella covering all rules is the question of "Advantage/Disadvantage", which as you gain experience will seem a clearer issue.

Rules are simply the verbiage expressing the intent of how a game is supposed to be played. As you will inevitably understand, selecting the appropriate and proper verbiage to express an intention is at best an inaccurate art form.

How tightly, or technically, you apply specific rules depends substantially on the skill level of the participants, the tightness of the contest and the level of competition. The primary objective is to prevent one team (or player) from gaining an unfair advantage over the opponent. The emphasis and focus on the word unfair is deliberate, as the heart of this game is to take advantage of the opponents weaknesses.

"Consistency" is a word bandied about in relation to officiating. The primary level of consistency required is limited to "within the game you are working", whereas how you may react or respond to a particular action is the same at the beginning, during and through, up to the end and it is applied equally to both teams.

Beyond "that game" consistency applies to how YOU may respond to similar situations in other games, then how YOU may respond in similar situations to the manner and extent others, in your universe, respond to those situations, but the primary focus remains with how consistent YOU are within THAT game you are currently working.

How tightly/technically YOU decide to work is YOUR decision, and you will have all sorts of advice and guidance available helping/hindering you in making those decisions. You will see levels that work well and levels that work poorly and you should consider both in formulating your own standards.

Flexibility and a willingness to adjust are key as circumstances and situations will never be static. There are very few "silver bullets" and one size NEVER fits all.