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Old Fri Oct 14, 2011, 07:19am
Eastshire Eastshire is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Goodman View Post
But once the kicker is gone, the holder ceases to place the ball for a kick. If your interpret'n were correct, that placing the ball for a kick were simply an act that is completed once the ball is teed up, then while in that position the holder who momentarily teed up the ball could then do anything with the ball and it would remain alive. Yet we know that's not the case, because there's a separate exception to allow him to rise, and it's well established that he can't pass the ball from the kneeling position in Fed rules. Therefore placing the ball for a kick must be a continuing action that ends only when the ball is kicked or the holder rises; it is not completed once the ball is teed up, it is ongoing while the ball is held in that position for an ostensible place kick. If there is no kicker in position, then the exception no longer applies.
Your saying that "places a ball for a kick" implicitly includes a teammate in a kicking position, placing a ball for a kick is an ongoing action, and the exception terminates if the ongoing action ceases without the holder rising appropriately. Let's look at them in that order.

If "places a ball for a kick" implicitly includes having a teammate in a kicking position, why would the rule specifically require a teammate in a kicking position and placing the ball for a kick? That would be redundant. I submit placing a ball for a kick is merely putting the ball on the ground so that it can be placed kicked since that action has no other football purpose.

I'll go along with it being an ongoing action but I don't believe it has much relevance as the exception will continue as long as he holds the ball to the ground.

The third point is basically moot as we'd all agree the play is dead if the holder did something other than holding the ball to the ground or rising.
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