IMHO, the concept of lag time is the second most confusing part of the rules (closely following correctable errors) - made even more confusing by the fact that lag time does not appear anywhere in the rules (please show me a reference if I am wrong) but only in the casebook.

Now, I'm sure this has been beaten to death in past years, but I got my copy of the rulebook & casebook in the mail today, and would like some clarification to two plays in the casebook.

5.10.1B
Play: A1 Travels. Immediately after the official sounds the whistle and signals the clock to stop, he/she glances at the clock and notices there are three seconds remaining in the quarter. However, the timer does not stop the clock and time expires.
Ruling: The referee will direct that three seconds be put back on the clock since he/she had definite knowledge of the amount of time involved.

5.10.1D
Play: As the official calls a three-second lane violation, he/she properly sounds the whistle and gives the signal to stop the clock. While doing this, the official is able to see the exact time remaining in the fourth quarter. The clock shows five seconds remaining. . . . (d) the time runs out completely.
Ruling: The referee will order four seconds put on the clock in . . . (d). One second must be allowed for normal reaction even when a correction is made. The timer should be able to react and stop the clock in one second when the whistle is heard and/or the signal is seen.

What is the difference in these two situations? Also, what is meant by the comment following 5.10.1B?

It seems that the only difference is that in the first case the timer never attempted to stop the clock. I guess that if he had stopped it at 1 second, we would only be able to put 2 seconds back up on the clock?

I agree that it is confusing...

Anyone have some ideas here?

Mark --

You need to read the comment after case 5.10.1B.

Note that in that case, the referee noticed the clock *after* he blew the whistle. This is the same as the 1 second lag time.

In the other case (5.10.1D), the referee noticed the clock *while* blowing the whistle. There has been no lag time yet, so it needs to be allowed for.

I did read the comment, it's just that I didn't quite understand it.

I really don't see any difference between seeing it "while" and seeing it "immediately after" (emphasis mine). I do, however, see your point under the semantics of the rules.

What confuses me most is the part "The rules do not permit the referee to make allowance for normal reaction time of the timer which results in a "lag" in stopping the clock. By interpretation, 'lag or reaction' time is limited to one second when the official's signal is heard or seen clearly."

Follow-Up Question
 

Time running out in a close game, timer is watching the clock. He/she hears the whistle, and the clock shows :03 at the instant the whistle is blown.

(a) He/she tries to stop the clock, but the switch doesn't respond, and time runs out.

His/her finger slips trying to stop the clock, and it stops at (b) :02, (c) :01, (d) :00, or (e) Time expires.

Now, part two
(I) None of the officials look at the clock.
(II) One of the officials is daydreaming and looking at the clock for the whole process - from whistle to stoppage.

In each situation, can the clock be reset, under whose authority/judgement (obviously R has final call), and to what clock setting?

Re: Follow-Up Question
 

In all instances, set it to :02.

The Fed's definition of "immediately after", at least in that particular case, is :01. YMMMV.

So basically, if the whistle sounds at :03, and I stop the clock at :03, I am incorrect under the principles of lag time.

Uuugghhhhhh!

No...I assume you are talking about being the timer here...if you hear the whistle and stop the clock immediately - good for you! Please come be the timer at my games...the lag time guideline is put in there for when we as officials need to put time back on the clock...If I have definite knowledge of the time, I can put it back up there-hence the case of "immediately after blowing the whistle"...if I see the clock as I blow whistle, and clock doesn't stop, I need to allow for one second of reaction time when I put time back up - again, if you can hit the switch and get things stopped faster than that, great...it's just a guideline to follow in those ugly situations when one coach is yelling "5! We should have 5", and the other coach is saying "1! Give them 1 second"...

I know that it is good that the clock is stopped almost instantaneously. What annoys me is that we allow for error. If the whistle blows at :01, and the clock doesn't stop (for whatever reason - incompetence, mechanical failure), the game is over due to lag time - no matter how many people see that the clock should have stopped at :01.