On Side Kick

[The Roamin' Umpire]

Originally posted by Bob M.
REPLY: However...4-2-2a refers to a "runner" which by definition is a player "in possession" of a live ball. "Possession" requires that he is handed the ball or he has "caught" or "recovered" it. "Recovery" requires that he first contact the ground inbounds. There is no 'exception' which allows you to rule a recovery because an opponent's contact stopped his forward progress like there is with a "catch." Therefore, he has not "recovered" the ball; he's not in "possession" of a live ball; he's not a "runner" and 4-2-2a can't apply. I believe that technically you still have a free kick OOB. I don't necessarily like it, but I think that would be the correct ruling.

Gah! This is what I get for taking any word in the book for granted, even a supposedly obvious one like "runner."

But... *looks crafty* I could (but probably shouldn't) argue that the guy with the ball in midair is, in some way, "simulating possession of a live ball" which makes him a runner. So forward progress works.

Now, I know that this is certainly not the intent of the "simulating" phrase in 2-30-13. But flagging this as a free kick OOB when the guy is literally carried 5 yards to the sideline just doesn't sit right. Of course, it'd never happen anyway. But it'd be nice if there were a term in the rule book for a player who has the ball, but has not established possession yet.