4-2-2 New rule for holders

[Warrenkicker]

From the Comments on 2006 Rules Revisions.

ACTION BY THE HOLDER (4-2-2): The holder is now allowed to recover a short snap that bounces high in the same way a high snap is handled.

So here is the rule now with the added words underlined.

4-2-2a2 The ball remains live if, at the snap, a place-kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground and with a teammate in kicking position rises and catches or recovers an errant snap and immediately returns his knee(s) to the ground and places the ball for a kick or again rises to advance, hand, kick or pass.

So let's look at the definition of recovery. I think we all know what it is but let's just review.

2-35-1 A recovery is gaining possession of a live ball after it strikes the ground. An airborne player has completed a recovery when he first contacts the ground inbounds with the ball in his possession.

So we are trying to recover a snap and we know how to recover it so let's see what exactly a snap is.

2-39-1 A snap is the legal act of passing or handing the ball backward from its position on the ground. I think we all also knew that one so next rule.
2-39-2 The snap begins when the snapper first moves the ball legally other than in adjustment. In a snap, the movement must be a quick and continuous backward motion of the ball during which the ball immediately leaves the hand(s) of the snapper and touches a back or the ground before it touches an A lineman. I think we knew that one too so on to the last part.
2-39-3 The snap ends when the ball touches the ground or any player.

Ah, now we are getting somewhere. A snap ends when it touches the ground but yet to recover a ball, the ball must be grounded. It appears that you can't recover a snap. We now have a rule which describes an impossible situation.

Anybody see this differently.

[Opie]

The choice of the word "recover" was probably not a good one. We know what the intent is here, but we live by definitions.
Perhaps the word "retrieve" or "pick-up" would have been a better choice of words.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Holy crap. Someone has too much time on their hands.

[kdf5]

Picky, picky, picky!