NF: 2008 timeout rule change

[PSU213]

Originally Posted by ajmc

How dead do we have to beat this horse? The reason there's no Case Book advice on this change is that nobody ever considered it could be built into such a silly mountain.

The original rule change was intended to provide opportunity for an adult supervisor, of each team, to have the authority to directly call a TO. This years simple adjustment simply allows that responsibility to be designated to someone other than the titled Head Coach.

It's not confusing unless you want it to be. The Head Coach is automatically granted that authority, this year he can choose to designate that responsibility to someone else, but if he does the designation is final, unless there is "an emergency". Must the rules list a succession plan for every conceivable possible emergency, or does the smallest amout of common sense provide enough guidance.

First, I think this was a fairly rude way to respond to a legitimate question. Second, this rule is set up for problems in the sense it can be interpreted a bunch of different ways, and I think it would make sense to address them now rather than half way through the second quarter while on the field on a Friday night. In 99% of games it won't be an issue, but I can see some type of potential problem. As for the issue of not needing to be in the casebook: The case book often has many ruling for very basic situations, yet there are some (like this and others) which could easily be helped by adding one play here or there to it and deleting some of the obvious ones and/or repeats.

...and as for the original question, if the designated assistant does something to get himself ejected, this, in my mind, is not an emergency.