Question on Free Kick

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by DesertZebra

I beg to differ. Using a tee as a decoy is not covered in the rules, hence 1-1-6.

I would submit that the Rule 2 definition of a rule says that this act is legal, even as a decoy.

A rule sometimes states what a player may do, but if there is no such statement for a given act (such as faking a kick), it is assumed that he may do what is not prohibited.

The rules define what a legal tee is and how a legal free kick is made. The rules do not say that a kick must be made from a tee or that the tee may not be present on the field if it is not used, therefore this play is legal.

You wouldn't flag a team for running a fake field goal and having a tee on the field, would you? The tee was just as much of a prop in this situation as a fake field goal.

Rule 1-1-6 is intended to be used in the bizarre situations where there truly is no rule support at all. Such as a dog running onto the field during a play and stealing the football. There is plenty of rules coverage for kicks, legal and illegal equipment so I believe it is a true stretch to say there is no rule coverage for this play.

Originally Posted by DesertZebra

So making a travesty of the game by resorting to acting, with props, is okay then? Glad I'm not in your association.

I'm all for deception, as long as it's done in a gentleman's manner. Playing tricks on the other team is not football, it's chickensh..

Football is all about deception and trickery. Hard snap counts, fake field goals, fake punts, free kicking directly from a huddle, going on first sound, going on 2, Dan Marino's fake spike and touch down pass...all of these are deceptive. So was the fumblerooski and when the Federation decided that it was too deceptive, it was specifically made illegal.

Teams have been free kicking the ball directly off of the ground for years and the Fed has not seen fit to specifically outlaw this act yet. I cannot see calling this USC. That is not within the spirit of the rules.