Runner diving for the pylon.

Mike Simonds · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 30, 2002, 05:41pm

I understand the rule regarding a runner touching inbounds and the ball in his possession crosses the goal line extended. He scores a touchdown even if the ball is beyond the sideline as long as his feet are touching inbounds.

What about an airborne runner that dives for the goal line and the ball touches the pylon? Is this a touchdown or is the ball out of bounds where it crosses the sideline?

Seems to me that strictly according to the rule this should be ruled out of bounds.

Can somebody help me find this in the rule or case book?

SDUMP · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 30, 2002, 06:21pm

Mike,
Without looking in my rule book (don't carry it with me to work), the pylon marks the goal line - so touchdown. If the ball touches the pylon, the ball touches the goal line extended. Will look at case book when I get home for reference number, but I'm sure one of the wiley old veterans will have an answer for you by tomorrow morning.

BktBallRef · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 30, 2002, 09:10pm

Mike, as SDUMP stated, if the ball is touches the pylon and the runner is still touching inbouns, we have a TD. In order to touch the pylon, the ball must first break the goal line plane.

If the runner is not touching the ground inbounds, the ball is OOB where it crosses the sideline.

The case play you're looking for is 2.25.3.

BTW, this gives me a chance to put in a word for Athletic Rules Study. I'm sure most officials understand how valuable the exam practice can be. However, the CD also has the rule book, case book, and funny book on it. I copy those files, and the accompanying support files, to my hard drive and place shortcuts on my desktop. Now I have instant access to those manuals if a question pops up on a discussion board. Also, each book has a great Find feature. For example, I type "pylon" and a list of every play with the word pylon appears. What a great study tool!

Buy it and try it!

ccbestul · #4 (**permalink**) Mon Aug 05, 2002, 09:44am

BktBallRef:
Where can one purchase this CD you talk about
I'd be very interested in it.

BktBallRef · #5 (**permalink**) Mon Aug 05, 2002, 10:46am

http://www.rules-study.com/index.html

They also have basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball and, new this year, soccer.

Mike Simonds · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Aug 05, 2002, 06:29pm

Hey BBR, how are you? I started using the ARS CD for football last year and I really like it! Not only has it improved my score but I love how the rules, case, and illustrated books are right there at your fingertips. Its been a big help to me and I'm donating my 2001 CD to a fellow official since I just got my 2002 CD in the mail a few weeks ago.

By the way, did you get your 2002 NFHS football part I test yet? Is it supposed to be a closed book exam? In our association they gave it to us last week and told us to turn it in tomorrow. I took the test closed book at home but I'm wondering how can they score us objectively if some of us take it closed book and others look up every answer?

Wishing you the best of seasons this fall...

BktBallRef · #7 (**permalink**) Mon Aug 05, 2002, 10:48pm

I'm good, Mike. Got my first set of scrimmage and game schedules tonight and I hit the ground running tomorrow night. How about you?

I just got my 2002 football cd today. Had a clinic tonight, so i haven't had a chance to play with it yet. have you tryied copying the books to your hard drive and accessing them from your desktop? it works great.

We normally receive Part 1 with our books from the state association. For some reason, I was on the bottom of the list and didn't get a copy this year. I guess I'll have to copy one or give them a call. In NC, we take Part 2 as our closed book exam.

Mike Simonds · #8 (**permalink**) Tue Aug 06, 2002, 02:46pm

Thanks for the advice BBR. I'm not much of a computer guy but I will try to load that CD on my hand drive as you suggested.

Wish I had a scanner; I could send you the Part I exam but you are better off copying it or getting a copy sent from your state association or national office. I believe we will take Part II as the closed book exam at the end of September. Guess Part I is mainly for our preseason study.

Its hard to believe that we start the season this month: I just found out that high schools have just started practice. Our association schedules us during the week of the game: we only cover six high schools in our league and driving time to the game sites only averages about 30 minutes.

Hope you have a great season and I'm looking forward to many interesting discussions here.

BktBallRef · #9 (**permalink**) Tue Aug 06, 2002, 03:55pm

I'll see if I can walk you through it.

1- Insert the ARS cd into the drive and open Windows Explorer.
2- Click on your CDROM drive which should say ARS.
3- You should now have the contents of ARS listed on the right.
4- Double click on the "ARSData" folder.
5- Now drag and drop the "2002_HS_Football" folder to your hard drive, probably the "C" drive.
6- Now, double click on the "2002_HS_Football" folder that you just copied to your hard drive, to open it.
7- The rule book is "fbrbo2.hlp." The case book is "fbcb02.hlp." Right click on either one, go to "Send To," and "Desktop (create shortcut.) Then do the other file.
8- Once the shortcuts are on your desktop, you can right click and rename the files to a more recognizable name.

Hope that helps!