goalie interferance

[CoachRob]

LaxRef,

I"m sorry for not being clear. I meant a defender standing in the goal crease but not acting as the designated goalkeeper (no throat or chest protector, and no GK crosse). If you can't get a backup GK ready in time, you have no choice but to put a defender in the crease (that happened to our team once).

We agree he gets no GK privileges, but crease violations still apply.

You stated: I'd like to apply the same logic, but there's the small matter that the rules ONLY specify a free clear for goalie interference with possession and for time-serving penalties with the ball in the defensive half of the field.

I'm not sure that is true. Rule 7-3, paragraph 2, sentence 1 dictates a free clear for a time-serving penalty in the defensive half, and Rule 6-2.3 gives a free clear for GK interference with possession. I do NOT see a SPECIFIC rule that states a free clear is to be given ONLY under those two situations.

There is a difference between making the statement "Only under these circumstances..." and finding two separate rules that apply the same penalty and concluding these to be the ONLY cases in which that particular penalty is applied. (Do you have a rule reference that states the word "ONLY"?)

For instance, it is one thing to say (1) John Jones is 6' 1", and (2) John Evans is 6' 1", versus saying "ONLY men named John are 6' 1" tall". I think that may be what you have done with the free clear situation.

I hope I sated that clearly. It's a bit tough to write exactly what you are thinking.

But we agree, it seems like it should be a free clear. If you submit your question, would you mind submitting mine as well?