Number Cruncher
Time to go.... NOW
Okay... this one always confused me...
Situation: Opening kickoff (or any kickoff really). The kicker places the tee and gets the kicking ball from an official. The official turns and jogs the 25 or so yards over to the sideline to check for members of the kicking team being offsides at the time of kick. The kicker places the ball on the tee and takes a number of steps back.. and to the right to prepare for kickoff. His teammates spread out to their starting positions to await the kickoff. The kicker raises his hand to inform the receiving team who will be delivering the football. He lowers his hand.. begins his approach and....
the wind knocks the ball off the tee.
The kicker recovers it and starts to replace it on the tee, that is, until the official jogs in the 25 yards from the sideline, takes the ball from the kicker and then hands it back to him. The kicker places the ball on the tee and the process begins again, hopefully resulting in a touchback or something after the successful kicking of the ball.
Why is it that the ref has to run in, touch the ball, and hand it back to the kicker? He was there about thirty seconds before and the ball was good to go. Is there a rule that the ball cannot touch the ground between the time the official hands the ball to the kicker and it is placed on the tee?
These things keep me up at night.
Anyone know what the deal is? Have you noticed this yourselves?
Situation: Opening kickoff (or any kickoff really). The kicker places the tee and gets the kicking ball from an official. The official turns and jogs the 25 or so yards over to the sideline to check for members of the kicking team being offsides at the time of kick. The kicker places the ball on the tee and takes a number of steps back.. and to the right to prepare for kickoff. His teammates spread out to their starting positions to await the kickoff. The kicker raises his hand to inform the receiving team who will be delivering the football. He lowers his hand.. begins his approach and....
the wind knocks the ball off the tee.
The kicker recovers it and starts to replace it on the tee, that is, until the official jogs in the 25 yards from the sideline, takes the ball from the kicker and then hands it back to him. The kicker places the ball on the tee and the process begins again, hopefully resulting in a touchback or something after the successful kicking of the ball.
Why is it that the ref has to run in, touch the ball, and hand it back to the kicker? He was there about thirty seconds before and the ball was good to go. Is there a rule that the ball cannot touch the ground between the time the official hands the ball to the kicker and it is placed on the tee?
These things keep me up at night.
Anyone know what the deal is? Have you noticed this yourselves?