Footbal rules -- The "spot pass"?
 

Sparked by a discussion on a tabletop gaming forum, I'm wondering if anybody around here might know more about this than we've been able to find.

It started with a question about an alleged little-known rule that allowed a kick returner to throw a forward pass as long as they didn't take a step before doing so. It initially stumped the panel until someone mentioned the phrase "spot pass". From there, two of us simulataneously found references to this in flag football, like these from Univ. of Dayton Intramural Flag Football Rules www.udayton.edu/~recsport/flagfbrules.doc

"SPOT PASS
A player who catches any kick-off or punt in the AIR may pass the ball forward, provided one does not take more than two steps after the catch is made. If the kick or punt touches the ground first, then a spot pass can NOT be made. Any incomplete pass made from a team’s own end zone results in a safety and two points for the other team. Other incomplete spot passes are placed at the spot of the throw. Incomplete spot passes do not count as a down."

My question for FOFC is whether anybody has ever run across mentions of this rule anywhere other than flag football? Was it ever legal in college or pro 11-man football? I figure if there's any evidence of that, somebody around here is likely to know about it.

That would be an awesome NFL rule.

"Manning is back deep to field the kick, Harrison and Stokley are the gunners"

This isn't really what you were looking for, but when I was a kid in the playground, our standing house rule was that you had "passing all over" on kick and interception returns (meaning that you could pass forward to your teammates on these plays (no steps limit).) I have no idea whence we got that rule, but it would be interesting if it had some relation to flag football rules.

Article 43-7.1 of the NFL officials Handbook states:
During the return of a kickoff or punt, if the receiver on the receiving team catches the ball prior to contact with any player or the playing surface, the receiver may make a foreword pass to any player on the field prior to the receiver making an attempt at foreword progress. Once foreword progress is made or attempted any such foreword pass of the football will result in an illegal foreword pass penalty as outlined in article 17-3.2.

Dola - in case it's not obvious, I just made that up.

well, you almost had me, until I saw the "foreword" twice in the sentence :)

FM

edit: actually, now that I've read the thing it's in there like 7 times in the paragraph :eek:

Shows my limited vocabulary. I couldn't come up with another word for foreword.

I'm certain this was legal in college ball at some point. Searching.

Dude, i was so excited for a moment. How rude. :p

Who the fuck are you? Stephanie Tanner?

No, but I always had a thing for Kimmie. If i had to rank them I would say,

1. Kimmie
2. Stephanie
3. DJ

Does that help?

What, no love for the Olsen twins ... or was that a different show?

Dola, not too shabby, i'm a gonna have ta rearange me list me thinks.

First, sorry Jon for radically changing topics.
:D

Secondly, I remember the actress that played Stephanie gained a lot of weight. Not sure how recent that pic is, Suicane.

Yes Jon, i apologize also, and Sov, don't ruin my fantasy for this evening please, mmmmkay?

You failed.

I think it was before they turned 18

When i was 15 they were 3, you can see how they never entered my mind in that way.

As a certified high school official, I've never come across that rule. My favorite rule is that you can free kick after a fair catch.

Even when they were 3 you just knew they were going to be hotties ... er .. don't let my probation officer see this.

Manning? Screw that.

"Vick makes the catch...the gunner is there, but he stops as Vick pump fakes...now Vick has a clear shot down the sideline..."

When I was younger (ages 10-15 or so), me and a ton of local kids had an afternoon street football game every day.

A few years into it an adultish guy moved in across the street (I'd guess about 19-22 or so, looking back on it). He brought this rule with him and acted as our 'steady' QB during games.

I thought it was kind of a cool rule for street football, but obviously not a 'real' rule.

Is that in HS Football?

It came straight from rugby.

Hmm, older dude, wants to play with younger kids, acts as "steady" QB meaning everyone has to snap to him..............Something ya wanna let us know CT?

If by "hotties" you mean "Heroine addicted zombie whores," then yes, I agree with you wholeheartedly...

As far as I know, it's also in the NFL -- I've seen it discussed by announcers in the context of something that might be done in extreme cases right before the half but not in a normal game situation e.g. if a guy made a fair catch at around the 50 with only a couple of seconds left in the half.

Its a highschool rule. When i was in HS, our kicker made a 62 or 67 yard field goal at the end of the half. It was a state record at the time I believe. He went on to kick for Oklahoma State.

How about forward? :D

As I thought, the rule does exist in the NFL.

http://www.nfl.com/fans/rules/fairkick

No snapping, just the QB starting the action by saying 'hike' with the ball already in hand.

It is a little weird looking back on it, but I think the guy was just missing the days when he played football, and looking for anyway to play even the most unofficial of games. Our best games were certainly that 1 year he was around though. Some completely epic street battles.

I recall reading about an NFL game in the 50's or 60's maybe that was won on a free kick after a fair catch.

:D

FM

LOL - I didn't even catch that (neither did most people). Guess I've been reading too many books lately.

Damn Homonyms.

Well, my first post about it wasn't so much about the fact it was there numerous times, but more the fact that the same mistake was there all the time... Dang copy/paste :)

FM

Noone knows it and it's rarely done. Most of the coaches I deal with don't know the obvious rules - if one more A#*hole tells me that you can advance a muffed punt for a TD I'm going to lose it.