Favorite Obscure/Weird/Quirky Rules in Sports

[albionmoonlight]

What are some of your favorite obscure/weird rules in sports?

Personally, I like the Fair Catch Kick in football--that rule that lets you try a field goal from the fair catch spot. It seems to come up once every few years (though apparently one hasn't been made at the NFL level since the mid-70s).

What are some others?

[molson]

The college football 1-point Conversion safety. I think it's only happened twice, they're both on youtube, same commentator called both.

The defensive 1-point conversation safety has never happened, but, I wait....

"In the NFL and NCAA, a conversion safety can also be scored by the defense.This scoring play has never occurred; to accomplish this, the team attempting the try must somehow be forced back to its own end zone (i.e., the opposite end of the field). A possible scenario would involve a turnover while attempting a conversion, followed by the defending team’s ball-carrier fumbling while en route to the attempting team's end zone, with the attempting team finally recovering the ball and downing it in its own end zone. While such a conversion safety has never been scored by the defense, it is the only possible way under current rules in which a team could finish with a single point in an American football game. ] The NFHS (high school) rule book does not allow the defense to score on conversion attempts"

[albionmoonlight]

What?! It's possible for a team to end with a score of 1 point in an NFL or NCAA game?! I had NO idea. That's so cool!

[cartman]

I saw the 1 point safety thing happen in a game between Texas and Texas A&M probably 15 years ago.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by molson

The college football 1-point Conversion safety. I think it's only happened twice, they're both on youtube, same commentator called both.

The defensive 1-point conversation safety has never happened, but, I wait....

"In the NFL and NCAA, a conversion safety can also be scored by the defense.This scoring play has never occurred; to accomplish this, the team attempting the try must somehow be forced back to its own end zone (i.e., the opposite end of the field). A possible scenario would involve a turnover while attempting a conversion, followed by the defending team’s ball-carrier fumbling while en route to the attempting team's end zone, with the attempting team finally recovering the ball and downing it in its own end zone. While such a conversion safety has never been scored by the defense, it is the only possible way under current rules in which a team could finish with a single point in an American football game. ] The NFHS (high school) rule book does not allow the defense to score on conversion attempts"

Had never heard of this but just looked it up on YouTube. Bizarre.

I guess I'd toss in that the dropkick still being a legal way to score is obscure these days. I know the Patriots did it with Flutie in a game.

[cartman]

The strange one from baseball you hardly ever see is if a batted ball hits the pitchers mound, and goes into foul territory without a player touching it, it is a foul ball.

[stevew]

It’s not super obscure but I’m always a fan of the untimed down and the 10 second runoff.

The Cavs Lakers game from about 7 years ago was crazy. The Lakers only had 8 healthy players I think and someone got hurt. Then 3 guys fouled out. (Actually 2 guys got hurt and 2 fouled out-edit)

Of course nobody knew the Lakers wouldn’t have to play a man down, but the Cavs apparently didn’t know that they could draw a technical every time Robert Sacre fouled someone.

[stevew]

Robert Sacre Remains in Lakers Game with 6 Fouls Due to Bizarre NBA Rule | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights

[molson]

I was on my way out and omitted the youtube videos of the 1-point safetys.

Rarest play in NCAA Football (1pt safety) - YouTube

1 point safety Oregon vs. Kansas State - YouTube

The first the time announcers are just bewildered. The second time - same announcer - he remembered this coming up. The ref in the second video does a better job of explaining things, and I like how he expressly tells everyone that it is "an unusual ruling".

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by cartman

The strange one from baseball you hardly ever see is if a batted ball hits the pitchers mound, and goes into foul territory without a player touching it, it is a foul ball.

That's an interesting one, I'm assuming it's because the ball has not passed 1st or 3rd base yet?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

That's an interesting one, I'm assuming it's because the ball has not passed 1st or 3rd base yet?

Lemme clarify a bit. It isn't the mound, but the pitching rubber. In some leagues, the pitchers mound is past the invisible line between first and third. Not sure of the origins of the rule.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by cartman

Lemme clarify a bit. It isn't the mound, but the pitching rubber. In some leagues, the pitchers mound is past the invisible line between first and third. Not sure of the origins of the rule.

Ahhh. I learn something new every day. I always thought it was just 1st and 3rd. The pitching rubber makes it a bit more interesting and one heck of a lucky hit.