Why do refs say "By rule . . ." sometimes?

[albionmoonlight]

So I was watching football with some casual fans as one does over the various holidays, and an in-law asked me why do the refs sometimes just announce a penalty and sometimes say "by rule . . " when they are announcing it?

You know, how when it is holding, they will just say "Holding on the offense. Ten yard penalty, replay 3rd down."

But then other times they will phrase it like "By rule, the ball will be placed on the one yard line."

Like all of you, I have an intuitive sense of when they tend to say it. But damned if I could think of some guiding principle that lets you know when the ref will feel compelled to say "by rule."

Thoughts?

[Coffee Warlord]

I feel they say that when the spot/yardage isn't cut and dry/obvious Most everyone knows a hold is 10 years, etc etc etc. When it's a weirder situation as to where the ball is spotted or whatever, they usually include the "by rule".

[MizzouRah]

What CW said, usually when it's not something known. Seems to me like they are letting everyone know, this is what the result of the penalty is.. by rule. Maybe a newer rule that coaches don't have understanding of yet.



I do that with the new FIFA drop ball laws of the game when I'm reffing. Drop ball, by FIFA laws of the game is now a drop ball to x team because they had possession at the time of the injury and me blowing my whistle. This will be an uncontested drop ball per the new FIFA laws of the game.


That way, the coaches know why the restart is the way that it is. For most other stuff, they know why something is an IFK or FK.

[NobodyHere]

It is pretty redundant now that you pointed it out. It's going to to annoy me every time ref says it.

Thanks albion.

[cartman]

PING: Dr. Sak

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

It is pretty redundant now that you pointed it out. It's going to to annoy me every time ref says it.

Thanks albion.

That's how I've been. It's one of those things that made perfect sense to me until someone asked me about it :-)

[Carman Bulldog]

Off the top of my head, one of the most common times this occurs is during the 10-second runoff. I think it's merely a way of referencing why they are doing what they are doing for the fans while also serving as a reminder to the timekeeper, statisticians, players, coaches, etc.

So instead of just telling the timekeeper to set the clock to X or reset the clock to X, they are explaining that "by rule" this involves a 10-second runoff. This way you don't have some coaches or players (or fans) flipping out "stop the clock, stop the clock," etc
.
That's my best interpretation.

Same thing with "by rule this penalty is enforced half the distance to the goal" it explains to everyone why the 15-yard penalty is not in fact 15-yards.

[cuervo72]

That was a good football play. That's how you do it in the National Football League!

It's word fill to make it sound fancier and more important.

[Bobble]

I always thought it was to be clear that this is not a judgement call. Refs have to do a fair number of judgement calls (e.g. where the ball went out of bounds, would the ball carrier have scored a TD if the player coming off the sidelines not tackled him, etc.). This let's us all know that this is NOT an estimation of what is "fair". This is "by rule".

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by cartman

PING: Dr. Sak

Some use it to give information on a technicality that is in the rule book but it can be over used. In essence everything is "by rule". But it's used (and over used in some instances) to add credence to a call.

The one thing that drives me insane is that when NCAA referees says the runner was "down by contact". There does not need to be contact for a runner to be down, that is in the NFL.