Officiating Mechanics and the Torah

There are a few rules that only the officials really know and understand. This is mostly a good thing because most of the game is played and officiated under the most common rules.

It's mostly a good thing because, when something weird does happen, the officials can handle it.
It's mostly a good thing because it means that when you watch a football game, you aren't seeing a bunch of weird stuff.

One of the more unknown rules is this: If a foul occurs during the last timed down of a quarter, and if that foul is accepted, there shall be one untimed down.

So, if the clock goes to 0:00 during a run and there's a holding penalty or facemasking penalty that is accepted, you replay the down with 0:00 on the clock before the quarter change or halftime. That's not too bad.

If you have a false start with 0:03 on the clock, the penalty is accepted, and the clock starts before the snap and runs to 0:00, you must also run a play with 0:00 on the clock.

It seems basic enough. But oftentimes when we have that situation, especially the latter, the teams and coaches begin running to the sidelines and getting ready for the next quarter or running off the field for halftime.

And that, quite frankly, is a pain in the neck to deal with because, by rule, we need to play an untimed down. It's a hassle bringing the players back onto the field. It's a hassle listening to the stadium announcer trying to figure out what's going on. It's a hassle trying to explain this to the coaches.

Several years ago I made a . . . personal revision . . . to the rules book regarding this rule. If we have an accepted foul with seconds left on the clock before the end of a quarter, and if the clock will run after enforcement, and if I know it will go to 0:00 resulting in the need for an untimed down, then I will order the clock to start on the snap and avoid the whole untimed down mess.

I did that at yesterday's game and my umpire was reminding me, "Hot clock, hot clock." I said, "Not this time." He gave me this quizzical look like, "What are you doing??"

I explained all of the above to him and he said, "I like that mechanic."

Sometimes officiating isn't about following the rules verbatim. Sometimes officiating is about conforming to a particular situation within the game while maintaining the game's integrity. And all the time it's about understanding the intent of the rule and how to apply it.

"Teacher," asked the lawyer, "which is the most important commandment in the law?"

Jesus replied, "The first and greatest commandment is this: love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

It's not about following the commandments verbatim. It's about understanding the intent of the Law and how to apply it. And the intent of this Law is love.