More Weird Endline Scenarios

[LaxRef]

(1) Carl Lewis (B1) takes up lacrosse. As a shot is about to be taken by A1, B1 runs toward the endline and jumps from a point 20 feet from the endline (and 20 feet from where the ball eventually goes out). When the shot crosses the plane of the endline, A2 is 10 feet from the ball, and B1 is 5 feet from the ball and past the plane of the endline (but B1 is still airborne when the ball breaks the plane of the endline). The ball lands out of bounds.

(2) Same as (1). However, A2 was 30 feet from the endline and no other team A players were closer to where the ball went out than A2.

(3) Same as (1). However, the ball hits B1 while he is airborne out of bounds, then the ball lands out of bounds.

(4) Same as (1). However, the ball hits B1 while he is airborne out of bounds, then the ball lands in bounds.

Rulings?

[eme]

1. Ball to team B. B1 was the inbounds player (by that funky you are-where-left-from..in this case inbounds somewhere-not-the-exact spot-rule) closest to the ball WHERE it went out WHEN it went out. I see the problem you raise. B2 went airborne back 20 feet...but I think the rulemakers feel inbounds=inbounds. We are not Long Jump judges.

2. Ball to team B. B1 still closer no matter how much height he has in his vertical leap.

3. Ball to Team B. Ball has hit an inbounds player in this case. He is still in the air. Ball now hits ground before B1 lands...whistle because the ball has now touched an object (the ground) out of bounds.

4. No whistle. Ball still in play.


Now for Another One. B1 is airborne and touches the ground just before the ball touches him. A2 is next closest player to the ball and he is standing inbounds.

[LaxRef]

1. Ball to team B. B1 was the inbounds player (by that funky you are-where-left-from..in this case inbounds somewhere-not-the-exact spot-rule) closest to the ball WHERE it went out WHEN it went out. I see the problem you raise. B2 went airborne back 20 feet...but I think the rulemakers feel inbounds=inbounds. We are not Long Jump judges.

Yeah, the real point I'm trying to make is that B1 is airborne, so he might be judged to be at the point where he took off from, which is 20 feet back. However, the exact wording is "A player in midair, when playing a ball, is considered to be where he last was in contact with the field." Thus, I think you can make the case that Mr. Lewis is not actually playing the ball here, so you can judge him to be closer even though he's been airborne for quite some time.

[laxfan25]

My feeling of the intent of the "airborne" rule is not to denote where the player is in the air, but what zone he is considered in until he touches down. So Mr. Lewis, if he was airborne over the endline when the ball crosses, should get the ball.
As for B1 touching the ground before the ball touches him (I assume you mean touching ground out-of-bounds), the ball is OOB, so it should go to A2, who was legally in-bounds.
Another scenario: ball is rolling out of bounds on a shot. Mr. Lewis has taken a mighty leap and is 7 feet above the endline when it crosses, and A2 is 6 feet back of the endline, directly behind where it went out. Who gets it?