View Full Version : 20-second count subterfuge
LaxRef
05-03-2006, 08:33 PM
B1 is clearing as team B tries to nurse a 1-goal lead for the last 40 seconds of the game. He passes to B2, wide open on the defensive side of midfield. B2 intentionally drops the ball, kicks it to the offensive end of midfield, kicks it back to the defensive end of midfield, and scoops the ball up. According to the NCAA A.R., he gets a new 20-second count for this.
However, in the past we've always had some I.P. call we could make against this sort of ploy. Do we have a legitimate I.P. call to make, or are we forced to either let it go or make something up?
Laxer1241
05-03-2006, 08:34 PM
I think it could go both ways so I would personally let it go.
Snake~eyes
05-03-2006, 09:06 PM
If he can do that without anyone else killing him or picking up the ball then he deserves a new 20 second count.
CoachRob
05-04-2006, 04:35 AM
New count by rule. If the other team cannot make a play on the ball, then they're out of luck. I SUPPOSE you could call an IP as it is "gaming" the rules, but I wouldn't call that.
RockStar
05-04-2006, 07:51 AM
If he can do that without anyone else killing him or picking up the ball then he deserves a new 20 second count.
I'm with you on this.....he's not broken an explicit rule. Further, he's left himself vulnerable twice and gotten away with it.
Now, he's got a 1 goal lead, the ball, and ~20 seconds more to rag away. So, allow him the opportunity to run out the clock so you can get your cheque and go home.
If the opponent wants the ball for one last effort, they're welcome to go try to get it.
laxfan25
05-04-2006, 07:59 AM
Rather than taking the attitude that they are "gaming" the rules or trying some underhanded subterfuge, why not just recognize that they are taking advantage of the existing rules and have enough knowledge of them to put them to good use?
Our job is to just make sure they follow the rules, not to assess whether they are being "too" sneaky in interpreting the letter of the law.
They worked hard all game to get the lead, let them kill the clock if the legally can do it.
BlueJaysLaxFan
05-04-2006, 09:33 AM
I agree with the new count. I had a varsity game a couple of weeks ago where the team with possession decided to hold the ball in the defensive end of midfield until the clock wound down for half-time, and for some reason did not realize that the they'd lose possession at the end of the 20s count (which meant loss of possession with 12s left). If they found a way to reset the 20s count as described above, that to me would be smarter than hoping that they would not be called for FTA.
LaxRef
05-04-2006, 09:48 AM
I agree with the new count. I had a varsity game a couple of weeks ago where the team with possession decided to hold the ball in the defensive end of midfield until the clock wound down for half-time, and for some reason did not realize that the they'd lose possession at the end of the 20s count (which meant loss of possession with 12s left). If they found a way to reset the 20s count as described above, that to me would be smarter than hoping that they would not be called for FTA.
They could also just advance the ball and then they'd have 10 seconds to tag the box once.
I'm not saying they should necessarily be hit for IP in this scenario. What I am saying is that, in the past, we have always had rules in place to discourage this sort of thing. For whatever reason, these did not translate into the new 20-second rule from the old 10-seconds to pass the DCL rule. I don't know if that's intentional or an accidental omission.
Lax Fan26
05-04-2006, 01:31 PM
IMHO, the defense has some obligation to force the play. If a clearer is left alone enough to be able to kick the ball back an forth as you describe, shame on the riding team.
We can't totally legislate any creativity out of the game with the implication that, somehow because one team is losing late in the game, they no longer have to hustle agressively because some rule will give them the ball back. If the losing team cannot take the ball from a long pole soccering the ball across the line and back, they deserve to lose.
40 seconds left...team that is down is frantic for the ball...if you can kick it across the midline and then kick it back without them picking it up...you REALLY deserve to win.