if the entire pylon is sitting out of bounds

[Huckleberry]

misha -

Thank you. But I've always disagreed that a ball that touches the pylon should be considered out of bounds behind the goal line. As the original poster is saying, if the ball strikes the inside of the pylon, then it must have crossed the goal line before going out of bounds. However, if the ball strikes the front side of the pylon, then it must have crossed the sideline before crossing the goal line.

It just bothers my common sense. I already knew what the rules say, I just don't agree with them.

 

[Statalyzer]

misha - so basically EITHER the ball or the player has to be in-bounds. If the player is diving (thus not in-bounds, but not "out of bounds" either), then the ball must be in-bounds, but if the player is in-bounds, then the ball can be so far in his outside hand as to be vertically above an out-of-bounds spot?

The pylon SHOULD only be an aid to determine in-bounds / out-of-bounds. If it's existence changes the definition of in or out of bounds, then the guys who wrote the rulebook weren't thinking any more than the guys who decided that the defense didn't have to recover fumbles in the endzone in order to get the ball back.

 

[accuratehorn]

No, the player does not have to be in bounds, if I understand correctly. Only the ball has to cross the plane of the end zone or touch the pylon, which represents same. One hundred percent of the player can land out of bounds if the ball touches down on the pylon prior to any part of the player touching down-correct?

 

[71grad]

2-11-1 does not state that the plane extends around the world. It says"The plane extends beyond the sidelines". That would include the pylons.

 

[mishatx]

"beyond the sidelines"= "around the world". At least, that's how all of us guys in striped shirts are told to interpret it.


And I agree with everyone that if the ball hits the front or outside of the pylon, logically it should be out of bounds before crossing the plane of the goal line. It reads like one of the rules written to codify a philosophy designed to take out some debate about where the ball hit the pylon and make it an easy hit it / didn't hit it call.
(another such rule is this year's new rule about the passer needing to be completely across the LOS for illegal forward pass - most major conferences were officiating it that way to avoid picking nits)