[EricH]

Originally Posted by Gdeaver

This is a bad rule. Even with a Q and A response it's still gray to teams. On the field with a fast moving wide open game this year , refs will have a difficult time enforcing the rule. I predict many teams will violate it and get away with it. There is still time for the rule to be modified so that teams can more easily comply and make the refee's job easier.

Remember the similar rule from last year? How do you determine whether a team is in the box? There were infractions last year that apparently weren't called, even on the diagonal part. This year at least means that the refs don't have to call on diagonals. They have one standard size. So some teams slide through. It's part of the game. I've seen soccer games where the ref saw a hand ball and didn't call it. As long as the rules are applied evenly to all teams at the event (and, ideally, all events), I don't really care.