Change my mind
 

I'm open to anyone correcting me in a respectful manner. But to me, the dumbest in game penalty you can commit in the major team sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS) is football's lining up in the neutral zone. All you have to do is look at the ball and be behind it a quarter inch. I can't think of any reason why circumstances would force someone to violate that rule unless someone's own teammate or a strong gust of wind shoved him forward.

What is the Neutral Zone? Seriously, Nowadays there is my side of the ball and your side, with nothing else in between.

When you are looking down the line and trying to get as close as possible, you can mess up. Plus, as the game wears on, DLs try to creep closer and closer hoping the refs won't call it. Plus the refs don't always get to a perfect angle. So between trying to get as much of an edge as possible and simply playing at a faster pace during hurry-up time, it is not so dumb as all that.

You're right, there is technically no neutral zone in the NFL, just Canadian football. They're lined up offsides.

I can give you a dumber one, at least in my opinion. Holding on a run play. There is no reason for it. There is no reason to be lined up offsides either so it's a close call. I only give the nod to holding on run plays because it hurts the team more and has no meaningful advantage.

You're at least trying to make a play and instinct "impels" you to hold. You have time to think when you line up.

And if there is no neutral zone in the NFL why do they have in the rule book neutral zone infractions?

I think I read all of that link, and no where in it is the neutral zone actually defined. The closest is "After the neutral zone has been established (ball is made or declared ready for play),". I don't think even Google Maps or Star Trek can tell us where the Neutral Zone is.

I gave up watching football like a decade ago, but isn't the neutral zone the length of the football after it's been spotted?

Yes

https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules...ulebook/#rule3

They can have all they want about a neutral zone but one doesn't exist in reality. Unlike Canadian football you don't have to be a yard away from the offense. There is a straight up LOS, you're either over it or you're not. The NFL defines the neutral zone as the length of the ball. Who cares? If you're over the ball you're offsides. It doesn't matter what they call it.

SMH. You come from the same people who say the makers of UNO don't know how to play UNO.

If the NFL defines the neutral zone, if they have rules for the neutral zone, there is a neutral zone.

Speaking of UNO. That company made two card games, UNO, and Rage. Years ago me and my friends had both. We had a lot of fun nights drinking and playing Rage while the UNO deck collected dust. They stopped making Rage.

It's a figure of speech to define an area between the offense and defense. The NFL has a line of scrimmage and the tip of the ball is usually placed at the LOS, not the middle of the ball. If you're over the ball, you're off sides and over the LOS.

If a kick returner takes a knee in the endzone the ball is placed at the 25 yard line. If a WRs foot is an inch behind the 25 yard line, have you ever seen one flagged? He won't be because he's not over the LOS. Same goes for the defender on the other side of the 25 yard line.

You can call it whatever you like, neutral zone, demilitarized zone, intergalactic safe zone, but in order to get flagged you have to be over the LOS.

Therefore, there IS a neutral zone.

Yep

There's a difference between the line of scrimmage and the neutral zone.

If the line of scrimmage were the length of the football, a team would only need to gain 9 yards, 2 feet and half an inch for a first down. And offensive linemen could line up even with the center.

They don't.

It's entirely possible that neutral zone infractions are not strictly enforced. but, it definitely exists.

Back in the 60's, 70's, and 80's, were there neutral zone infractions? If not, what were they called? And what is the difference between a neutral zone infraction and off sides? Penalty wise?

Excessive Celebration is a dumber rule.

There has to be two different rules
Otherwise, the center would always be offside and a first down would be less than 10 yards

My point is, when you draw a line in the sand there is no neutral zone. It doesn't exist. You can make up any fantasy about a neutral zone you like, but the penalty is still the same as being off sides. It's off sides called a neutral zone infraction. But if A WR lines up on the 25 yard line with the LOS being the 25 yard line he's not getting a neutral zone infraction. If that doesn't tell you there is no real neutral zone then you need a doctor.

Back in the day, when I played little league football, our coach considered that penalty to be so dumb that, if you committed it, he would take you out of the game, slap you in the helmet, and make you run 10 maps before the next practice.

Damn, that is one tough coach! "Today kid, you just have to run Rhode Island, do it again and it will be Texas and Alaska!" ;)

The neutral zone is not that hard to understand. It is obviously not the line of scrimmage because there is one line which the offense (other than the snapper) cannot cross and a different line that the defense cannot cross. If an offensive player lines up across the tip of the ball they are getting a penalty.

Of course you guys are arguing with the guy who says tony romo is as good as aaron rodgers so beware he is just trolling.

Anyway, my vote is for any unsportsmanlike conduct being the dumbest penalty. When lining up offsides you are at least trying to gain a competitive advantage, you keep pushing forward until the ref calls it. Excessive celebration or taunting is 15 yards just because you have the emotional control of a child.

You don't understand! He disrespected me. Nobody can disrespect me.