Myt1 said:
The issue is that the NFL rule book is Swiss-cheesed with exceptions and interpretations such that it's almost comically inconsistent at accomplishing much of anything other than slowing down the game and giving the officials far too much discretion and, as a result, too much impact on the game.
Right. Each effort to "clarify" by adding yet another rule, or exception, just makes it worse.
The bewildering complexity of the rules is a "barrier to entry," IMO. Mrs. OCST did not grow up a sports fan, so I try to get her to watch along. I've been most successful with soccer, somewhat successful with baseball, and not at all with football. I don't think it's coincidental that this is in inverse proportion to the complexity of the rules.
Watching an NFL game, it's nearly impossible to explain what "should" be a penalty, and what "shouldn't," according to the "rules." Try it sometime - try explaining PI/no PI, holding/no holding, or roughing/no roughing to a newbie, let alone illegal formations (where even lifelong fans, let alone players, coaches, and refs, can't recognize rules violations, coughHarbaughcough).