10 Of The Most Ridiculous Sports Rules Ever

Bryan Altman, CBS Local Sports

There are those in life that abide by the rules and then there are those that look at them the same way that Steph Curry looks at defenders' ankles - they're made to be broken. In the sports world, athletes are more or less bound by the rules or they have to suffer the consequences, whatever those may be for a particular infraction.

But occasionally, there are rules that are created that are so dumb, or so flawed on so many levels, that you have to wonder not only why would anyone follow them, but why anyone would create them to begin with. So let's take a look back through the annals of sports history at some of the most ridiculous rules that our beloved professional sports leagues have ever created.

1. The Tuck Rule

It's one thing to make a dumb rule and put it into effect. It's a whole other thing to have that dumb rule single-handedly cost one team their season and send another team to the AFC Championship game. I think even Patriots fans will admit at this point that this rule was completely ridiculous even if it was followed correctly at the time. Good riddance to the tuck rule. At least it didn't completely alter NFL history and doom one franchise to the cellar of the NFL for a decade while turning the other into the greatest sports dynasty of the 21st century. That would have been extremely unfortunate. 

2. Two-Line Pass

Dropping the red line in hockey was one of the greatest things the game has ever done. Trying to make a pass through the neutral zone in the two-line pass era was like trying to park an 18 wheeler on the street in Manhattan - there's just no room. It doesn't matter how creative or skilled you are, you aren't going to find room to do anything on the ice or with that big rig.   

3. Skate In The Crease Rule

It's hard to decide what makes less sense, the fact that this rule even existed or the fact that it existed and was completely ignored on the most important play of the 1999-2000 season. Say what you will about the tuck rule but at least the rule was followed. Nonetheless, the Stars got their Stanley Cup and the fine people of Buffalo have one more thing to complain about aside from the fact that they live in Buffalo.

4. NFL Third-String Quarterback Rule 

Thankfully, in 2011 the NFL finally abolished this seldom-used rule. The rule stated that once you put in your third-string quarterback due to injuries to your starter and No. 2 quarterback, the latter two can't come back into the game. Ever. Doesn't matter if your third-stringer decides to quit football and take up crocheting in the middle of the game, No. 1 and No. 2 still can't come back in.

The reason the rule existed in the first place was because there was only a 45-man roster for teams at the time and the third-string quarterback wasn't technically one of the 45. So when the third-stringer came into the game it would put the team over their roster limit unless the other two quarterbacks were taken out of play. So how did the NFL fix this issue? They expanded team rosters to 46. That was hard.

5. Every MLB rule in the 19th century.

There are too many ridiculous rules from the sport's early days but here's the greatest hits version of the MLB's rule book from the 19th century, courtesy of The Baseball Library.

"The batter is given the right to call for a high or low ball" 

That means exactly what you think it means. You could actually ask the pitcher to put the ball in a specific location. 

"The base on balls decreases to eight." 

That's right, it used to take nine balls for a batter to draw a walk, so mercifully, they reduced the number to eight. Pace of play rules clearly had no place in the 19th century.

And last but not least:

"If an umpire is unable to see whether a catch has been fairly made, he may confer with spectators and players."

I'm not even sure how to react to this. Just the thought of a bunch of drunken bleacher creatures wearing bowler hats actually having influence over an MLB game is putting me into hysterics at my desk, so I'm going to move on.

6. NBA Illegal Defense Rule

It used to be illegal in the NBA to try and stop the other team from scoring in a relatively unique way. That's essentially the gist of the NBA's illegal defense policy that forbid teams from "guarding an area instead of a specific offensive player, or was double teaming an offensive player away from the ball." In the NBA's defense, this was a great way to turn the NBA into a glorified one-on-one game and make defensive-minded coaches about as useful as Chris Dudley from the foul line. (Hint: This is NOT how it's done.)

7. NFL Helmet Rule

"A player who uses a helmet he is not wearing as a weapon shall be ejected."

Could you imagine how many players might just go around clubbing each other with their helmets if this rule weren't in place? Thankfully the NFL addressed what must have been an epidemic of helmet-related incidents in the early 1980s. Otherwise I'm pretty sure Ndamukong Suh would be running around with his helmet in his hand reenacting scenes from 300 every Sunday afternoon. Actually, I might be on to something there.

8. Overtime Loss Point Rule

Not since gym class in 3rd grade have the losers of a game gotten anything for it. In the NHL, you got, and basically still do get, a point for losing to another team. No word on whether the losing team's parents also take them out for ice cream after the game ends.

9. Golf's Scorecard Rules

I get it - golf is a gentleman's game and all that. But the fact that professional golfers - who by the way, have almost every second of their round on camera or watched by a tour official - need to keep their own scorecard, and keep it perfectly or be disqualified, is ridiculous. It only further adds fuel to the fire of those who say golf isn't a sport when you have to take a miniature-sized pencil out of your pocket and write something down after every hole you play. 

10. The Possession Arrow

There are so many more exciting and equally as meaningless ways to decide which team should get the ball in a held ball or double-foul situation. Maybe we can just flip a coin? It would be just as effective. What if we even tried to add an element of skill? How about the two players have to run suicide sprints and the winners' team gets a ball? Or, maybe we can do the logical thing, and just toss the freaking ball up in the air and see who can get it instead of arbitrarily awarding it to whichever team a little arrow tells us to. 

More from Bryan? You can email him or find him on Twitter @bcaltman.