Topic: Ready Protocol and Timeouts

[wildcard]

Scenario: Both opponents have their hands on the rods. Serving forward places ball on table, grasps rods and says "Ready". Does the opposing team now have an opportunity to call a timeout? The only thing I can find concerning the ready protocol is that the opponents have three seconds to confirm "set" or can be considered in delay of game, and since they were not in possession of the ball after placement and announcing the ready protocol they could not call timeout. My interpretation is that since the opponents had their hands on the rods that they were in a ready stance (similar to the old days, if they had their hands on the rod and you dropped the ball through the hole they couldn't claim they weren't ready), whereas if one or both opponents were standing back or not holding the rods then they could still call a timeout because it would still technically be between balls and not yet ready to start the next ball... and once ready protocol is announced then the ball should be considered in commencement of play. Further mitigating circumstances could be that opposing forward planned to take timeout all along but waited until serving forward placed ball and announced ready protocol "just to piss off" the serving forward  (precedence bears this out).

 No bets riding on this but I don't want to call it an infraction if it isn't. Hopefully there is a set rule to cite and not just a "judgement call". 

PS This scenario was during the middle of a game. Would it be a different ruling if the game hadn't officially started yet, ie the first drop of a new game?

[RobYates]

My interpretation is that since the opponents had their hands on the rods that they were in a ready stance (similar to the old days, if they had their hands on the rod and you dropped the ball through the hole they couldn't claim they weren't ready), whereas if one or both opponents were standing back or not holding the rods then they could still call a timeout because it would still technically be between balls and not yet ready to start the next ball... and once ready protocol is announced then the ball should be considered in commencement of play.

I don't believe this is correct. I have called timeouts many times after my opponent says ready. I'm gathering from the above quote that once ready is asked the ball is in play, this is not true, because the opponent can still say no he's not ready. Even if both hands are on the table. So taking a time out is basically declaring that you are not ready and would like to take a timeout.

The ball is not in play until ready is asked, and then confirmed by the other player(s).....If this wasn't the case, then a player could ask ready, then lose the ball before the other team confirms they are ready.

[neightron]

Read Rule 4.2. The ball is not in play until after both teams "ready". After both teams "ready", the serving team has 3 seconds to put the ball in play. The ball is not in play until after both teams "ready" and the ball is served.

Then by rule 9: "If the ball is not in play, either team may call time out."