Viva Murillo!

Almost every league has a rules-lawyer or two: The guys who look for every loophole and spin every scenario to their advantage. Unfortunately, they had a field-day this past weekend.

It's bad enough that a weird play occurred: The Saints Robert Meachem stripped the ball after a Washington interception, and he scored. But we also happen to be talking about a receiver who could have been started (maybe by a desperate team needing a win to make the playoffs) and a New Orleans defense that was likely started, especially considering the match-up.

It also happened in week 13, which is right when teams will be eliminated from post-season contention or clinch a spot. That means we have a "perfect storm" of trouble for many leagues. If that play could (depending how you want to see the scoring) give someone a much-needed win, or avoid a season-ending loss, you can bet there will be heavy lobbying by owners. And if a league doesn't have an iron-clad rule about who gets the points, the commissioner could be in for some headaches.

On one hand, it's good to have this happen, because unprepared leagues will be sure to address it in the off-season. But that doesn't help now. Since that particular play hasn't occurred in several years, newer leagues might not have it specified in their rules.

Many leagues automatically abide by the hosting website, so whatever they do (whether you think it's right or wrong) will be the final decision.

But whether we're talking about this play or something else you might find buried in the play-by-play of each NFL game, there's a bigger point to be made: Specifically, don't be a rules-lawyer. Don't be the owner who argues absurd points of view in order to get a small advantage. When people need a win to keep their season going, blood pressures rise and heated arguments get that much hotter. If you think your team is being shorted in some way, you have to address it. But if you're looking for something—anything—to keep your season alive, it's probably better to take a deep breath and rethink your position.

I'm sure that some owners will disagree with whatever decision is made regarding the Meachem play, as well as other decisions that could cost teams a valuable point or two. But if you play with integrity in week 3, you should play with integrity in week 13. Don't take your frustrations out on the commissioner, don't send off angry e-mails and don't plead your case on a league message board. If you honestly think there's a point to be made, make it clearly and politely—one time. Don't add any threats about your future participation or criticisms regarding how the league is being run. In other words, don't take the fun out of the game.

You'll note that I didn't weigh in on how that play should be scored. What I think doesn't matter, and it's likely that popular sites will have different rulings, making the final outcome dependent on which service you use. To me, what matters is that leagues are able to handle it, and owners are bale to conduct themselves like adults when the decision is made. Most of us aren't playing for $100,000 in high-stakes leagues. We're playing with co-workers and friends, and making a fool of yourself over a few points isn't going to win you anything but frustration and ill will. Good luck this week.

You can reach Michael Murillo at vivamurillo@gmail.com.

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