Quote:
Originally Posted by OKREF
I also think that maybe what they are meaning by saying not having to keep both feet on the playing floor means the defense can jump, or be moving and a foot or both would be off the floor, since it was mentioned earlier.
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That's exactly what they mean. When the "having to have both feet inbounds" rule first came out about twenty years ago, we were taught (locally, probably in error) that if contact was made by a defensive player having at least one foot out of bounds (before, or after, obtaining legal guarding position), that it was always a blocking foul.
I remember when the rule first came out, how upset many of us were because most of us, as players (in the good old days of our youth) were taught by our coaches to not give up any path inbounds along the sideline (especially while in a pressing situation), even if it meant being in a position out of bounds.
According to the Point of Emphasis, while defenders on the sideline can't "set up" out of bounds, they can legally move laterally out of bounds.
Maybe it's always been like that, but, locally, we've never been taught it that way.
I've been calling this wrong for about twenty years. Luckily, I've probably only called it incorrectly, two, or three times. Usually, a foul by the defense, in this specific situation, seldom involves the defender touching the sideline. They usually do something else wrong, like moving toward the dribbler, or sticking out a leg.