|
Yeah, but when I read the bottom section, what I get from it is "We are missing loose ball fouls, this is increasing the chance of a player getting hurt. Use your judgement but if you see a player with the ball on the floor and others going for it without the positioning they are probably fouling so blow that whistle sooner.
Without question, incidental contact is part of the judgment in loose ball situations. However, much contact is not incidental to getting the ball, but rather is violent contact with no chance to get the ball. The loose ball situation with players diving or rolling on the floor is a situation where the potential for injury increases in proportion to the number of players involved and the amount of time the ball is loose. The player who gains possession while on the floor is often fouled two or three times before passing the ball or before a held ball is called.
A review of past situations shows that in some cases, officials have also erroneously called a "held ball" prematurely to stop action rather than calling the contact foul before a player gains possession. A player going after a loose ball should not expect to be pushed, grabbed, elbowed, blocked or tackled as a penalty for going after the ball.
|