[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

We obviously don't think or care about this situation as much as you do. Can't you respect that?

Then why three replies about the "punch" (replies that I mostly agree with)?

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... this is not something people are that concerned with hardly at all.

Of course not, because it will probably never happen.

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

There is nothing unsporting about counting out loud while guarding an opponent. It’s the same as hollering, “Ball, ball, ball” or “Dead, dead, dead.”

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Ball handler A1 picks up her dribble and is unable to immediately find a teammate to pass to. Defender B1 gets inches away from A1 and yells "Dead. Dead. Dead" (repeating it over and over) directly into A1's face in an extremely loud, irritating, annoying, and obnoxious manner, attempting to get under A1's skin, and trying to panic A1. A1 punches B1. Who gets tossed? Just A1, or both A1 and B1? I'm not saying that I know the right answer, or that I believe that both should be tossed, but it's certainly worth thinking about.Just sayin'.

It was a hypothetical situation (with the punch) from the get go, intended to spark continued discussion about possible unsporting behavior, a change-up from the original discussion about possible unsporting "counting", perhaps even back tracking a little to whether "Dead. Dead. Dead ..." should always be considered "not unsporting".

And even though it was a hypothetical situation, I could (under extreme conditions) see this happen in a game that's already been chippy, that already has officials' antennae up.