Quote:
Originally posted by zebraman
mplagrow,
Please read the section in the NFHS rulebook called "the intent and purpose of the rules" on page 9.
I'll quote a bit from it: "it is important to know the intent and purpose of a rule so that it may be intelligently applied."
The 3-second rule was put in to prevent players from gaining a big advantage by camping in the key (was it Kareem's dominance or maybe Wilt's dominance that led to that rule?). The rule book gives officials that authority to call it, even if only one foot is in the lane (documentation has to be precise). However, do you really think it is in the "spirit and intent" of the rules to call "3 seconds" on a player who is in the key without gaining any advantage?
IMHO, those officials who call "3-in-the-key" every time they see it are failing to apply that rule intelligently.
Z
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Can you be in the low post of the lane without gaining an advantage? I don't think you can, because you must draw the defense's attention, perhaps from a baseline shooter. They have to respect your location.
This is different in soccer, where A/D is in the rulebook. The defense can ignore any player camping by the goal because any pass to him will result in a violation. The defense can NOT rely on an official to be standing there waiting for B1 to catch a pass and blow the whistle, because that ain't the way the game is played.