Quote:
Originally posted by Brian Watson
For Homer, the "spirit" of the rules needs to be taken in account for these types of hits. Most high level basketball players travel on the way to a spectacular dunk, but officials generally pass on calling it. They use the "spirit" of the rules to allow the players to decide the game and perform. By rule when the hoops players guys take steps it is a violation and by rule prolonged contact is a violation. But there are shades of grey and these types of hits are the grey area of volleyball.
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If "the spirit of the rules" allows traveling on a dunk, the "letter of the rules" should say that. Clearly no such exception is written into the rules.
As officials, we are charged with administering the rules, as written and not in accordance with some mythical "spirit".
Indeed, when it comes to the FED rules on blocking, it's pretty clear that the both the letter and the spirit of the rules forbids prolonged contact.
"A block may involve wrist action provided there is no prolonged contact".
If we were intended to administer some sort of "spirit of the rules" and allow prolonged contact on a power dink, then they wouldn't have inserted the part about "provided there is no prolonged contact".
There can, of course, be differences between officials and officating styles as to just how much contact is required before it is adjudged to be prolonged. But iffen we see prolonged contact, then we are supposed to toot the whistle.
And we're not doing our job if we don't and decide to utilize some mythical "spirit of the rules" instead of The Rules.
[Edited by homer on May 1st, 2004 at 07:52 PM]