[blindzebra]

Originally posted by Hawks Coach
By the book means that you know what happened and it was fighting. I think if rainmaker would have seen a fight, she would have gone flagrant, although I don't know for sure. But that would clearly be by the book.

Instead of a fight, she saw something less, tried to determine what it was. Now, many who weren't there and didn't see it have a fight and a clear rulebook decision. I wasn't there, didn't see it, but it looks like an intentional foul from where I sit, and my view is as good as yours. The book can't be used to back either stance, because it still takes somebody to look at what happened and decide what it was. Then use the book and apply an appropriate penalty.

Coach if it was a punch, a slap, or an attempt at either it is fighting.