[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee

What's clear to me is in the POE neither of the examples given relate to this play.

This might be an interesting rules discussion but in practice I'm not ready to judge the intent of A1 when he steps out & then back in to avoid B1. A1's gone OOB during a dribble, B gets the ball at the spot. As Jim said, it's clearly written & an OOB call is the obvious call. [/B]

Say what? This whole play is nothing but a judgement call. You HAVE to make a judgement of some kind, and you get 3 doors to choose from:

1)If you judge that the dribbler stepped on the line inadvertantly while dribbling, and then immediately continued that dribble, you call a violation as per the note in R9-3.
2) If you judge that the dribbler inadvertantly stepped OOB during an interrupted dribble, then there is no violation if that player then came back inbounds and touched the ball. That's R4-15-6(d).
3) If the player dribbling the ball deliberately went OOB to avoid a defender with LGP, the dribbler has gained an unfair advantage, and is supposed to be given a T as per R10-3-3.

In the sitch that we're talking about, eventnyc said that A1 went OOB to avoid contact with the defender. That's completely different than just stepping on a sideline while dribbling. You're deliberately trying to gain an illegal advantage by using the OOB area to go around the defender.

Btw, that POE says "an offensive player". Doesn't that include ALL offensive players, even the one that might be dribbling?

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Sep 16th, 2004 at 11:40 AM] [/B][/QUOTE]

I think it's pretty clear I'm picking door number 1, Monty.

When I judge A1 stepped to his right to avoid the defender (we see this same move over&over every game) how does that entitle me to clearly judge A1's intent was to step OOB? Afterall, players will go to great lengths to AVOID going OOB with the ball, won't they?

BTW: yeah, it would seem you're right, but other than that what's your point? (Dan Rather & I share more than a first name)