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Old Fri Nov 11, 2005, 06:29pm
MPLAHE
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Quote:
Originally posted by Jurassic Referee
Quote:
Originally posted by MPLAHE
Quote:
Originally posted by Nevadaref
Quote:
Originally posted by MPLAHE
There can be some significant contact on these plays and kids can get hurt and your game can get off to a bad start if you don't stop it early.

Bad, bad, way to think about this...

There can be significant contact in basketball that is quite legal. Don't call fouls or "stop it early" on action that is legal because "kids can get hurt." Your job as an official is to follow the rules. If someone gets hurt on a legal play that is unfortunate, but a part of sports.

Rule 4
SECTION 27 INCIDENTAL CONTACT
Incidental contact is contact with an opponent which is permitted and which does not constitute a foul.
ART. 1 . . . The mere fact that contact occurs does not constitute a foul. When 10 players are moving rapidly in a limited area, some contact is certain to occur.
ART. 2 . . . Contact which occurs unintentionally in an effort by an opponent to reach a loose ball, or contact which may result when opponents are in equally favorable positions to perform normal defensive or offensive movements, should not be considered illegal, even though the contact may be severe.

ART. 3 . . . Similarly, contact which does not hinder the opponent from participating in normal defensive or offensive movements should be considered incidental.
ART. 4 . . . A player who is screened within his/her visual field is expected to avoid contact with the screener by stopping or going around the screener. In cases of screens outside the visual field, the opponent may make inadvertent contact with the screener, and such contact is to be ruled incidental contact, provided the screener is not displaced if he/she has the ball.

ART. 5 . . . If, however, a player approaches an opponent from behind or from a position from which he/she has no reasonable chance to play the ball without making contact with the opponent, the responsibility is on the player in the unfavorable position.
I certainly understand that there can be signficant contact that is legal and acceptable as part of the game. My only point is that when there is an opportunity to prevent it by making a few calls, you can and should prevent unnecessary contact which may result in injury. Just my opinion.
Nevada's point, which is completely correct btw, is that you have to have illegal contact in order to have a foul. Significant or unecessary or hard contact does not always equate to illegal contact. You should never try to inject yourself into a game by trying to prevent significant or unnecessary contact if that significant or unnecessary contact is not illegal contact.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Nov 11th, 2005 at 05:24 PM]
I hear what you are saying and I agree - I guess I wasn't making my point clear. The calls I am referring to ARE in fact illegal contact and should be called to prevent futute unnecessary contact. I have seen some games get out of hand because officials are either unwilling or are ball watching and miss these type of fouls. That is the prevention I am referring to.
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