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I think you have to call the bearhug by the rule. However, if it is not a dangerous foul, I can understand why some are hesitant to call the intentional except when it is obvious or dangerous. Think about the other side of the equation. Often, you can have a very hard foul at a time when everyone knows the defense has to foul, but you can't (or shouldn't) call intentional because they make a legit attempt at the ball. This is clearly more dangerous to all involved than the bearhug.
If my players will get the intentional foul for the bearhug, then they will go through a player to get the ball, resulting in a foul that we all hope isn't going to level the player(s) involved. But I teach them to get ball because 1) it won't be an intentional foul and 2) we either have a turnover or you are forced to call the foul (we love the first, will setle for the second!). But when players go ard for the ball knowing that they are going to foul, it is clearly more dangerous than the bearhug. so i think that the thinking in many minds is, "Where would you rather be?"
Personally, I think that the intentional foul rule for end of game should be like the quarterback spiking the ball on a stop clock (remember when that was intentional grounding?). NF/NCAA should recognize that the rule doesn't prevent the intentional foul, it merely forces us coaches and players to disguise it as a real foul, making the situation more dangerous. I would rather you allow the safe intentional than force the potentially rough "attempt at the ball" foul, knowing that the foul will happen either way.
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