[Adam]

Originally Posted by drinkeii

How can you have a rule that says "sometimes call it, sometimes don't"?

Here's the thing. If A1 makes the pass before getting tripped and it gets to A2 who is wide open, then which normal offensive movements were hindered? If none, then it's not a foul. It's a judgment call, that's what allows us to call it if the game is getting a bit rough. Sometimes, "game management" concerns would lead you to call a foul for contact in which the advantage gained is minimal.

Originally Posted by Drinkeii

This is more a case of you deciding whether to apply the rule, or whether to just ignore it. The rules are relatively black and white.

Yup, they are. If there's no hinderance of offensive movement, there's no foul. It's the same concept for when a 90 lb point guard drives into the paint and runs into a 200 lb center and falls to the floor. There's not really an offensive foul here.

Originally Posted by Drinkeii

The interpretations add some grey space, and the refs themselves muddy the waters even more with personal feelings, what kind of a game they're willing to call, the level of the players (um - don't remember there being anything in the rules changing them based on the level of play, by age or by skill), etc.

Okay, you go ref a 5th grade boys game and call every travel and double dribble you see. Work on picking up the pivot foot.

Originally Posted by Drinkeii

I don't remember seeing anything in the rules allowing officials to just decide what to call and what not to. There are some areas where we are asked to judge. We're not asked to judge things like 3 seconds - we're asked to call them. We're not asked to judge whether a bear hug from behind is intentional - we're asked to call it intentional. We are asked to judge some things - but some things we're not, and people just do.

And fouls are the things we are supposed to judge; every time. Yes, even the bear hug. If he's reaching for the ball, you going to call that an intentional just because it looks like a bear hug?