Just caught up on this looooong thread so I guess I can give my opinion like everybody else. Ironically, the free throw shooter foot on the line no-call is the one that caused a local jr. high coach, who is a friend of mine, to declare that I shouldn't call his games any more. In this case as the ball was bounced to the kid to shoot, he stepped up and put a toe slightly on the line, then looked down and stepped back before he shot. I personally have never called this violation at any level. But, if the shooter is touching the line when he shoots or jumps and comes down on the line, I call that at every level.
My personal thing on 3 seconds is to call it on a player that is completely in the lane with both feet, regardless of what else he is doing, or call it on a player that is actively involved in the play, no matter what small part he has in the lane, such as a player trying to post up. But my count is always generous in either instance. Only time I have ever called leaving the court for an unauthorized reason was for a player who was making a dash from one wing to the opposite corner and ran completely out of bounds even though he had plenty of room to stay in if he had chosen to do so. IOW, his leaving the court was not only unauthorized but totally unnecessary. I have heard the expression: "You call that one just for his ignorance." He was not alone, as no one on his team, including the head coach, seemed to have ever heard of the rule.
The NCAA often these days seems to treat traveling as "no big thing." Tonight in the Depaul/Vanderbilt game, with 30 seconds left in a 2 point game, a Depaul guy broke loose on a throw-in, caught the ball, took 2 long strides, and then put the ball on the floor before getting fouled on the shot. It was so obvious that the announcers noticed it, agreed on it, and laughed about it.
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I swear, Gus, you'd argue with a possum.
It'd be easier than arguing with you, Woodrow.
Lonesome Dove
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