Instead of just leaving this topic with some of you thinking the NF decided to make some kind of goofy rule up regarding this, let me take a moment to explain how this ruling is completely consistent with the theory of NF rules regarding alternating possession.
At the beginning of the game (or an extra period), obviously there is no team possession prior to a team gaining team control as a result of the jump ball. By definition, when a jumper catches the jump, he has established team control. This is because that during a time of no team control, team control is established when a player gains player control.
A1 gains player control by "holding or dribbling a live ball inbounds", thus establishing team control for team A. Because of this, the arrow is set immediately for team B, not when team B goes to inbound because of the violation. The setting of the arrow and the calling of the violation are two separate acts, not related.
The theory behind making it a violation for a jumper to catch the tip before other players other than the jumpers have had the opportunity to acquire control of the tip should be obvious. If this rule didn't exist, you could just have the tallest jumper catch every tip. Then it wouldn't be a tip, it would be something else.
To get this rule right, and it does happen every once in a while, just remember two things: 1) A1 catching the ball establishes next possession for B the same way as if any member of A got possession legally after the tip and 2) the subsequent violation call has no effect on the already-established possession.
|