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Haha...I'm fairly certain. For a couple of reasons. Went up for the rebound - he got it - and from the time I came down until the contact occurred - which may have been 5-10 seconds - my feet never moved - I landed in a position that allowed me to defend the outlet pass - the only difference: my arms were outstretched at my sides and perfectly straight.
We were both upright - no one leaning over another. I definitely "touched" him but the contact occurred when his elbow contacted my face in a sideways swinging motion out from his body - bare in mind that I was at least 3" taller than the offensive player so to contact my face (I'm not bent over at all) his elbows would have to be above his shoulder level.
REGARDLESS - if it's obvious that a defensive player is elbowed in the face and the referee still believes it was a defensive foul I think it ultimately benefits the official to give some explanation (especially in this instance) because if you're comfortable walking away just saying "you fouled him" you have a player running around the rest of the game thinking it's okay to elbow people in the face.
As strange as it may seem if the official said to me: Regardless of it being an elbow to your face because I SAW it as you moving toward him you didn't have LPG so the contact becomes your head hitting his elbow not his elbow hitting your head.
Of course I would say "Man, I thought I was set...oh well" and chug on down the court.
But instead I'm left with a stinging nose, a curt response, and no understanding of what just transpired.
Doesn't give me much confidence in the official.
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