[JRutledge]

Again JR, you are dealing in semantics. Just because they did not say in the same breath displacement, does not mean that is not the way it should be called. Considering that they use Rule 4-27 was also used, displacement has to take place in order to call a foul or to determine that you actually have a handcheck. Because in Illinois and in the bigger conferences, you better have a slow whistle and better call some kind of displacement, directing or stopping in order to call a handcheck. If none of these things are present, you better pass. It has even been interpreted that if a player is going north and south and a defender keeps that player from going north and south, then you have a foul. If a player is not making an attempt to the basket or going east or west on their own, then you pass or make sure that the defenders actions do not affect their movement. Now that is a philosophy, do not get all upset because it is not the NF that says this.

Remember, you might want to tell younger officials to start calling "moving screens" too, this has been in the POE last year and this year. Now if I or anyone else were to suggest that we call a moving screen, you might try to suggest that I was crazy or did not understand the rule. But this language is actually in the rulebook this year and I would never advocate calling a screen and saying "moving screen." Screens can be moving and be entirely legal, but if you look at the POE and never look at the rules that deal with contact or screening principles, you would think that it is illegal to move during a screen.

As far as I am concerned and looking at everything that is said in "hands off," you have to have some kind of displacement in order to call handchecking. Now maybe that is not the exact wording of the NF, but I would never use "moving screen" ever either. After saying all of that, it still comes down to the judgement of the official to determine whether you have handchecking at all. And you also might have two official call it differently. No differnet than post play or any other phase of the game. The rules are guides, but the official has to apply their own judgement to what they feel the rules mean or what actually took place.

Peace