[just another ref]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Ok, so you ARE agreeing with me that there are times when it's too late to penalize, right? That's my whole point. It doesn't matter when the coach tells you, it's when the rules say as to whether it's too late. In my example, maybe the coach tells you at the right time they should shoot one more FT, but for some reason you don't believe them, or you're busy watching 2 knuckleheads bumping, and it doesn't register with you until it's too late. Well, it's too late. You could call it an official's error for waiting too long for the information to sink in, but it's still too late. Same as in the 6 participating - it's the official's error for blowing the whistle to stop players from participating, but when they do, it's too late to penalize.

There are lots of places in the rules where it seems like "common sense" or "fairness" would dictate we should be able to do something different. However, the rules are relatively clear on how we handle specific instances, even if it goes against what we think would be fair or right. (Hmm...I'm trying to think of something else where that applies...what is it?... )

This is not a question of what is too late. It is a question of whether hearing the words of the coach, which did happen at an acceptable time, would qualify as the actual discovery. I know it is not ideal, but in this case I say yes.