Quote:
Originally Posted by bigjohn
OK, lets assume there is contact, my question is do you think this is a foul since the defender never faced the ball carrier? Isn't that the same as turning your back to a block?
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I don't think "not facing the ballcarrier" eliminates blocking in the back from consideration. I DO think, however, that it makes it less likely for that to be the call. This is not "equivalent" per se to turning your back. When you turn your back, you are turning a previously legal block into one in the back, and you should not get the benefit of that. THIS case is not the same, exactly. On this defender, he's worked himself into a no-win situation... if he turns EITHER way, the ball-carrier will zip right past him the other way --- his only hope is to slow down and make the ball carrier react before turning. Slowing down into a block is similar to the above. However, if the blocker CLEARLY blocked him right in the numbers (as opposed to just running into him because he slowed down) to prevent him from making a play, you still have to call it. I'd almost have to see the guy faceplant though.
I don't believe the player in this video does that.