[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I am neither upset, nor am I irritated. You are entitled to an opinion, but I'm dealing with factual rules here, not opinions. "Don't move" is a factually wrong as telling players to, "Stand behind the division line", during a free throw for a technical foul free throw. It's wrong, and it's wrong.

You can certainly have a valid opinion that it alright to say "Don't move", that it really doesn't effect the outcome of the situation, or the game (although I have given one example of a technical foul charged to a coach because he thought a player "couldn't move", but lets just call that anecdotal evidence, and forget about it). That's an opinion that's alright to have.

But you cannot argue that, "Don't move", is factually correct. That's not an opinion, that's facts, or the lack of such. You are certainly welcome to have an opinion that two plus two equals five, but it's still factually untrue. You can have an opinion that BillyMac lacks math skills and believes that two plus two equals five, and that may certainly be 100% true, but that doesn't mean that two plus two equals five.

Maybe it doesn't belong on the list. Maybe it's wrong to avoid saying it. All valid, and possibly true, opinions. But it still doesn't match the written, and interpreted rules. That's a fact, Jack.

You miss the overall point (once again). We have to communicate many things quickly and precisely and do so using terminology players and coaches would understand. If we don't then we will confuse the people we are talking to. They are not looking to us for a rules clinic or a complete explaination of what the rule is on a throw-in or other things. You used the example of telling players to go to half court, but I have never told any player to go to half court but that is where they tend to end up. I know I tell them usually to just vacate the lane nad where they go after that is their business. This is usually an either/or answer or a statement to convey which kind of throw-in is taking place. And after timeouts it is very common to have a player that is about to throw-in the ball ask, "Can I move?" They are not asking what they can do in a designated spot and likely have never heard the term "designated spot." And I did not say you should or should not say this as well. And I am taking issue with your take on this not because of right and wrong, but why does it matter? It does not matter as no one is that intune to what we are saying that they think, "Well that means I cannot move." Do they think they cannot move their arms or head or the ball because we say, "Don't move" on a throw-in? Funny, I have never had a player feel restricted in what they do. If they do not know what the rule is or their coach has not told them what they cannot do like other aspects of the game, that is not my fault or my responsiblity to teach it to them. And I cannot remember the last time I have ever called a violation or seen a player "not move" to the point they are stagnant or act like if they breathe they will violate some rule. And if I find it necessary, I am still going to say it when approrpirate despite what you suggest Billy. No one in my officiating life has told me or anyone to stop using or not to say this in any way. And I have been to many camps and trainings where this could be discussed or I have been observed as well as others that have said similar things.

Peace