A Merited T . . . or Not?

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by Pantherdreams

I player cannot "fake being fouled" since a foul is a judgement about level of contact made by the official. A player could fake contact that doesn't actually happen, but that its only a foul once its called. If I've recognized there was no contact then there is not a foul call. A player can't fake being fouled, since you only refs can determine if you are fouled.

I think you're over thinking this part -- I don't think this is unclear. The player can fake the contact or the effect of the contact to make the referee think it was a foul. I don't think it is there for regular game events but for the you-have-got-to-be- $%$%-kidding-me scenarios.

I've seen it called exactly once, in a high school game I was watching and happened to have a perfect angle. Defender faked to draw a charge with a huge groan and flop. Unfortunately for the defender, the referee was a the right angle to see there was a full foot of space between the two players when he went down in agony . . .