Falling before contact

[Pantherdreams]

IMO

You cannot call a block here. The defense didn't do anything illegal and you had no contact so no grounds for a common foul at all.

The issues we encounter are: A) is when there is marginal/little contact but now the defender ends up on ground. B) If you feel this was intended to fake being fouled (FYI I find that language/semantics to be impossibly limiting)

Not to open a different can of worms than the OP but in the case of A my feelings are that the defense is allowed to move backwards/sideways to protect themself. If they want to go backwards head/butt first instead of feet first that is on them I'm moving on with a no call.

In the case of B. I think you had better have something in their actions/reactions to indicate they expect a call. Throwing a T because someone is soft, scared, young, anticipating or off balance is rough.