Swinging arms question again :

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Really?

Play 1: A1 goes up for a rebound. B1, who was 6 inches shorter, runs in and under A1 for the same rebound while A1 was in the air. A1's elbow comes down on B1's head.

Play 2: A1, running down the court with their arms "swinging" in a normal running motion. B1 lunges at A1. As A1 goes by B1, A1's elbow clips B1's face.

I saw both of those called IF's more than once in big D1 games, even after video review. The reason was that that A1's elbows were "moving" and made contact to the head's of the opponents. That was what those guidelines lead to and neither of them made any sense.

A moving elbow to the head is just not enough to justify an IF. Players move and their elbows move with them. It is unreasonable for there to be no contact with the head. It is reasonable to expect there to be no excessive contact with the elbows.

While those examples may seem (or be) "unfair" or overly harsh, the rule did cut down on the more dangerous swinging elbows plays AND get (at least some) officials to make a correct IP of FP call when before they would have passed or called a common foul. It also led to (some) officials getting the first foul when B reached in after a rebound, thus preventing the elbow in the first place. It was consistent, and improved safety --both goals of the HS rules.