No Dunking?

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by CJP

What about Nevadaref's grammar lesson?

What about it? It said nothing about not being able to dunk. But, read literally, it says that while dunking you can't grasp the rim.

The interpretation used to be closer to literal than it is now. But even back when the hand wrapping and instantly letting go (as in the video) wasn't called. And I think it was in the 80s that the language was added about holding on for protection. When I watch HS games, it seems that the exception largely swallowed the rule--absent showboating few refs are going to say that a player stayed on the rim other than to protect himself. (I think the permissiveness pendulum has swung too far, but its hard to believe it will swing back--and if it does, calling a T on the dunk in the video is swinging way too far the other direction.)