Was it really that bad?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree.

Agree.

However, not necessarily in this case (common basketball sense applies here, how can a team gain an advantage by doing this), but in similar sentence (maybe not specifically related to basketball), that may not be so easily understood using common sense. I'm sure that speaking in a particular manner (with pregnant pauses), can make it seem that the introductory statement "attempting to gain an advantage by interfering with the ball after a goal or by failing to immediately pass the ball to the nearest official after a whistle is blown.", can make it appear that "attempting to gain an advantage" applies to both clauses; "interfering with the ball after a goal" as well as "failing to immediately pass the ball to the nearest official".



My high school English teacher, Mr. Baumgartner, would be very disappointed that I can't explain this better. Maybe something to do with compound sentences and independent (or dependent) clauses?

However, to basketball officials, how it's currently written is probably just fine.

I (a high school official) believe that I know the purpose and intent of the rule and what the rule means, just not sure that it would hold up in a court of law with non-basketball-official attorneys, judges, and jurors parsing words in this somewhat complex compound sentence.

Here's another complex compound sentence high school rule that can leave some officials confused by independent clauses with the word "or":

All I am saying is the action that was penalized has nothing to do with an advantage. These are two different kinds of violations considered into one delay. I am talking about this because folks are focused on one part of the rule and not the other. There was no advantage to throwing the ball away, it was disrespectful. And I have given a T to players for doing stuff like this in high school games. Not common because I make a habit of not chasing any basketball even if it is close and behind me. So I tend to not have to deal with that kind of situation.

I also tend to be very direct with players when they do disrespectful stuff, especially if it is not obvious to everyone. Players tend to get the message or they fall in line. I have even had players apologize for their behavior as well. But again what Clark did was a reaction to a foul she did not like. The official was not having it and T'd her up. They did not care who she was. Good for that official.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

All I am saying is the action that was penalized has nothing to do with an advantage ... There was no advantage to throwing the ball away, it was disrespectful.

I agree with you.

My point was that one could possibly read this complex compound sentence, with multiple clauses, in a different way.

It probably could be written better, and I believe that chapmaja and jmwking may agree with me.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I agree with you.

My point was that one could possibly read this complex compound sentence, with multiple clauses, in a different way.

It probably could be written better, and I believe that chapmaja and jmwking may agree with me.

That's great. But the reason for the technical foul was explained by the crew chief after the game. Whatever the grammar police want to charge doesn't change the understanding of the rule by those who adjudicate it.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

Whatever the grammar police want to charge doesn't change the understanding of the rule by those who adjudicate it.

Agree. Purpose and intent.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

... the understanding of the rule by those who adjudicate it.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Purpose and intent.

Purpose and intent being about delay, not advantage/disadvantage.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I make a habit of not chasing any basketball even if it is close and behind me.

Same here. Our former local interpreter used to say to keep your eyes on the players, never get a ball, it always comes back to you, and that he never lost a basketball in a game.

I almost lost a basketball this past year. It somehow disappeared after a call was made. I asked the players, "Wheres' the ball?". They didn't know. A parent yelled from the bleachers that the ball rolled out an open gym door. I looked into doorway and saw classrooms with open doors and a downstairs stairwell. No way was I making a trek to find that ball. I asked the coach for a new ball and she said that it must be somewhere. She did find it. It hadn't left the gym, as the parent claimed, but rolled, hidden, behind a trash can near the door.