2024-25 NFHS Rules Changes

[bucky]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

This was never a stated NF rule despite what people want to say.

It wasn't? The text reads "Changes the penalty for faking being fouled...."

Notice the word "Changes". Rule 10-4-6f.


Additionally...from referee mag in 2020: https://www.referee.com/flopping-for...repercussions/

[JRutledge]

Are they getting rid of 10-4-6f? If not, then that was not the intent of the rule. Again you intend a vague language to support something, you support it with interpretations that have meaning. This had no meaning that suggested flopping.

Peace

[bucky]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Are they getting rid of 10-4-6f? If not, then that was not the intent of the rule. Again you intend a vague language to support something, you support it with interpretations that have meaning. This had no meaning that suggested flopping.

Peace

It wasn't? What was the intent of the rule? Isn't flopping the same thing as "faking being fouled"? Were the people at Referee mag all wrong years ago?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bucky

It wasn't? What was the intent of the rule? Isn't flopping the same thing as "faking being fouled"? Were the people at Referee mag all wrong years ago?

The rule talks about FTs, not fouls during a play. And again, there was a case play that addressed that, never one that addressed a flop or even called anything a flop.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Schoolhouse Rock, 1973

Originally Posted by bucky

Isn't flopping the same thing as "faking being fouled"?

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The rule talks about FTs, not fouls during a play ... there was a case play that addressed that, never one that addressed a flop or even called anything a flop.

At the risk of wading onto a pool of sharks, I’d like to enter this debate.

JRutledge is 100% correct that the word “flop” is not found anywhere in the current rulebook or casebook, nor do I believe that it was ever found in past rulebooks or casebooks.

Flopping is not a formal rule language term, but an informal colloquial term used by many in the world of basketball.

However, while the old rule did mention free throws, it used the coordinating conjunction “or” which means that any part of the sentence can stand by itself, i.e., only "faking being fouled".

While I agree with bucky that flopping is the same as faking being fouled, I also agree with JRutledge that there is now much more in the rule with the addition of the faking being fouled definition in Rule 4.

The important take away is that the penalty has changed (player technical changed to team warning followed by team technical).

NFHS Previous To 2024-25: 10-4-6-F: Player Technical: A player must not: Commit an unsporting foul. This includes, but is not limited to, acts or conduct such as: Faking being fouled, knowingly attempting a free throw, or accepting a foul to which the player was not entitled.

NFHS 2024-25: 10-2-1g, 10-4-6f: Team Warning, Team Technical: Establishes a procedure for officials to issue a team warning on the first instance of faking being fouled. The warning is recorded in the scorebook and reported to the head coach. Any additional instances will result in a team technical foul.

NFHS 2024-25: 4-49: Faking being fouled as when a player simulates being fouled or makes theatrical or exaggerated movements when there is no illegal contact. Examples include, but are not limited to, embellishing the impact of incidental contact on block/charge plays or field goal attempts, using a “head bob” to simulate illegal contact and using any tactic to create an opinion of being fouled to gain an advantage.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

NFHS Previous To 2024-25: 10-4-6-F: Player Technical: A player must not: Commit an unsporting foul. This includes, but is not limited to, acts or conduct such as: Faking being fouled, knowingly attempting a free throw, or accepting a foul to which the player was not entitled.

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

For some reason, the rules writers conflated "faking being fouled" with other infractions that abuse the foul calling and enforcement process.

Back in high school we were coached to raise our hand (back when it was actually a mandatory rule to raise one's hand when charged with a foul) when we were in the vicinity of our best players being charged with a foul.

It occasionally worked.

And we were never penalized for trying (wink, wink, gamesmanship).

For some reason, nobody ever raised their hand for me.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by bucky

It wasn't? The text reads "Changes the penalty for faking being fouled...."

Notice the word "Changes". Rule 10-4-6f.


Additionally...from referee mag in 2020: https://www.referee.com/flopping-for...repercussions/

Exactly. They're just emphasizing and spelling it out while decreasing the penalty since very few called it and some even denied it even existed.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Exactly. They're just emphasizing and spelling it out while decreasing the penalty since very few called it and some even denied it even existed.

There was never a definition for flopping or even the word "flopping" used in any rulebook or interpretation. It was never spelled out how to enforce or the multiple situations in which a player can flop. So if that was the intent, it was horribly executed or stated. Now that they put in this rule, some people do not even understand how you even adjudicate this current rule yet for some real situations. People are now debating when you stop the game. But this was so clearly defined before right? LOL!!!!!

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

There was never a definition for flopping or even the word "flopping" used in any rulebook or interpretation.

Still isn't.

4-49 (NEW), 10-2-1g (NEW), 10-4-6f: Changes the penalty for faking being fouled from a player technical to a warning for the first violation and a team technical for any subsequent offense and adds a definition and examples. Rationale: Allows officials to issue a warning before assessing a technical and the technical will now be assessed to the team and not the player, lessening the severity of the penalty while addressing the behavior.

Faking being fouled is defined in Rule 4-49-1 as when a player simulates being fouled or makes theatrical or exaggerated movements when there is no illegal contact. Examples include, but are not limited to, embellishing the impact of incidental contact on block/charge plays or field goal attempts, using a “head bob” to simulate illegal contact and using any tactic to create an opinion of being fouled to gain an advantage. The new language also establishes a procedure for officials to issue a team warning on the first instance of faking being fouled. The warning is recorded in the scorebook and reported to the head coach. Any additional instances will result in a team technical foul and not a player technical foul, which was previously the case.

Maybe we'll see the F-word when the NFHS comments on the 2024-25 Basketball Point of Emphasis Faking Being Fouled; or when the NFHS publishes annual interpretations.

[JRutledge]

"Flopping" used in the announcement

I agree that in your example that might not be fully listed, but it appears they are using the word to describe the types of action in their announcement. We do not have the rulebooks yet and see if they use it as apart of the rule. But even if they don't, they are clearly addressing this situation. It was not about the wording for me, it was the fact they gave examples that are bigger than a block-charge play which people only seemed to focus on. And then they were so adamant they would T up a player for doing that, but never considered things like falling on shots or "head bob" actions that are also considered flops at other levels before this new rule change.

Peace

[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

"Flopping" used in the announcement

I agree that in your example that might not be fully listed, but it appears they are using the word to describe the types of action in their announcement. We do not have the rulebooks yet and see if they use it as apart of the rule. But even if they don't, they are clearly addressing this situation. It was not about the wording for me, it was the fact they gave examples that are bigger than a block-charge play which people only seemed to focus on. And then they were so adamant they would T up a player for doing that, but never considered things like falling on shots or "head bob" actions that are also considered flops at other levels before this new rule change.

Peace

I have not had a head bob happen in my games yet, but I have had the shooter falling down, players falling to exaggerate contact, and players sitting down on block/charge plays. In women's college games, play is stopped "at the next stoppage of the game clock" to report the warning (4-14.2). The technical foul for a second or subsequent offense is called as usual for any other technical foul.

NFHS can follow the women's college protocol, or they might choose to follow the old men's protocol of stopping the game immediately after the play the flop happened on ends. We will have to wait until the new rulebook is officially published to find out.

[BillyMac]

... possibly for the first time ever.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Maybe we'll see the F-word when the NFHS comments on the 2024-25 Basketball Point of Emphasis Faking Being Fouled; or when the NFHS publishes annual interpretations.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

"Flopping" used in the announcement

I agree that in your example that might not be fully listed, but it appears they are using the word to describe the types of action in their announcement.

A new definition and subsequent warning for faking being fouled (flopping) has been added to the NFHS Basketball Rules Book for the 2024-25 season.