Hope this never happens again, but

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Glenn Lampman
(How can you block me if I am pushing off??)

How can you push off against me if I block you? How do you know that the block didn't occur first? You don't. If the player is airborne, B moves underneath and creates contact and then A pushes with his forearm, the block came first. The point is that neither official knew which foul occurred first, if indeed one did occur before the other. That's why it's a double foul.

4-19-7a
A double personal foul is a situation in which two opponents commit personal fouls against each other at approximately the same time.

Not exact same time but approximately the same time. To accept some of these interpretations would mean that you would never call a double foul.

Here is the NF interpretation of this play

4.19.7C. Play: A1 drives for a try and jumps and releases the ball. Contact occurs between A1 and B1 after the release and before airborne shooter A1 returns to the floor. One official calls a blocking foul on B1 and the other official calls a charging foul on A1. The try is successful. Ruling: Even though airborne shooter A1 committed a charging foul, it is not a player-control foul because the two fouls result in a double personal foul. The double foul does not cause the ball to become dead on the try and the goal is scored. An alternating-possession throw-in results.

If you want to discuss the merits of a double foul, this sitch is even less of a double foul than our play. But it's still a double foul. Can you have a block and a charge on the same play? I don't think so but neither official is going to change his mind. In Rut's play, each player definitely fouled. Again, no choice but to call a double foul.

[Edited by BktBallRef on Nov 29th, 2000 at 12:59 AM]