Flopping - OK or T?

[Ref Daddy]

Major disagreement brewing.

Is a flop - to draw a charge - unsportsman-like and thus a "T"?

[LarryS]

I have never called a T for flopping...and cannot imagine a situation that would cause me to call my first.

I usually just ignore it and certainly do not reward it. I sometimes say something along the lines "Don't flop", "Nice try", etc. If the coach chirps for a call, I usually just tell him "He flopped coach." and move on. That usually gets the message across that if they want to draw a charge, they have to take some contact and not hit the floor before the ball handler reaches them.

[som44]

the easy answer is that is is a technical--see POE 4B in the 2004-2005 rule book--don't forget to use a little preventive officiating first though--at least in my opinion

[brandan89]

Flopping is a T.

[David B]

Originally posted by Ref Daddy
Major disagreement brewing.

Is a flop - to draw a charge - unsportsman-like and thus a "T"?

In FED this year it is. Point of emphasis also this year.

We are reminding coaches at the pregame and I've had no problems, but did see it called in a game. Coach asked and
official told him the call and no problems.

The way we've explained it is if there is contact no problem, the flop with NO contact is the T. (that's the way our state guys explained it anyway)

Thanks
David

[zebraman]

Originally posted by Ref Daddy
Major disagreement brewing.

Is a flop - to draw a charge - unsportsman-like and thus a "T"?

It's a POE in this year's rule book. Our state interpreter told us to get "the actors." In other words, the ones who make a big mockery of the block/charge play by catapulting themselves into the air with absolutely no contact. They also cite the case of a shooter who is a major actor and flops to the ground after shooting with absolutely no contact as well. Whether or not you call it in your game is a decision only you can make.

Z

[imaref]

Specific unsporting acts. 'Flopping.' The defensive player or screener acting as though he/she has been charged by an opponent, when in fact he/she has not been, definitely has an impact on the game. It is detrimental to the best interest of basketball. The "actor" wants to create the false impression that he/she has been fouled in the charging/guarding situation, or while he/she is screening when in either case there is no contact or incidental contact. The "actor" falls to the court as though he/she were knocked down by the force of the contact. Those actions are designed to have a foul charged to the opponent - a foul not deserved. The rules are in place to deal with such activity and must be enforced. A technical foul is charged to the "actor" in all cases. Coaches can have a positive impact by appropriately dealing with players who fake being fouled. It is not part of the game. Officials must penalize the act. (10.3.7f)

later.....

wl

[Dewey1]

First flop I usually say something like what has been mentioned already "Don't flop". If it continues I usually call a blocking foul on the flopper. I haven't ever had to T for flopping the warning or the blocking call has always done it.

Though I have not really had a situation where someone majorly flops with NO contact. That is why the block call is an easy out, there is almost always some contact and the flopper is not in legal guarding position falling to the floor. Having said that - I have had to do this once maybe twice a season.

[GarthB]

At the FED clinic I attended, the clinician suggested that if there is contact prior to the flop, call a block, if there is no contact, T'em up.

[SMEngmann]

This is kind of one of those between a rock and hard place decisions we have to make. I agree that flopping is bad for the game and we need to do something to curb it, but calling a T every time is a tough sell. Personally, I'd be more likely to T a shooter who flops to the ground faking a foul than in the block/charge type of scenario, because such a flop seems more obvious, and could cause an obstruction in transition. On the block-charge plays, you can usually take care of it by calling a block or giving a solid no-call, in my estimation. Shooters flopping to me is a different story and it's much easier to tell conclusively.

[dhodges007]

Time to get flogged, but I NEVER have called a T for flopping and probably never will, unless it is a consistant call from the entire association. If A1 flops and B1 trips I will call a block. Reply to the coach or player, "he/she/you flopped and then tripped him/her"

By the way, I stole that line from Monty McCutchen if you heard it this summer at camp

[SMEngmann]

Originally posted by dhodges007
Time to get flogged, but I NEVER have called a T for flopping and probably never will, unless it is a consistant call from the entire association. If A1 flops and B1 trips I will call a block. Reply to the coach or player, "he/she/you flopped and then tripped him/her"

By the way, I stole that line from Monty McCutchen if you heard it this summer at camp

I'm with you and that's why I think it's a dumb POE. This has to be called consistently in order for it to be an effective POE, and in my associations, the rules guys tend to ease off of directing officials to consistently call it. It's like a catch-22 for officials, they say in the POE to call it, but if anyone did while being evaluated, I'm sure it would be interpreted as over-officious.

[JRutledge]

I would call a block before I would just call a T. You can warn them without going that route. Just threaten them with a T and most of the time they are going to stop. But I would not give a foul to someone that is trying to get a call with all the theatrics.

Peace

[LimeyRef]

A change to FIBA rules this year was that flopping is a Tech. However it was also pointed out that a Tech is an non-contact foul, and the unsportsmanlike foul (or intentional) is a contact foul -
Flopping without contact = Tech.
Flopping with contact = No call, etc

The difference is in the Tech rule for FIBA there is no mention of unsportsmanlike activity, only not playing in the spirit of the game - Unsportsmanlike actions are covered in the unsportsmanlike rule, and are defined differently.

Is this the same in HS/NCAA?

[gostars]

I think a warning to the player and/or coach is in order before calling a T. However, if there is no contact whatsoever even if I haven't warned I will give a T. I think we should be really sure before we give out T's for flopping. But, if there is no contact the flopper definitely should get a T.