Traveling, palming, carrying

[World-wide Fan]

I have watched basketball games in several countries from middle-school to pro level for about 40 years now. I have read on this forum that fans say "Nobody calls that anymore" about traveling, palming and carrying. I agree with the fans for the most part but it doesn't mean I like it. Palming and carrying require a lot of judgement and gray area but traveling is merely a case of counting the steps. There must be some reasonable limit to this concept of free-to-travel. I see players who are making a "layup" (I believe now we would call it a dunk) take three steps on a routine basis while holding the ball and four steps will be overlooked by most officials. Thirty years ago, the limit was two steps. How does the number of allowed steps get changed? Is it by some rule book or just "fan demand"? Will we soon see five steps allowed? Will dribbling become a thing of the past?

[Nevadaref]

[Junker]

At times I wish dribbling would be a thing of the past. It'd be nice to see the ball passed a little more.

[M&M Guy]

Now guys, we just might be missing out on an opportunity to help relieve this world of a small bit of ignorance. Granted, we may know this was "dumb" question, but perhaps World Wide Fan may never have had an opportunity to discuss this with a real official, so he may have been laboring under this misconception for all these 40 years.

So, here goes:

These rules are from the National Federation rule book, which most middle schools and high schools use throughout the country. There are also NCAA rules for college, and FIBA rules for international play.

Traveling is, by rule, simply moving a foot or feet in any direction in excess of the prescribed limits while holding the ball. The limits on foot movements are as follows:

1)A player who catches the ball with both feet on the floor may pivot using either foot. When one foot is lifted, the other is the pivot foot.

2) A player who catches the ball while moving or dribbling, may stop and establish a pivot foot as follows -

a. - If both feet are off the floor and the player lands
1. simultaniously on both feet, either foot may be the pivot foot.
2. on one foot followed by the other, the first foot to touch is the pivot foot.
3. on one foot, the plyer may jump off that foot and simultaniously land on both. Neither foot can be the pivot foot.

b. - If one foot is on the floor
1. it is the pivot foot when the other foot touches in a step
2. the player may jump off that foot and simultaniously land on both, in which case neither foot is the pivot foot.

3) After coming to a stop and establishing a pivot foot

a. - The pivot foot may be lifted, but not returned to the floor, before the ball is released on a pass or try for goal.
b. - If the player jumps, neither foot may be returned to the floor before the ball is released on a pass or try for goal.
c. - The pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released to start a dribble.

4) After coming to a stop where neither foot can be the pivot foot
a. - One or both feet may be lifted, but not returned to the floor before the ball is released on a pass or try for goal.
b. - Neither foot may be lifted before the ball is released to start a dribble.

5) A player holding the ball
a. - may not touch the floor with a knee or any other part of the body other than a hand or foot.
b. - after gaining possesion while on the floor and touching with other than the hand or foot, may not attempt to get up or stand.

Ok, there it is. Notice how it doesn't say anywhere about 1 step, 2 steps, 3 steps, etc. It can be summed up (maybe a little too simply) by saying traveling is lifting a pivot foot before releasing the ball at the start of a dribble, or replacing the pivot foot before releasing the ball on a pass or shot. It can also be called when falling to the floor while holding the ball, or getting up off the floor while holding the ball. The hardest part in this rule is picking out which foot is the pivot foot. But now, with a little practice, you too can become knowledgeable about the travel rule and amaze your friends. Hopefully you can pass this along to some of the less-knowledgeable people around you in the stands, and together we can slowly eradicate one of the rules "myths" that abound in this game.

[walter]

Outstanding M&M!!! I can't tell you how camps I've been to and how many supervisors have told me that the key to traveling is what foot was the pivot when the dribble began and what foot was the pivot when the dribble ended? As for receiving a pass, moving or not, being wide enough to see the whole play, again, to identify the pivot foot immediately makes the travel call that much easier. Great job educating the misguided once again.

[just another ref]

Originally posted by M&M Guy
Now guys, we just might be missing out on an opportunity to help relieve this world of a small bit of ignorance. Granted, we may know this was "dumb" question, but perhaps World Wide Fan may never have had an opportunity to discuss this with a real official, so he may have been laboring under this misconception for all these 40 years.

So, here goes:

These rules are from the National Federation rule book, which most middle schools and high schools use throughout the country. There are also NCAA rules for college, and FIBA rules for international play.

Traveling is, by rule, simply moving a foot or feet in any direction in excess of the prescribed limits while holding the ball. The limits on foot movements are as follows:

1)A player who catches the ball with both feet on the floor may pivot using either foot. When one foot is lifted, the other is the pivot foot.

2) A player who catches the ball while moving or dribbling, may stop and establish a pivot foot as follows -

a. - If both feet are off the floor and the player lands
1. simultaniously on both feet, either foot may be the pivot foot.
2. on one foot followed by the other, the first foot to touch is the pivot foot.
3. on one foot, the plyer may jump off that foot and simultaniously land on both. Neither foot can be the pivot foot.

b. - If one foot is on the floor
1. it is the pivot foot when the other foot touches in a step
2. the player may jump off that foot and simultaniously land on both, in which case neither foot is the pivot foot.

3) After coming to a stop and establishing a pivot foot

a. - The pivot foot may be lifted, but not returned to the floor, before the ball is released on a pass or try for goal.
b. - If the player jumps, neither foot may be returned to the floor before the ball is released on a pass or try for goal.
c. - The pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released to start a dribble.

4) After coming to a stop where neither foot can be the pivot foot
a. - One or both feet may be lifted, but not returned to the floor before the ball is released on a pass or try for goal.
b. - Neither foot may be lifted before the ball is released to start a dribble.

5) A player holding the ball
a. - may not touch the floor with a knee or any other part of the body other than a hand or foot.
b. - after gaining possesion while on the floor and touching with other than the hand or foot, may not attempt to get up or stand.

Ok, there it is. Notice how it doesn't say anywhere about 1 step, 2 steps, 3 steps, etc. It can be summed up (maybe a little too simply) by saying traveling is lifting a pivot foot before releasing the ball at the start of a dribble, or replacing the pivot foot before releasing the ball on a pass or shot. It can also be called when falling to the floor while holding the ball, or getting up off the floor while holding the ball. The hardest part in this rule is picking out which foot is the pivot foot. But now, with a little practice, you too can become knowledgeable about the travel rule and amaze your friends. Hopefully you can pass this along to some of the less-knowledgeable people around you in the stands, and together we can slowly eradicate one of the rules "myths" that abound in this game.

Nice to have a rule book, but I don't think this was what world wide fan was looking for. The rule is the same, but it is obvious that where I live, where I watch on tv, and apparently where world wide fan lives and/or watches, the traveling and carrying rules continue to be stretched to the max and way beyond by players and the officials who allow them to do so. I, for one, continue to try and call these violations by the book as much as possible, but when players are obviously allowed to get away with more and more, it becomes increasingly difficult to make these calls. Last year in a boys JV game, I called a carry on one point guard three times. His coach reassured him, "Don't worry about it! He's the only one that calls that!" Didn't say bad call, just that nobody else calls that. It was hard for me to blame him for saying that, because it was true. Anybody else have a similar situation?

[Junker]

I love it when coaches back you up like that! This summer (so I was more of a smarta@$ than a real game) I called a carry and the coach asked me if the move was too fast for me. I said, "No, it was too illegal to me." He stated that he thought it looked good and I said, "Yep, that's a classic example of a carry." He at least chuckled a little.

[M&M Guy]

Originally posted by just another ref
Nice to have a rule book, but I don't think this was what world wide fan was looking for.

I did it for the express reason that wwf has probably never seen a rule book, as evidenced by the comments on the "number of steps". Now, whether or not officials as a whole call the rule correctly is another discussion. But at least wwf will look at these situations under a new light; and my guess is (s)he will all of a sudden start seeing more correct calls. Not because the officials are calling it different, but because wwf is seeing it with a different perspective. It's hard to make correct assumptions (nobody calls that anymore), if the basis is incorrect (traveling is merely a case of counting the steps). My guess is wwf also doesn't know the correct rules on palming and carrying as well. I'd be willing to bet they think no one's calling the high dribble any more as well.

So, our job as officials is to provide as much enlightenment to the uneducated as possible. With every person that we are able to convert, they may talk to a friend and convert them as well. Pretty soon, maybe even coaches will be come part of the enlightened masses! (Ok, so I dream big... )

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by M&M Guy
[/B]

Ok, so I dream big. [/B][/QUOTE]Keep dreaming about those Cubbies. I have this picture in my head of M&M Guy walking down the street and suddenly breaking out singing the theme from the The Man Of La Mancha-- "To dream that impossible dream...."

[M&M Guy]

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee

Ok, so I dream big. [/B]

Keep dreaming about those Cubbies. I have this picture in my head of M&M Guy walking down the street and suddenly breaking out singing the theme from the The Man Of La Mancha-- "To dream that impossible dream...." [/B][/QUOTE]



Ok Mr. Yankee Fan, just repeat after me:

"Wait 'til next year!"

I know it takes a while to get it down, but I've had plenty of practice. Once you get it right, it's becomes second nature to keep repeating it...