If a tree falls and... If a foul occurs and...

[M&M Guy]

Originally posted by psycho_ref
If the shooter never felt it and doesn't think it is a foul then how can it be disadvantageous?

Someone will say, "how do you know he/she didn't feel it.

I used to do this trick with people to illustrate a point - I would get right up in front of them and put my fingertip ever so close to their nose. As I kept my finger there, about a millimeter from their nose, I would ask them if I'm touching them. Of course they would say no. Then I would say, "Yes I am", and point at my feet, which were up against their feet. The point being people sometimes concentrate so much on one thing, they're not aware of anything else. I think that's why many defenders look so amazed when a foul is called on them while they're trying to block a shot - they are concentrating so much on that ball, they're simply not aware their body collided with the shooter as well.

I guess my point in all this is don't take a player's word that they didn't feel contact - use your eyes to determine if contact occured, and if that contact caused the disadvantage.