"On the floor"

[Cyber-Ref]

I noticed a number of my more experienced partners use the vocal signal "On the floor" when calling certain fouls. It is usually around the basket, or in the lane, and mostly in the front court. It seems that this happens on a non shooting play where the offensive player in control is fouled by a defensive player before the shot.

The sequence goes like this:

1. Whistle
2. Fist goes up
3. Vocal signal...."On the floor"
4. Sometimes, not always a pointing gesture to the spot on the court where the foul occured.
5. Report to the table

Is this similar to saying "Before the shot"?

Is this a widely accepted mechanic?

Are there rules or cases to support this?

I'm curious as to the intent or meaning or the origin of this statement relating to calling thes types of plays.

[BktBallRef]

It's simply a term some officials use to indicate that the foul was before the shot.

[JRutledge]

I am a little confused. What exactly are you asking? Are you asking just about the words "on the floor?" Or are you asking about the entire sequence of actions you described?

Depending on where you live or who you work for the term "on the floor" might not be acceptable. Now it does not matter to me what you say as long as you get the call right. I think most of the time officials do not properly award FTs for fouls when players are clearly shooting the ball (just because they shooter did not leave the floor when fouled).

I think instead of saying "on the floor" officials should just say "no shot" and wave off the basket as listed in the back of the rulebook.

Peace

[tomegun]

Do the same people say "stay here" or "going the other way" on out-of-bounds calls?

[Ref-X]

The term “on the floor “ is clearly a one official communicating to his partner and everyone else that this is a non shooting foul. It is pretty common. You will also have some officials that will say “no shot”. There are some officials that are less vocal and won’t here much of anything.
But the most important thing is communication. Your partner, the players & coaches all know what is going on.

[IREFU2]

Originally posted by tomegun
Do the same people say "stay here" or "going the other way" on out-of-bounds calls?

I usaually will stay stay here if the ball is knock out by the other team. I never say going the other way, just point.

[blindzebra]

We should all be saying, "No shot."

Communicates the same info and is mechanically correct.

It's also shorter than, "On the floor."

But not as short as, "Before."

[SeanFitzRef]

Originally posted by IREFU2

I usaually will stay stay here if the ball is knock out by the other team. I never say going the other way, just point.

Why say "Stay here" instead of just calling color and pointing direction (approved NFHS/NCAA mechanics)? "Stay here" sounds like you're training a dog or something.

[IREFU2]

Originally posted by SeanFitzRef

Why say "Stay here" instead of just calling color and pointing direction (approved NFHS/NCAA mechanics)? "Stay here" sounds like you're training a dog or something.

It depends. Its kind of a bad habit saying stay here, I am tryin to get out of the habit of doing that.

[tmp44]

Originally posted by blindzebra
We should all be saying, "No shot."

Communicates the same info and is mechanically correct.

It's also shorter than, "On the floor."

But not as short as, "Before."

Agreed. Saying "on the floor" instead of "no shot" around here gets you quick deductions on an evaluation sheet.

[SMEngmann]

I agree with Rut, and I really think it's nitpicky to deduct on an evaluation for simply saying, "on the floor" or even "stays here." I've sat courtside in D1 games and heard those exact same terms from NCAA tourney officials. Both terms, especially "on the floor" are communicative and as long as the communication is clear I personally don't see a problem as they can facilitate better dead ball administration than doing nothing. To ding an official on an evaluation for something so, IMO, minor, is myopic because you're losing sight of the whole official (calls, judgement, mechanics, positioning, game management) in the specifics of minor terminology. Granted there are better ways of communicating, and we should all strive for that, but this is really pretty ticky tack, again IMHO.

[jritchie]

They are already D1 officials and everyone knows they can call, mechanics aren't looked at as much as someone trying to move up to that level!! why say more than you should...whistle,color, point!! perfect mechanic, will be liked a lot better!!! Some people think the "EXTRA" stuff is just said to try and make yourself stick out or draw more attention to yourself, even if you don't mean it that way, things can be perceived that way sometimes to assignors!!!

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I have a very simple solution to cure officials from saying "on the floor." And it involves electrical shocks to certain parts of that anatomy.

MTD, Sr.

[rainmaker]

We're not supposed to say either "On the floor" or "No shot". Just fist, "white, 35", prelim, indicate spot for throw-in or indicate shots. I will say "No shot" if the shot is away before I get the fist in the air.

[tomegun]

Originally posted by SMEngmann
I agree with Rut, and I really think it's nitpicky to deduct on an evaluation for simply saying, "on the floor" or even "stays here." I've sat courtside in D1 games and heard those exact same terms from NCAA tourney officials. Both terms, especially "on the floor" are communicative and as long as the communication is clear I personally don't see a problem as they can facilitate better dead ball administration than doing nothing. To ding an official on an evaluation for something so, IMO, minor, is myopic because you're losing sight of the whole official (calls, judgement, mechanics, positioning, game management) in the specifics of minor terminology. Granted there are better ways of communicating, and we should all strive for that, but this is really pretty ticky tack, again IMHO.

While I understand why you say "stay here" is something minor, I think it's interesting that you mention positioning as something that is important. A small or "minor" step left or right makes all the difference in the world to get a good look. Plus, we can't do the same things now that a current D1 official did before they moved up. Times change, mechanics change and we must change with them. I can't understand someone saying something is minor when you consider all the competition to move up.

Most of the time, there is a reason to do something and a reason not to do something. We are talking about a reason to say the color or a reason to say something other than the color. When someone steps in the center circle before the jump and says the color, while pointing the appropriate way, why don't they say "this way, that way?" What about reporting to the table. It seems like other things are based on communicating the colors the teams are wearing. Why is the use of color on an out of bounds play so easily dismissed when it could be just as easily used the same way as other times in the game?

Finally, "stay here" isn't a color.

[Edited by tomegun on Nov 18th, 2005 at 06:43 AM]