Woddy, no one wants you to be sassy, perky or frisky. The crotchety, curmudgeonly and growl-ly is bad enough. I hope everyone will conspire to keep all "retreat" information away from you!

Let's examine the various shot trajectories. Bank shots aside, can we agree that if a shot is blocked before it has reached the halfway point, it is not goaltending?

Can we also assume that long shots, with their flattened trajectories, do not usually get blocked on the way down.

That would leave close-in shots, where the majority of flight paths are a simple parabolic arch. These are the shots that are typically goal-tended and I would suggest that they are on the way down (or off target) when they are blocked.

Bank shots (especially line drives) can be different, and this principle will not help.

I would still suggest that this rule of thumb is accurate for the majority of shots where goaltending might be called.

Nope, could be a tall guy shooting the ball down. Happens on short jump-hooks. The only pertinent criteria to be used is whether the ball was on the way down on a try or tap.

Ok, I'm not a science guy, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. And while I was there, I studied the trajectory of various balls...(oh, man, I have a feeling I better stop right now).

Anyway, what I was trying to say was I have to watch the flight of the ball, and when the defensive player touched it, to determine goaltending. If I start trying to factor in other items, such as if the defender is more than halfway between the offensive player and the basket, or if the defender's arm was halfway even if the defender wasn't, or whether I should consider the difference between a short-range vs. mid-range jumper, or...it's just too much for me to process in that short time. So, if I see the ball on it's way down when it's touched by the defense, it's a goaltending violation. If I try to include other items I might get myself in trouble if I try to explain the reasoning for my call to the coach or my assignor.

Agreed. I would suggest that if someone is throwing it down, it's pretty obvious that the ball is on the way down.

I don't think this is the type of shot Chuck was referring to.

That's right. Tall guys throwing the ball downward is not Chuck's area! :eek:

Nope. FTs can be goaltended right out of the shooter's hand!