OLD Stalling Rule

[mick]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Iirc, they did have a rule like that for a year or so. I think that the initial period then before the warning was a whopping 30 seconds, and then you had 10 seconds to get it over that FT line extended. You could then go back out, but the 10 seconds started again. I also think that the warning only lasted either a quarter or a half too. Iirc also, technical fouls were only 1 FT too.

Sound familiar?

It does. But you know, as a high school player you rarely (and I never) had a chance or inclination to ask to read any rule.

[ref2coach]

Originally Posted by mick

It does. But you know, as a high school player you rarely (and I never) had a chance or inclination to ask to read any rule.

True, I played 73 -> 77, I remember being required to advance past the hash marks. All I remember is when the referee yelled "play" we had to get past the hash mark. I do remember getting multiple verbal "reminders" during the game.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

I also think that the warning only lasted either a quarter or a half too. Also, technical fouls were only 1 FT too. Sound familiar?

Great memory. I vaguely remember that each team was allowed a certain number of warnings per period, half, game, something like that, maybe even involving lead changes. Also, didn't officials have to keep track of the difference between a defensive lack of action, and an offensive lack of action, each one may, or may not, have required it's own warning.

Those were the good old days:

[BillyMac]

I finally got around to checking my NFHS Basketball Handbook. I found these under Chronology Of Basketball Rules:

1965: Lack of action outlined in "Comments on the rules".

1982: Warning for lack of action reduced from ten to five seconds; Developed basic principles on lack of action in "Comments on the Rules".

I can't find when the lack of action rule was deleted. The oldest NFHS Rule Book that I have is from 1996-97, which does not contain a lack of action rule, so the lack of action rule was probably deleted sometime between 1982 and 1996-97. I'm sure that there are some veteran officials on the Forum who can look through their old Rule Books from 1982 through 1996-97 to find out when the lack of action rule was deleted.

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Jurassic Referee: Excellent explanation of the old Lack Of Action Rule. I believe that you nailed it. You indicate that the NFHS got rid of it quickly. When I began officiating back in the early 1980's, the the Lack Of Action rule was already in place, and only lasted a few years, as you indicated. I always thought that the rule had been in place for more than a few years. Do you remember when it started, or when it stopped? I'll take your word for it that there were other versions before the one you so aptly described, but I don't recall any other versions after the one you described was taken out of the rule book.

I graduated high school in 1991 and the rule was still in place. It was repealed between 1991 and 1994 because our college hosted the AAU state final 4 in 1994 and a team killed off about 5 straight minutes in the 3rd quarter with stalling and I was wondering why the officials weren't enforcing the lack of action rule.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

I graduated high school in 1991 and the rule was still in place. It was repealed between 1991 and 1994 because our college hosted the AAU state final 4 in 1994 and a team killed off about 5 straight minutes in the 3rd quarter with stalling and I was wondering why the officials weren't enforcing the lack of action rule.

So the lack of action rule was probably deleted between 1991-92 and 1996-97.

I'm sure that there are some veteran officials on the Forum who can look through their old Rule Books from 1991-92 through 1996-97 to find out when the lack of action rule was deleted. It's only six years, six books. Help me out.

[BillyMac]

After Stat-Man's recent post, I went back to my NFHS Basketball Handbook and looked again. I didn't realize that the rule was deleted such a short time ago, in BillyMac years, which is why I missed it this morning.



1991: Deleted lack of action definition and restrictions.

If any Forum member has a Rule Book from that era (1991-92), look under rule revisions, and maybe you can share with us the reason for the change

Thanks Stat-Man. Definitely an appropriate Forum name if there ever was one.

From Jurassic Referee: "The FED got rid of it quickly."
From Billymac: "When I began officiating back in the early 1980's, the the Lack Of Action rule was already in place, and only lasted a few years"
Boy, were we wrong. Lack Of Action 1982-1991 Rest In Peace, or Lack Of Action 1965-1991 Rest In Peace. Two gravestones. One funeral. Maybe they were related.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

I graduated high school in 1991 and the rule was still in place.

Funny. I graduated in 1992, and I don't recall that rule ever being enforced in any of my games. I don't recall that it necessarily needed to be, but I just don't remember hearing anything but a vague mention of the rule when I was in Jr. High.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Funny. I graduated in 1992, and I don't recall that rule ever being enforced in any of my games. I don't recall that it necessarily needed to be, but I just don't remember hearing anything but a vague mention of the rule when I was in Jr. High.

The "lack of action" rule that I laid out was long-gone by 1992....by a minimum of at least 10 years. When they went to 5 seconds, that was the start of the 5-second closely guarded rule, which got modified to what it used today. Today's closely-guarded rule IS a lack-of-action rule, with the onus put on the defense to force the action...if they want to.

Sureashell not worth arguing over.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

The "lack of action" rule that I laid out was long-gone by 1992....by a minimum of at least 10 years. When they went to 5 seconds, that was the start of the 5-second closely guarded rule, which got modified to what it used today. Today's closely-guarded rule IS a lack-of-action rule, with the onus put on the defense to force the action...if they want to.

I started in the early 1980's and I remember the "whole nine yards" lack of action rule lasting only a few years, which makes Jurassic Referee's estimate of a minimum of ten years before 1992 right on.

Could somebody find an old rule book and find out when, and possibly why, the "whole nine yards" lack of action rule was deleted, not just revised.