That was my first year of officiating, so I probably wasn't paying too much attention to POE's. I do remember mention of forearms on the post players. But still, I do not see the phrase “Defenders are not permitted to have hands on the dribbler or offensive players away from the ball" in that POE.

It's there, if you want it to be there, but we also apply steering, controlling, dsplacing, hampering, hindering.

Our interpreter has said NO touching Zero.

I am glad I do not have your interpreter. :D

Peace

I agree, Rut.
That "interpreter" is doing an injustice to his officials, ... or there is more to his explanation than "NO touching Zero". :)

I see there are mixed feelings/options here about this topic. I like the NC2A-W POE this year on this:

Defense permitted one "hot-stove" touch. No arm-bars, no continual/continuous contact. No holding, reroutes or impedes with the body. Also, they speak about allowing "freedom of movement" as well.

I try to do as much preventive officiating before calling a hand-check. This is JMHO!!!!

I can see the 2001-2002 POE that was posted earlier - but - in the 2008-2009 POE this year the wording is different. I believe that there is additional guidance.

"Defenders are not permitted to have hands on the dribbler or offensive players away from the ball ............... Regardless of where it happens on the floor, when a player:
1. Continously places a hnad on the opposing player - it is a foul.
2. Places both hands on a player - it is a foul.
3. Continuously jabs a hand of forearm on an opponent - it is a foul."

This does not necessarily say that one "hot touch" to feel an opponent is a foul - as it is not continuous contact or continuous jabbing. JMO

A defender in the post area and the offensive player is just standing there and the play is nowhere near? I will not be putting air in my whistle.

My random thoughts (do I ever have any other kind?)
 

It will be interesting to see how much actual change this POE affects. Allowing too much hands-on defense is, I think, a chronic problem in the game. But it's also become "part of the game" and it's often difficult to justify calling "minor" hand check fouls when the rest of the game is often more physical and more significant contact is routinely let pass because no advantage was gained.

I also agree that it's often very difficult to determine how much of an effect that hand on the offensive player is having. If it's allowed to remain on the dribbler, how can you tell with certainty when he's being redirected? Sure, sometimes it's obvious; quite often it's not.

That said, one of my mentors gave me this very pragmatic bit of advice: Call the handchecks on the dribbler early. You want to free up the point guard especially to run the offense. That will make you game go better.

Having tried it both ways, I have to say that freeing up the point guard does make the game better. Usually.

BadNewsRef,
In your scenario, I will be talkin' ["54. Keep your hands off that guy."], because I don't wanna be watching them all night and waiting for the "That's enough!" retaliatory hand slap.

This usually happens when guards are hanging out down low, like in a stack offense where the guard starts on the block and then pops out. Big guys (i'm one) don't seem to have a problem with it. In fact bigs guys expect there to be someone touching them when they are in the paint area.

I agree with both Mick and BNR - my point was that the POE this year does NOT say that any touching with the hand is an immediate foul ....... "no touchinig - zero tolerance" I am always talking to the guys in the post "no hands", "hands off", "straight up" ........

If we are going to call the arm bar and a quick hand check, we need to be prepared to call an offensive foul in the paint. Just saying...

Why, do you not see this called?

____________________________

Sounds like a little overkill to me.:)