Fan rules

[Mark Padgett]

Since fans, especially parents, think they know the rules, I suggest we officiate by calling the game the way the fans want us to. I call these "fan rules". I've made a list below. Any others you guys want to add?


Three second counts continue while shots are being taken.

Non-contact situations such as “over the back” and “reaching” are fouls.

It is a foul to slap a player’s hand while it is on the ball.

Catching your own missed airball shot is traveling.

Inbounding from the front court into the backcourt is a violation.

There is no backcourt violation if the defense touches the ball at anytime.

After a timeout, a team may inbound the ball at midcourt.

A ten second backcourt count continues where interrupted following a timeout.

Following a score and a timeout, a team has lost the privilege of running the endline.

It is a violation to throw a pass to a teammate who is OOB along the endline following a score by the other team.

After establishing a pivot foot, lifting the pivot foot is a traveling violation even if the ball is released before the pivot foot returns to the court.

When gaining control of a loose ball by diving onto the floor, a player’s momentum of doing so that causes him to roll over or slide is a traveling violation.

Stepping on the OOB line while inbounding is a violation.

It is permissible for players to wear earrings as long as they are taped over with masking tape.

Nothing their kid ever does is a foul.

[BillyMac]

This is a "Bizarro World" version of the Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules.

[Juulie Downs]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Nothing their kid ever does is a foul.

and the corollary, if their kid misses a shot, it's because 'he got fouled.

[zm1283]

You could apply these not just to fans, but to coaches as well, and unfortunately a couple of officials that I've worked with.

Side note: A good number of coaches are really latched on to the "If the defense ever touches the ball there can't be a backcourt" myth. It seems like every time I call "last to touch, first to touch" as a BC violation on the offense, I get that argument from their coach that "The defense touched it!".

[26 Year Gap]

Shouldn't the 3 second count commence after a made basket?

[Nevadaref]

How could you omit "officials shouldn't make a call that decides the game" from the list!

[26 Year Gap]

Okay, I will modify it.

It is 3 seconds when someone in the crowd says it is 3 seconds.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

Okay, I will modify it.

It is 3 seconds when someone in the crowd says it is 3 seconds.

Doing a recent provincial U15 championships round robin game.

Loud mouth dad in the stands. I sooooooo wanted to put him in his place. (Is that bad?)

Players are doing a decent job getting in and out of the key. I used my voice a bit to avoid a violation. Couple trips down the court later, player goes in the key. Dad says "1" right away. Then "2" right after. Then "3" which was about 1 second after he said "1". Then "4" and "5" and then the shot goes up. It hits rim, he's now at "7". The ball is tipped around a bit and before someone gets a hold of it, dad is at "10".

He clearly is ignorant about the rule at this point. I kept wondering if I should toss him on the basis on the Ontario Fair Play Rule.

[AKOFL]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Doing a recent provincial U15 championships round robin game.

Loud mouth dad in the stands. I sooooooo wanted to put him in his place. (Is that bad?)

Players are doing a decent job getting in and out of the key. I used my voice a bit to avoid a violation. Couple trips down the court later, player goes in the key. Dad says "1" right away. Then "2" right after. Then "3" which was about 1 second after he said "1". Then "4" and "5" and then the shot goes up. It hits rim, he's now at "7". The ball is tipped around a bit and before someone gets a hold of it, dad is at "10".

He clearly is ignorant about the rule at this point. I kept wondering if I should toss him on the basis on the Ontario Fair Play Rule.

I'd like to see anyone quote that rule in one breath.

[Fritz]

Here's a variation that I had in a JV game earlier this year; as soon as a goal was scored, the scoring team's parents AND even players, started counting 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 in order to draw a five second count on the ensuing inbound. Of course, their 5 seconds took about 2 1/2 to count and they never bothered to wait until the other team had access to or control of the ball.

I asked one of the players what he was doing during a short break and he said their HC felt they got hosed in a game a couple of weeks earlier on a non-5 second call and so the coach required them all to now count the seconds. And the parents then got into the act. Of course, what it really did was cause the other team to rush their inbounds thinking they were out of time.

So I went over to the HC and told him to have his players knock it off ASAP or he would get hit with a T for unsportsmanlike. He complied, but felt that officials in general don't start the count soon enough - which he said should be as soon as the ball goes through the goal.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Doing a recent provincial U15 championships round robin game.

Loud mouth dad in the stands. I sooooooo wanted to put him in his place. (Is that bad?)

Players are doing a decent job getting in and out of the key. I used my voice a bit to avoid a violation. Couple trips down the court later, player goes in the key. Dad says "1" right away. Then "2" right after. Then "3" which was about 1 second after he said "1". Then "4" and "5" and then the shot goes up. It hits rim, he's now at "7". The ball is tipped around a bit and before someone gets a hold of it, dad is at "10".

He clearly is ignorant about the rule at this point. I kept wondering if I should toss him on the basis on the Ontario Fair Play Rule.

"Sir, every time you do that it makes me lose count and I have to start over."

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

"Sir, every time you do that it makes me lose count and I have to start over."

Or make sure you have autographed photos of the Counting Count from Sesame Street you can hand out.

[bigdog5142]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

Or make sure you have autographed photos of the Counting Count from Sesame Street you can hand out.

Okay...that's classic!

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by bigdog5142

Okay...that's classic!