Is It a Foul?

[Smitty]

I don't think this scenario is so cut and dried. I have seen this more and more lately. It is definitely an attempt by the defense to hinder the shooter's concentration on the shot. If there is contact, I am more inclined to call this now more than I ever was before. It's a cheap attempt to alter a shooter's shot with no attempt to play the ball. Often there is no contact or maybe slight contact with the shooter's jersey. But if I see a defensive player's hand contact the shooter's body, I may call this a foul early. That should get the defense to knock it off.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Smitty

If there is contact, I am more inclined to call this now more than I ever was before. It's a cheap attempt to alter a shooter's shot with no attempt to play the ball.

Contact is not necessarily a foul.
An attempt to alter the shot is not necessarily a foul.
The defender's intent to alter the shot is not necessarily a foul.
Behavior you dislike is not necessarily a foul.

Call a foul if the contact in fact hindered the shot. Otherwise, tell 'em to knock it off.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Contact is not necessarily a foul.
An attempt to alter the shot is not necessarily a foul.
The defender's intent to alter the shot is not necessarily a foul.
Behavior you dislike is not necessarily a foul.

Call a foul if the contact in fact hindered the shot. Otherwise, tell 'em to knock it off.

Intentional contact that is intended to do nothing more than alter an airborn shooter's shot is getting more attention from me than incidental contact.

I'm not saying I will always call it a foul, but I am more inclined to than not if there is contact.

[Scratch85]

Originally Posted by Smitty

Intentional contact that is intended to do nothing more than alter an airborn shooter's shot is getting more attention from me than incidental contact.

I'm not saying I will always call it a foul, but I am more inclined to than not if there is contact.

This is a good statement. I think most agree that intentional contact and incidental contact will be scrutinized differently.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Smitty

It is definitely an attempt by the defense to hinder the shooter's concentration on the shot.

Ref: TWEEET!

Coach: "Mr. Referee, Sir, May I politely ask why you called that foul?"

Ref: "Sure coach, he attempted to hinder the shooter's concentration."

Coach:

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Ref: TWEEET!

Coach: "Mr. Referee, Sir, May I politely ask why you called that foul?"

Ref: "Sure coach, he attempted to hinder the shooter's concentration."

Coach:

That's just stupid.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Smitty

That's just stupid.

Agreed, that's why it's important to use the proper terminology as has been pointed out (which was my point).

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Agreed, that's why it's important to use the proper terminology as has been pointed out (which was my point).

Huh? If the defender pokes the airborne shooter in the stomach, I will have no problem explaining that to a coach.

[grunewar]

The OP said the player was "tapped in the stomach."

I have no problems telling the coach to tell his player to knock it off or to call the foul if warranted.

But, I personally will not tell the coach it was an attempt to "hinder his concentration."

You can use those terms, I won't.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by grunewar

The OP said the player was "tapped in the stomach."

I have no problems telling the coach to tell his player to knock it off or to call the foul if warranted.

But, I personally will not tell the coach it was an attempt to "hinder his concentration."

You can use those terms, I won't.

What are you talking about? Who said I would say that to a coach? Only in your mind did that conversation occur. I didn't even say I would automatically call it a foul. Hell, it could possibly even be an intentional foul depending on how hard the kid poked the other kid. I'm just saying I wouldn't just pass on it and say "knock it off" if the contact was enough to warrant a foul.