Whenever I hear a coach ask, "wasn't he reaching" or "wasn't that a reach", I know it's only a matter of time before he starts asking for an "over the back" call. Reaching is not a foul, and 99% of the time when they reach there's no contact. And half of that remaining 1%, there's no advantage.

I think that estimate is high. The reach I see so often, at all levels, is the defender making a steal attempt. Defender reaches across the body of the dribbler. Often the defender gets only ball with the hand, but makes considerable contact with his arm on the hip/leg/torso of the offensive player. Depending on your angle, the contact may be very difficult to see, let alone measure.

"So Pure, It Floats" ...
 

So, according to my trusty slide rule, 99.5% of the time it isn't a foul. Wow. That's a higher percentage than Ivory Soap (99 44/100%)

I think you all know what I meant, I am talking about "reaching" fouls - when the defender is going for a steal, and is in fact creating contact with the dribbler.

And yes, reaching is not a foul. Reaching and making contact might be though...

And what I am talking about is reaching, and generally making a lot of contact, maybe with the offensive players face, hammering the ball loose, and then looking stunned, just STUNNED! that there is a whistle. Because we were, you know, cheating the kids and all.

I just love the tender and noble concern coaches have for their kids. They don't really care about winning or losing, they just want the kids to not be cheated by those dastardly officials!

Note: When I say "coaches" I am referring only to particular coaches, not coaches in general. The 80-20 rule applies, of course, and most coaches actually do, I think, really care about their kids more than they do about us, or how we might be cheating them.

So forgive any unintentional over-generalization.

Reachin' And Foulin' ???
 

How many times do I have to say it. If you're an official, please post in "Officialese", always. That's the only way that we can tell, for sure, that you're not one of, "Them".

I was doing some games with a first year official who coached for eight years. In fact, they were his first games.

He kept calling "over the back" on rebounding fouls. After the first, I explained that the call does not exist, and why it is important to avoid using the term.

He only did it three more times in the next two games though, although he looked rather chagrined each time he realized he was doing it again...:P

But how can you know that I am not just one of "Them" with a polished vocabulary???

We Have Our Methods, If I Told You About Them, Then I'd Have To Kill You ...
 

Oh, we know. We know. Enough said.

Not a problem. Our lab is processing your DNA right now.

I Told You That We Would Have To Kill You ...
 

Old School almost fooled us. But, as I said, we have our methods. He was, indeed, one of "Them". You don't see Old School posting anymore. Do you? Enough said.

Mark Padgett: You've given out way too much information. Please delete your post, or we will deal with you the same way we dealt with Old School.