gps-10

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by crew
basically, i was looking for some philosophy on this play. the rule book clearly states that "hands firmly on the ball..."(nc2a and nba) constitutes a held ball. that is why i made sure to say the body created the situation. getting into the defense a litle deeper no foul(my judgment) was committed on the play i saw.

my gut feeling on this play is a held ball and that is what i called without grief from anyone(thank goodness). but when i read the held ball definition i began to 2nd guess myself. then i thought, what if he were to stop the shot with his forarm or elbow and they both came to the floor. i would rule that a held ball as well without doubt.

if anyone were to call a travel in this sitch it is also an appropriate decision-i just wanted to hear from the board.

any additional thoughts/philosophy?

Let's suppose that you are on a committee to write the first ever Basketball Rules Book. After the first draft. someone recognizes that you need a definition for "held ball."

So, you think of the way the game is played, and how you want it called, and come up with the "two players have hands so firmly on the ball it can't be controlled without undue roughness / B's hands on the ball prevent A from releasing the ball on the try" wording.

Everyone agrees with the definition because that's what happens 99.99% of the time -- no one thinks of the rare exception (well, no one except Crew )

I think the *intent* is there -- contact with the ball by B prevented A's release -- that's a held ball.

As someone on another board once said, "The rules book is a set of finite rules to apply to infinite circumstances." If the book had to cover all the circumstances, it would be as large as the Tax Code -- and just as hard to apply.