Don't Hit Me!!!

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Think about it mathematically for just a moment and it will make sense. If directly left is 0 degrees and directly right is 180 degree, straight back will be exactly and precisely 90 degrees and ONLY 90 degrees. Any deviation will be in an oblique direction. There is NO way I can differentiate between a player moving at 90.000000 degrees and player moving at 90.000001 degrees. Furthermore, I think it would be effectively impossible for a player to move at an angle of exactly 90.00000 degrees. And all of that assumes that the reference plane between the players is static, when in reality, it is continuously shifting. The odd of a player moving exactly straight back are essentially 0.

I didn't know that there was going to be a mathematics on the Forum today. I'm not prepared. Can I try to understand this tomorrow? I promise that I'll be better prepared. I'll get out my old high school geometry and trigonometry books and will study real hard. I promise. Can I use my slide rule? Do I have to show my work? Do I have to use a #2 pencil?

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I didn't know that there was going to be a mathematics on the Forum today. I'm not prepared. Can I try to understand this tomorrow? I promise that I'll be better prepared. I'll get out my old high school geometry and trigonometry books and will study real hard. I promise. Can I use my slide rule? Do I have to show my work? Do I have to use a #2 pencil?

Now now, don't knock the math geek. That reached me. Speaks volumes, eh?

Still, you have to wonder if there's any connection between the omission of "straight back" in the aforementioned rule, and the fact that PC fouls are rarely called when the defender is indeed backtracking. I'd love some insight on that.

And Snaq, I always appreciate the candor, but the example you provide isn't something I would use in the 1-2-3 approach. If there's no chance it's a block (stationary defender facing elsewhere), then it's just a PC or incidental.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by bainsey

And Snaq, I always appreciate the candor, but the example you provide isn't something I would use in the 1-2-3 approach. If there's no chance it's a block (stationary defender facing elsewhere), then it's just a PC or incidental.

Good, then you have to ask yourself why, by rule, is it a PC foul.

As for why it's not called, it is called when it happens. You just never see it happen, because players don't give ground like that. If anything, you typically see it called incidental when the defense bails. and occasionally, you see it called a block when the bail (normally in the form of a premature fall) endangers other players.

For the record, I agree that Camron's explanation works better than mine. All the principals lead to the same conclusion, though.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

.....trigonometry books and will study real hard.

Hillbilly father to teacher: "Y'all better sign Billy Bob up fer some of that triggernometry. He's the worst shot in the family."