The Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

What if the ball was touched with both hands while the dribbler was looking at the coach?

Violation.

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

What if the dribbler actually grabbed the ball with both hands and then dribbled again?

Violation.

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Do you think it's also OK to pick and choose the degree to which a rule has been violated and just call some of the illegal second-dribble violations?

Yes, as long as I, and others on my local board, have been taught to be consistent with such calls as individual officials (within the game, and from game to game), and with each other.

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

And using the same logic, you wouldn't call a violation if the same player stepped on a boundary line in the backcourt while he's not under any pressure either, right?

Violation. I call boundary lines by the book, as I've been taught, and as all officials on our local board, have been taught.

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

You do believe in consistency, right? Or do you pick and choose what violations that you think should be called under some mystical system known only to yourself?

They are not known only to me, but are taught, and understood by all competent officials on my local board.

Now, Jurassic Referee, after you have had your second helping of apple pie, would you please sit down tell us an after dinner story about the Pilgrims and the Indians, after which could you please follow up with a story about how you personally might bend some rules to account for advantage and disadvantage in calling three second lane violations and ten second free throw violations. Just exactly how do you decide to call these? Are there black areas, white areas, and gray areas, to these rules? "Do you think it's OK to pick and choose the degree to which a rule has been violated?" "You do believe in consistency, right? Or do you pick and choose what violations that you think should be called under some mystical system known only to yourself?"

Oh, and by the way, Happy Thanksgiving.