If I could change one rule, it would be....

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

Doesn't mean we're fighting, dude. It's called arguing a point and we do it all the time here.

And yes, you did spin it. No one has advocated calling "the tap on the back or arm when the dribbler has clearly passed the defender," or "let the defense stop the clock by calling everything."

We advocate that:

1 - The NFHS, NCAA, FIBA, and the NBA all recognize that strategic fouling is part of the game of basketball.

2- When you know the defense is trying to commit a strategic foul, call the first significant contact so that the contact doesn't escalate.

Finally, don't call me sir.

(Not talking to you, but just as good a place as any to jump in....)

Of course that's what I meant, too. I'm not calling that tap with the ball handler past the defender at *any* point of the game and certainly not here, either.

But there are fouls near the end of the game where, had they happened earlier, I would've passed and hesitated to see if the ball handler could play through the contact. Big difference is that early in the game, the defender is trying to avoid picking up the foul and will immediately back off if he's close to getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Late in the game, the contact will escalate (normally) until we call the foul. That first bump, well, I see no reason to see if A can play through it. Because if I do, the next contact could lead to injury, retaliation, or worse.

If we have a timeout, we'll be getting together and saying, "They're going to be trying to foul. Let's get the first one."

Regarding intentional fouls -- I see no reason to be a pioneer. I call them when the game and the NFHS expects them to be called.