Multiple fouls

[Camron Rust]

Originally posted by Hawks Coach

That said. . . It seems bizarre that you oculd have a block and a "reach-in" occur at approximately the same time, they are the first two fouls of the half, and a ref somehow determines that this is a multiple foul and merits two FTs. Two very common occurrences, with nothing remarkable except that different players committed different offenses on the same player at abut the same time. It seems out of line with any other rule to award two FTs for this situation.

I can see multiple fouls coming into play on a flagrant or intentional situation, but only there. The other situation I outline I would hope would never be called. It is penalty well in excess of the violations.

Hence the reality of things...only one of the two fouls gets called...unless they are flagrant or intentional. In my mind, one of the two is almost always more significant to the play and that is the one I will call. The other becomes incidental, not by the fact that it came second or during a dead ball, but by the fact that it didn't make a difference (it may have even been the first contact).

I think the intent of keeping it in the book is, as I've said before, for that time when something happens where you really need to penalize both players.

It could discourage cheap shots. If it were not there, I could imagine a coach that would have his players get an extra hit in when it looks like a teammate is going to commit a foul. Coaches do teach them to hang on if they commit a foul to make sure they don't also complete the shot. It would not be a stretch for them to teach B2 to come in and grab onto A1 as B1 is fouling to really make sure there is no shot.

[Edited by Camron Rust on Feb 3rd, 2003 at 08:34 PM]