Jeff Van Gundy on "Flopping"

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by tref

I thought he said he minimal contact "flops" as a block.

I was told if you want the flops to stop, call it a block & if you get pushback from the coach... "Would you prefer the T, by rule?"

And the only way to judge that would be to have contact and have to judge that it was minimal. So why call a block? Why have to explain that call to a coach? Why not just call nothing as there really wasn't any contact?

To say "I'm going to call it a block" when it really isn't a block just open us up to a whole lot of trouble.

[JWP]

Please excuse my lack of specifics and the generalization.

The play I have in mind is when the defensive player gets in position - usually in the key -- but the offensive player avoids contact on the way to the basket, or the contact is so minimal -- the brush type of contact -- that is does not impact the play. Yet, the defensive player goes flying, arms waving, using with sound effects.

(Or at the younger level, what is usually seen is the player falling straight down, having yet to perfect the backward launch.)

In the past, I have always no-called this. My thinking has been that by falling to the floor, he has self-penalized his team.

However, this is the type of flop that needs to be halted, because first, it flows against the character of the game, and second, it makes for a dangerous situation. There is now a player on the floor, and if the shot is missed, there are usually three to four players going after the rebound. The guy on the floor gets stepped on, ankles roll, other people fall ... it is just a bad situation.

A good warning early in the game is important, of course. But calling it tight from the get-go will send a message to both teams early.

FYI -- To the administrators, I really enjoy this forum. It is forcing me to think about the craft. I appreciate the work you and everyone puts in on this. Thanks.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JWP

Please excuse my lack of specifics and the generalization.

The play I have in mind is when the defensive player gets in position - usually in the key -- but the offensive player avoids contact on the way to the basket, or the contact is so minimal -- the brush type of contact -- that is does not impact the play. Yet, the defensive player goes flying, arms waving, using with sound effects.

(Or at the younger level, what is usually seen is the player falling straight down, having yet to perfect the backward launch.)

In the past, I have always no-called this. My thinking has been that by falling to the floor, he has self-penalized his team.

However, this is the type of flop that needs to be halted, because first, it flows against the character of the game, and second, it makes for a dangerous situation. There is now a player on the floor, and if the shot is missed, there are usually three to four players going after the rebound. The guy on the floor gets stepped on, ankles roll, other people fall ... it is just a bad situation.

A good warning early in the game is important, of course. But calling it tight from the get-go will send a message to both teams early.

FYI -- To the administrators, I really enjoy this forum. It is forcing me to think about the craft. I appreciate the work you and everyone puts in on this. Thanks.

If the contact itself isn't illegal (backing, bailing, or falling backwards prior to contact are all legal), then a block is, by rule, the wrong call. If that doesn't matter, and if your leadership wants you to call it that way, so be it.

But let's not pretend there's any rules backing whatsoever.

What you do have backing for is a warning and a technical foul if it continues. I've found a no-call, by itself, normally takes care of it. A no-call and a warning, however, always does it.

The warning doesn't have to include the direct threat of a T, either. Just letting the player know, verbally, that you saw him flop takes care of it. Twice this season I told the player that he would have probably gotten a foul call had he stayed in position longer, and neither of them did it again.