Miami Heat v. New York Knicks: LeBron Block Attempt and Foul

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I would agree with this, but people who work a level of ball where there are regularly plays like this will learn how to not call this.

Of course, there are always the people (normally middle school and jv coaches) who insist any contact with an airborne shooter is an "automatic" foul.

And that is part of the problem. They call this crap at these lower levels and they get patted on the back for doing so. Then when they get to a HS game with some players that can jump, then they call fouls.

Funny how I worked an AAU Tournament this past weekend with kids that might have been no older than 10 years old. On one play a kid split two defenders and lost his balance and threw up some crap to attempt a shot. I saw the entire thing and the defenders literally did not touch him, but he fell down on his face basically and the coach complained and ask me how that was not a foul? I answered by saying, "The the defenders did nothing wrong or illegal, he just fell." The coach basically said, "He cannot fall over air?" It was funny because I guess he has never seen a 10 year old fall down on his own not only in basketball, but while playing in the street. I am convinced officials buy into that thinking and call things that are easy because it is accepted. Not that what I just described was the exact kind of play, but it certainly is the reason I think many will call a foul even when any contact takes place with a shooter. They do not have the ability to have courage to not call what is not there or to explain why it was not a foul to a hostile coach. But experience teaches you sometimes that you are doing no one a favor by calling a foul just to be calling a foul.

Peace