[QUOTE=Camron Rust;874560]See the interp in post #4:

[QUOTE=Camron Rust;874560]I would have to disagree that they are considered identical numbers. I believe the intent to not have both on the roster is to eliminate possible confusion when reporting fouls. I would say illegal, yes. Identical, no. If two players have identical numbers, someone has to get a different number. But, both 0 and 00 can both play, at the expense of a T.

Not identical
 

0 and 00 are no more identical than 1/11, 2/22, 3/33, 4/44, and 5,55. As has been answered, only penalty in the OP is if both team members participate. Why, bc the rule book specifies that 0/00 can't play without a penalty. Nothing to have them both listed.

[QUOTE=PG_Ref;874569]Yes, they are considered identical...that is the resaon that there is an issue to begin with...maybe a special case of identical, but still identical. Many electronic statistical programs are based on player number and don't/can't separate 0 from 00. 0 and 00 are not like 1 and 11 but are like 1 and 01. Those are identical numbers. If you don't think they are identical, subtract one from the other and see what you get....you don't get the same result with 1 and 11.

I stand corrected in how the NFHS wants them handled, but the basis behind the restriction is that they are identical to record keeping systems.

Illegal or Identical? That is the question.
 

Both numbers are legal. They are not identical. In the Ancient Days it was legal to have players wearing both numbers and playing at the same time: "zero" or "double zero". When the first computer programs for basketball statistics were first written, the software could not differentiate between the uniform number "0" and the uniform number "00" therefore the rule change by both the NFHS and NCAA. They are both legal numbers, they are not identical numbers, but a team must just between "0" and "00".

MTD, Sr.

Identical ??? I Don't Think So ...
 

Try telling that to the croupier at the Venetian Resort and Casino in Las Vegas when you have $1000.00 on 0 and the ball falls into 00 on the roulette wheel.

Are 2 and 02 identical? Yes, yes they are. So are 0 and 00. Regardless, you can't have both.

BBR calls 0 violations in the first half.
Adam calls 00 violations in the first half.
BBR and Adam have called the identical number of violations in the first half.

And, we've hide a pretty good first half. :)

+1,000

MTD, Sr.

Adam:

My post was not to join the discussion but to give the history behind rule. As far as I am concerned NFHS 2008-09 Basketball Rules Interpretations Situation 2 covers the OP.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. Everybody should remember that there are only ten numerals: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, but there are an infinite number of numbers.

Infinite numbers but may ways to express the same number.

1 = 01 = 001 = 0001 = 00001. It doesn't matter how many 0's you add in front if it, it is still the "number" 1.

Now, if you want to talk about strings, they're certainly not the same but players are identified by numbers, not strings.