Sorry Coach, Can't Call It, He Fell down ...
 

Defensive traveling?

Y! SPORTS

Well Football or Soccer whichever country you come from has the flopping (diving in soccer) rule for FIFA:

"The game's rules now state that "Attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to have been fouled (simulation)", must be sanctioned as unsporting behaviour which is misconduct punishable by a yellow card."

So in Basketball we can give the flopper a technical and award the opposite team free throws & ball possession.

Has anyone here actually used this option? For some reason I have a nuclear aftertaste right now...

Once, in a 6th grade YMCA game; after warning the player and his coach.

After the warnings, the same player was waiting at about the 3 pt line for the dribbler to approach. Just as the dribbler got to about 6 feet away, the defender went flying backwards like he was playing soccre.

Yeah, I Did...
 

Yes. After warning the same defender once not to "fake being fouled" (not the words I used that night), he didn't listen. Several transitions later he flops again, but this time right in the middle of the lane, which caused about five rebounders to come back down to the floor in dangerous ways either tripping all over him or trying to avoid him. I issued a T and, though still criticized by my one partner that night to this day, am not regretful that I did. It was a safety issue. And that's why I'm there. And that's one reason why there's this rule. And it solved what would have been a reoccurring problem the rest of the game.
Most players straighten up and cut it out after a tactful warning.
It's not "nuclear" when it regards "safety."
Most officials are just too chicken to call it even when it's truly merited.

Name Another Famous Haberdasher ...
 

Hey Freddy. I love it when you quote Harry Truman.

I wasn't there, and I'm probably one of only a handful of officials I know who has made this call, but it almost seems like you could have actually called a common foul on this knucklehead. I normally hate the idea of going with a "block" on a flop. It's a copout call, and it's not backed by the rules. But sometimes, like when the flopping player ends up tripping other players, it seems like the right call.

Again, I wasn't there, though, and I'm probably out of line for even bringing it up. If so, disregard.

What's the Big Deal?
 

No, Adam (if that's really is your real name ;)), you're not "out of line" with your well-worded post. Just wondering (not trying to be contentious, by any means--you all know me better than that :)) . . . What oh what is so prohibitive about calling this for what it is? I've heard respected officials debate back and forth on this issue and -- and I'm willing to admit there's a lot I don't know -- I don't get it. Observe it happen, judiciously issue a warning, and if the warning isn't heeded then just go ahead and call it according to 10-3-6f. It's only a T. And it solves the problem. How does that impugn the integrity of the official who justifiably calls it? For all the rationalistic gymnastics necessary to call a common foul when a common foul didn't happen, I agree with Adam -- that's a copout. Then again, as rarely as I've seen it occur, I think it must be a regional thing. Flopping doesn't happen all that often around here, it doesn't seem. When it does, the coach usually yells at the kid for his ill-fated attempt to cover up his inadequate defensive skills.

Again, I'm one of the few I know who has actually made this call. Like you, we just don't see it here. If I no-call a play like that, where the defender bailed too early and actually cost himself the call, the coach inevitably tells the player to stay in there and take the contact.

I'll usually verbally warn one player a season (on average) to not try to trick me like that. I've never had to go beyond that initial warning except for that one YMCA game a long time ago.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt ...
 

I've never charged a technical foul for a flop, but it's in the holster if I need it, and if I ever use it, it's not going to be because I'm 51% sure that it's a flop, I'm going to be, up around, 99% sure that it's a flop.

Yep, that's about when I'd put on my Dr. No mask too.