Elbow Swing

[maven]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

The effect of the POE is to prohibit players from holding the ball in front of or above their faces, which is just nonsense.

Holding the ball cannot possibly be a foul on the player in control. I suppose the defender might throw his nose into the big guy's elbow, but that would be on him.

I did not miss your point: you're saying that contact that would hit a 6'6" big man in the chest and be a PC foul will hit a 5'10" guard in the nose and be INT. That makes the "severity" of the foul turn only on player height. You regard this result as nonsense.

I disagree. The rules makers have put the burden on the player who wants to "clear out" to be responsible for where his elbows go. This choice, as you know, is rooted in a desire to minimize contact to the head. If you don't want to risk hitting the guard in the face, don't clear out.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by maven

Holding the ball cannot possibly be a foul on the player in control. I suppose the defender might throw his nose into the big guy's elbow, but that would be on him.

I did not miss your point: you're saying that contact that would hit a 6'6" big man in the chest and be a PC foul will hit a 5'10" guard in the nose and be INT. That makes the "severity" of the foul turn only on player height. You regard this result as nonsense.

I disagree. The rules makers have put the burden on the player who wants to "clear out" to be responsible for where his elbows go. This choice, as you know, is rooted in a desire to minimize contact to the head. If you don't want to risk hitting the guard in the face, don't clear out.

Pivoting to make an outlet pass is not a clear out. One has to see the entire play to determine if A1 intentionally elbowed B1 in the face or if the contact was non-intentional illegal contact.

As an interpreter and a historian of the rules, the NFHS Rules Committee is making decisions that show that a majority of the members are lacking in rules knowledge and the history of the rules.

MTD, Sr.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Pivoting to make an outlet pass is not a clear out. One has to see the entire play to determine if A1 intentionally elbowed B1 in the face or if the contact was non-intentional illegal contact.

As an interpreter and a historian of the rules, the NFHS Rules Committee is making decisions that show that a majority of the members are lacking in rules knowledge and the history of the rules.

MTD, Sr.

I AGREE 100%. Despite what some have said, it is not basic basketball plays that they want to be intentional. Using the elbows as weapons, carelessly or recklessly flinging them around, is what they want out of the game, not generic contact that happens to involve elbows.

[The_Rookie]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I AGREE 100%. Despite what some have said, it is not basic basketball plays that they want to be intentional. Using the elbows as weapons, carelessly or recklessly flinging them around, is what they want out of the game, not generic contact that happens to involve elbows.

Thanks Cameron for providing the thought behind the rule...makes for better understanding