You Don't Say ...

Freddy · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Mar 02, 2014, 08:01pm

Rather than: "You have to take out your earrings”........
BETTER: "Remove your earrings and you'll be allowed to continue to warm up."

Suggestion for Another Phrase Best Unsaid: "On the Floor!!!!!"
Heard far too frequently when the foul occurs after the act of shooting has previously begun. Of course the shooter was on the floor -- but, having "gathered the ball", that's part of the act of shooting. Better to say, "No shot! or "Ball out-of-bounds." That's more accurate according to rule than the phrase "On the Floor".

River Ref · #2 (**permalink**) Sun Mar 02, 2014, 08:42pm

Finally, two final thoughts
Should be .........And finally, two thoughts

bainsey · #3 (**permalink**) Sun Mar 02, 2014, 09:49pm

A few grammatical things:

"Non-shooter" should be hyphenated. See also "throw-in."

Everything in quotes should have the comma inside the quotes. For example, it should be "Reaching in," not "Reaching in",.

I would finish "who are far smarter than me" with a colon (: ) rather than a period (.), since you have a list following.

My spellcheck didn't like the word "tosser." Funny, Brits sure like to call each other that.

BillyMac · #4 (**permalink**) Sun Mar 02, 2014, 11:30pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by bainsey

"Non-shooter" should be hyphenated. See also "throw-in." I would finish "who are far smarter than me" with a colon (: ) rather than a period (.), since you have a list following.

Done.

I've always had trouble with punctuation inside, and outside, quotations, so I'm sticking with what I'm comfortable with, even though it's probably grammatically incorrect.

bballref3966 · #5 (**permalink**) Sun Mar 02, 2014, 11:54pm

I would hope we would never give credence to the nonexistent "over the back rule" by reporting a foul to the table this way. I would not be happy to see my partner report a foul that way...

#6 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 03, 2014, 12:01am

Quote:

Originally Posted by bballref3966

I would hope we would never give credence to the nonexistent "over the back rule" by reporting a foul to the table this way. I would not be happy to see my partner report a foul that way...

Why not? It's just a colloquial term for "push" or "displacement" or "rebounding foul".

BillyMac · #7 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 03, 2014, 12:09am

Quote:

Originally Posted by AremRed

Why not? It's just a colloquial term for "push" or "displacement" or "rebounding foul".

Because only one of these, "Push", has a corresponding signal when reporting to the table. In addition, over the back isn't a foul, "over" implying no contact, while on the back may be a foul, but it still doesn't have a corresponding signal to report to that table. Another reason: Although colloquial terms are great for everyday conversations, officials should try to use formal (colloquial means informal) rulebook language whenever possible.

bballref3966 · #8 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 03, 2014, 12:15am

Quote:

Originally Posted by AremRed

Why not? It's just a colloquial term for "push" or "displacement" or "rebounding foul".

Because many fans think any time a tall player secures a rebound over a shorter one without contact that it's "over the back." Reporting "over the back" (a non-rule book term that communicates the wrong message) only adds credence to this myth. A push or displacement doesn't always happen by virtue of reaching "over the back." Sometimes the most common fouls in this situation are ones the involve the behind defender bumping the guy with inside rebounding position forward. Are you telling me it makes sense to report "over the back" in this instance?

If it's just a colloquial term, does that mean it's okay for us to yell "on the floor" for a foul prior to the act of shooting? Colloquial terms much of the time aren't the right terms to use.

BillyMac · #9 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 03, 2014, 12:03am

Quote:

Originally Posted by bballref3966

I would hope we would never give credence to the nonexistent "over the back rule" by reporting a foul to the table this way. I would not be happy to see my partner report a foul that way...

A few do. Mostly very young, less experienced rookies (who hopefully get it straightened out right away through peer evaluations), and very old veterans (who have done it that way for decades, and aren't going to change).

Rich · #10 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 03, 2014, 08:01am

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyMac

A few do. Mostly very young, less experienced rookies (who hopefully get it straightened out right away through peer evaluations), and very old veterans (who have done it that way for decades, and aren't going to change).

I call that signal the "Creeping Death Foul."

bainsey · #11 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 03, 2014, 04:11pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I've always had trouble with punctuation inside, and outside, quotations, so I'm sticking with what I'm comfortable with, even though it's probably grammatically incorrect.

Time out, Connecticut.

Consider this. Last year, there was a story going around about a player who scored in the other team's basket (very late in the game, as I recall). The headline read something to the effect of "scored in his own basket."

I emailed the author and pointed out the error, how the object of basketball is to score in your own basket, etc. He replied with appreciation, but decided to stick with what he had because "it sounds better."