We need to stop this "ignoring the rule" narrative. Travels are hard to get based on all levels. I see all level of officials miss travels. And when I called a couple in the State Finals, people complained as if they were missed, but the video backed me up. And most of all who cares what fans think. Anything funny to them is a travel even when it is not rules based. Why are we concerned with what fans think about any rule that they do not have to administer?

Peace

totally agree. If I see a player make a good spin move I'm not going to call it unless I see that extra step or pivot coming down. Euro step has to be watched because players can do that James Harden type when the pivot comes down. I missed one like that.
I've said this before but I've seen refs call too many travels on quick plays, by that I mean when the player catches the ball and makes a move right after. Either a drive to the basket, or a fake then go. Sometimes the ball isn't released but other times the refs seem like they weren't ready for that fast of a move and they call a travel when it's not.

Exactly. No need to declare it to be a bad call just because someone else's judgement is more finely tuned.

Agreed. If it happened, it happened. If the official in questions sees slow motion better than you, maybe he's better than you.

That said, I think we tend to allow "two steps" on driving layups, in spite of the rule. In other words, we basically rule the dribble ended after the first step, even if it actaully ended before. I'm not sure whether it's a benefit-of-the-doubt thing or just being consistent.

For me, it's benefit of the doubt. I'm conditioned to see the layup as legal, so unless it's blatant, I don't call anything because I don't see it.

On spin moves, it's not really about watching the pivot come down. It's about seeing where the feet are when the gather takes place. The finish of the spin will look the same almost every time.

Watch a few games with the DVR remote in your hand. Take a second look at EVERY spin move, from guards or big men, when the ball is picked up/gathered mid-spin. I'll bet you'll be surprised at how few of them are legal.

I think it's a point that needs to be widely taught, because I don't believe most officials consider them to be even near travels. They simply see it as a legal move and don't give it a second thought.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcq_20O07b8

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tcq_20O07b8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This movie is RARELY called correctly. At any level.

This is part of why I'm frustrated. Maybe I'm unique in that I'm able to see this particular aspect of the game better than most.

But when I make these calls in games, I get a lot of grief from coaches, mostly because so few officials call it this way.

I think the game may even be better served by ruling these kind of moves as legal, in the rulebook.

I'll say this, and it may seem to be a contradiction of what I wrote earlier.

If you find you're literally the only official in your area making the call, you might want to consider adjusting your filters.

I'm inclined to agree, unfortunately.

I see posts like this, from relatively important sources, and get even more frustrated because they go nearly ignored at every level.

GET THE SPIN TRAVEL | Dave Hall Officiating

I can say that my area wants us getting the spin travel. It's funny when I get it in a freshman game and some yahoo from the stands starts telling me that's a middle school call. All I can think is, "it it was, your kid would have stopped doing it last year."

As I move up in my area, I hope to influence others to call it as well. I honestly think it's simply a matter of pointing out what the player's feet are doing during the move.

If one takes the time to read the Traveling Rule for NFHS, NCAA Men's and Women's, FIBA, and NBA/WNBA and wade through the language of each rules set, one will see that the traveling rule is the same in each rule set. That said, there is really nothing wrong with the Traveling Rule as written in any of the rules set. I will say that the NFHS/NCAA language is clearer and easier to read than the FIBA and NBA/WNBA rules sets. The "progressing" wording is mind numbing.

MTD, Sr.

This is a huge issue with me for a bunch of reasons but I'll be brief and stay to the OP.

Point 1: I don't think that the biggest culprits for travels that get missed are on finish moves I think the biggest culprit is on travels. No way ball is out of contact with the hand before pivot foot is lifted on a huge number takeoffs.

Point 2: I think a lot of travels get missed because of the physicality of the game and needing to officiate the defense. Difficult to watch the feet, hand and ball of the offense simultaneously if watching the feet of the defense and checking for arm contacts.

Point 3: Not just on this forum but in general becoming increasing frustrated by the idea if I have to see it on tape I'm not calling it. I get that if you miss one once in a while and need super slow mo and motion dectors to get a call then you have to let that go in real time. But if you can watch something on tape and slow mo or not see that you are missing the same or a similar call consistently the official involed IME needs to change their threshold for what they are seing or learn to look at something else on that play to get a call right. Saying its too close if its happening all the time means its not really that close . ..

Sometimes you can be the best official that's not working. As was said earlier, if you're the only one calling this stuff, adjust your filter.