PC signal sequence
 

So I've been looking at a bunch of nfhs game footage and I've seen many versions of the PC foul signal. Most guys put about 10 short blasts of air in the whistle and come out with their left hand and kinda draw back and punch real energetically with their right fist. During camp they tell us to put in 1 short blast of air with a regular fist in the air. Then put the hand behind your head say "offensive" and point with that same hand in the other direction. So I'm really drawn between these two. The correct mechanic is the last one I described.. I know. But the first mechanic is easily understood by everyone, most officials do this, and it looks so much cooler. (I know we're not out there to look cool, but this motion looks more fluid and crisp)

So tell me what you think, and what you do in your games! Thanks.

One whistle, punch with my left.

Hard to reallly look convincing using the mechanic you describe.

Player Control Foul Signal ...
 

It has always been my contention, for the past thirty-four years, that there are as many player control foul signals as there are members of a board, or association. For some reason this signal, more so than any other, is a chance to "do your own thing".

My suggestion is to do what the best officials in your local association, or board, do; or go with what your mechanics manual (NFHS, IAABO, etc.) states. You probably can't go wrong either way.

For me (Mr. Boring, Vanilla, Conservative, BillyMac), I follow the IAABO mechanics manual:

Sound whistle, fist in the air to stop the clock, hand behind the head for player control foul, verbalize "Player Control", point in the direction that we will be going, and then point to the designated spot.

I only use the punch for a "true" team control foul (i.e., illegal screen). Not all player control fouls are also team control fouls.

But if the best guys in your local association, or board, use the punch for player control fouls, then it's not the worse thing that you can do to follow suit.

"When thou art at Rome, do as they do at Rome." (Miguel de Cervantes)

Is that a correct statement? I might deserve a "Doi!" on this one, but are not all player control fouls also team control fouls? Not all team control fouls are player control fouls. I get that. (Go easy on me...I'm in the last hour of a twelve hour work day right now, so I reserve the right to be wrong on this one)

I've always considered the "punch" the directional point for a TC foul. Does anyone ever throw this pugilistic signal in a direction other than the way the ensuing play is gonna go? I mean, does anyone ever punch toward the play or the other way or toward OOB?

No Team Control ...
 

Airborne shooter has released the ball, ending team control, but then plows into a defender's torso, a defender that has obtained a legal guarding position. No team control but there can still be a player control foul.

Now go back to work. You're getting paid to make widgets, not to surf the internet.

An airborne shooter is not in player control as (s)he is not holding or dribbling a live ball. An airborne shooter may commit a player control foul, however.

Give That Man A Cigar ...
 

Good point. I fixed my post.

A player-control foul is a common foul committed by a player while
he/she is in control of the ball or by an airborne shooter.

It is indeed a paradox. But I think the rules and case books do a pretty good job of explaining that an airborne shooter is considered to be in player control for purposes of applying the rule in a particular situation.

Not an issue in the NCAAM rule set where this preference/caveat was eliminated. But the existence of the RA renders this a moot point in most of the cases where it otherwise would apply.

Also, for what it's worth, I punch on a PC foul. When I move forward to report it, then I'll give the "behind the head" signal with one hand while I punch with the other, just so the benches and table are clear it was a PC foul. But the OP was sort of right...it's hard to sell the call at the spot with the cheesy mechanics provided by the manual.

If you are following the book verbatim. Fist up. Head behind the head. Then point direction.

If you realize that the PC signal is the most useless thing in basketball. Fist up- fist out. There may or may not be an increase in the amount of whistles when calling said offensive foul.

In a HS game I'll give the proper PC signal at the table.

Nope. If I'm calling a TC foul I punch the way we're going. I'll throw in a block or a push signal ( the 2 most common) when I report, and then punch the direction again.

If you punch one way and point the other you'll confuse the hell out of each other.

I go fist up, then punch the opposite direction at the spot. When I'm reporting, I normally punch towards the table while saying "team control foul" and then give a strong directional point with two fingers. I don't think the NFHS necessarily "wants" the punch to be used as a directional, but I don't think they care if you do use it that way. I was taught that the TC foul signal is a "fist forward."

I blow the whistle. I raise my hand with a fist like any other foul. Then I signal with both hands, one behind my head and the other pointing with a fist in the direction we are going. I believe I say, "offense" most of the time if I talk at all.

I report a PC foul by only putting my hand behind my head.

Peace

How About A Nice Hawaiian Punch ...
 

The most common type of team control foul that I call is the illegal screen. I will do the punch in any direction that I happen to be facing, usually toward the play. I don't see anything in the mechanics manual (IAABO for me) that suggests to punch in any particular direction. What does the NFHS mechanics manual say?

I don't believe the NFHS Officials Manual says anything about pointing the direction. Going literally from the signal sheet, the sequence would be fist-hand behind head-point to spot of resulting inbound-go to table.