double foul, pass play

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

REPLY: I never really thought about this one. It's a really good question apart from the fact that almost no one has ever called or even seen intentional PI.

If it's that rare a call, why not just penalize it equitably as an unfair act? (Does Fed have that?) Equally rare, but instead of trying to figure out how the rules committee wanted it penalized, just let the ref decide what's fair.

Robert

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Yes, the Fed does have an Unfair Acts rule like the NCAA. However, it's limited to those acts for which there's no specific rule coverage. Intentional PI does have specific rule coverage, so we shouldn't be using the Unfair Acts rule in this case. Maybe it's not as clear as we'd prefer, but it does have coverage.

[tskill]

Two things I would add:

1. USC is a non-contact foul so that's out

2. This year NFHS has defined a flagrant foul as: "a flagrant foul may or may not involve contact, but involves such acts as fighting, contacting a game official, fouls so severe as to place an opponent at risk, persistent or extreme abusive conduct and the use of vulgar language or gestures."

So, if you determine in your judgment that the act you are describing on the PI is "so severe as to place an opponent at risk" then you have a flagrant foul and boot the guy.