NCAA approves flopping rule (among others)

[Bone Dog]

I think if you apply the logic that the size of the impacted object isn't the sole variable in play, then it shouldn't be that hard. There's force applied to the object as well as the balance of that object. I like this rule change. I hope they expand on it. IMO, too may defenders, who are in legal guarding position, but retreating (not set) get called for blocks because the offensive players just bull dozes into them. Flops became more popular because defenders weren't getting these calls. They started "selling" or "exaggerating" their position. Summing up my mini rant....legal guarding position does not necessarily mean set...although many refs call it that way.

Good clarification @LwrcasefaN. I used to think of it as already being in the direct path, and a sign was being contacted “perpendicularly.” Your body didn’t have to be at right angles to the other player’s movement, but this might show that you weren’t merely sliding into position at the same time they got there. This would be a little like the moving screen distinction. Easier versions of an offensive foul to call are when the offensive players fends off to aggressively (the forearm shiver) or lowers the shoulder (the bulldozer).

But even when someone is in legal guarding position, not every contact should produce a whistle. Especially with the bigs in the paint, you might end up with a “bull in a china shop” effect. Minor contact has to be permissible. This is why I’d expect some difference in the way these are called in the paint and outside the paint.

 

[Centerstream]

I wonder how they will signal the digits 6-9. Maybe using the ASL signs for those numbers?

Maybe the ref will go to the scorer's table, like they already do, and tell them the player's number?????? and in the vast majority of fouls, the culprit is obvious.

 

[JellyBean]

Good for the NCAA. I just hope that the flopping calls are consistent. Oh, who am I kidding, those flopping calls are going to be inconsistent. One thing that I dislike about watching college football, is when they are making the targeting call. What should be a targeting call, is not. And what is not a targeting call, is called. And don't let it be a Big game! Jeez. We will see how this all plays out.

 

[JoePgh]

No one seems to have noticed the BIG change in the no-charging "arc", and the elimination of the rule about the "lower defensive box". These are highly significant changes.

Crunching down the size of the arc so that it only covers the space immediately under the basket means that any defender can assume a legal guarding position a foot away from the basket and take a charge. Defenders don't have to be nearly as quick and agile as they have had to be to make their defensive stand several feet from the basket to stay out of the arc. The rule change will probably cut down on the success of penetration-style offense, affecting small quick guards like Aubrey and K. K. Arnold especially. On the other hand, it will make it harder for defenders like Aaliyah and Ice to accumulate blocking fouls for having their heels inside the arc.

The lower defensive box was the subject of one and a half Boneyard threads when it became an issue during the UConn-Tennessee game. Now that controversy will no longer exist.

 

[Rowdy831]

Flopping shouldn't be called a foul period. The play should continue and if the player on the floor who flopped gets in the feet of the offensive player then it should be a foul. The problem with flopping isn't the flopping part, it is the officials call offensive fouls when they don't actually see the action.

I went to a few games last year and I was shocked at just how poor the officiating is as a whole. College is still pretty good but HS is a joke and that is where many future officials for college will come from. Unless a person flopped no foul was called and when they did flop they called it without seeing it.

 

[Performance]

A big item is what is the definition of flopping.

Let me first say that I am one of Nika's biggest fans, BUT one of the things I have been doing recently is to watch games from last season. As much as I love watching Nika, her constant throwing back of her head as if she had been shot, whenever she was involved in contact, drives me nuts. Clearly that action was intended to draw a foul call, which to me would fit the definition of flopping. Hopefully she drops that action from her arsenal this year.

How is throwing her head back flopping if she doesn't hit the floor??

 

[SCHuskiedad]

Flopping shouldn't be called a foul period. The play should continue and if the player on the floor who flopped gets in the feet of the offensive player then it should be a foul. The problem with flopping isn't the flopping part, it is the officials call offensive fouls when they don't actually see the action.

I went to a few games last year and I was shocked at just how poor the officiating is as a whole. College is still pretty good but HS is a joke and that is where many future officials for college will come from. Unless a person flopped no foul was called and when they did flop they called it without seeing it.

Agree; the officiating in women's college basketball is beyond horrible and getting worse, in my opinion. Hopefully, these changes will help, but I would like to see at least a continuation on the play before the foul is called.

 

[FairView]

Major crisis at Notre Dame. Pray for them!

Given their reliance on getting to the line to win, Notre Dame has been granted special dispensation. It's not a Papal thing, it's more like being grandfathered in due to their significant investment in perfecting the flop in so many forms.

Does this mean they need to change the policy that only permits dependents of Dick Fosbury as the leprechaun mascot at women's games?

 

[Rowdy831]

Agree; the officiating in women's college basketball is beyond horrible and getting worse, in my opinion. Hopefully, these changes will help, but I would like to see at least a continuation on the play before the foul is called.

I don't think it is only on the women's side though. It seems like they let all kinds of holding and hacking go and then call a touch foul that has nothing to do with the play. It really makes the game frustrating to watch sometimes.

 

[Blond D.]

A big item is what is the definition of flopping.

Let me first say that I am one of Nika's biggest fans, BUT one of the things I have been doing recently is to watch games from last season. As much as I love watching Nika, her constant throwing back of her head as if she had been shot, whenever she was involved in contact, drives me nuts. Clearly that action was intended to draw a foul call, which to me would fit the definition of flopping. Hopefully she drops that action from her arsenal this year.

I think to "flop" you have to hit the ground, so Nika's acting like she was hit by a 12 gauge is safe.

 

[nwhoopfan]

How is throwing her head back flopping if she doesn't hit the floor??

It's called a head flop. I've seen lots of players do it. You don't have to hit the floor to flop. Ionescu did it constantly when she was in college, not sure she's doing it anymore.

 

[cancontent]

I think to "flop" you have to hit the ground, so Nika's acting like she was hit by a 12 gauge is safe.

It's called a head flop. I've seen lots of players do it. You don't have to hit the floor to flop. Ionescu did it constantly when she was in college, not sure she's doing it anymore.

It's a move that's very common across NCAA basketball as a whole to convince officials to make the call on player control, however it's not only defenders who are guilty for it. Players on the offensive side of the ball do the same which should be looked at as well.

How many times have we all seen posts complaining about players "selling" the contact to draw a foul when driving? If we're going to talk about the defensive side, the offensive side should be noted as well.

 

[nwhoopfan]

It's a move that's very common across NCAA basketball as a whole to convince officials to make the call on player control, however it's not only defenders who are guilty for it. Players on the offensive side of the ball do the same which should be looked at as well.

How many times have we all seen posts complaining about players "selling" the contact to draw a foul when driving? If we're going to talk about the defensive side, the offensive side should be noted as well.

Absolutely. I was thinking of offensive players in regards to the head flop. Agreed, flopping occurs with both offensive and defensive players.

 

[cancontent]

Absolutely. I was thinking of offensive players in regards to the head flop. Agreed, flopping occurs with both offensive and defensive players.

I know. Just expanded on it a bit. Some think certain players are guilty of that head reaction when on defense when it really isn't just a select few.

 

[TheGOAT23]

Well, the 2010-2018 (roughly) Notre Dame teams would have had vastly different records were this rule in place.

I knew this was coming.

 

[TheGOAT23]

I wonder where flopping was first seen in sports…. Fútbol? I love watching them flop like fish out of water. It’s comical and ridiculous at the same time. “Dude, why are you holding your left leg when no one was on your left side? If anything, you should be holding your right leg!” Has anyone seen a 260lb flopper in the NBA??

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I wonder where flopping was first seen in sports…. Fútbol? I love watching them flop like fish out of water. It’s comical and ridiculous at the same time. “Dude, why are you holding your left leg when no one was on your left side? If anything, you should be holding your right leg!” Has anyone seen a 260lb flopper in the NBA??

By the way, where IS Bill Laimbeer these days?!?

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I dislike flopping as much as any other unsportsmanlike actions.

But I'm leery of getting highly fallible refs any more involved in the game than they already are.
I forsee even more griping about the refs and their influence on the outcomes of games.

 

[BobbyJ]

I wonder where flopping was first seen in sports…. Fútbol? I love watching them flop like fish out of water. It’s comical and ridiculous at the same time. “Dude, why are you holding your left leg when no one was on your left side? If anything, you should be holding your right leg!” Has anyone seen a 260lb flopper in the NBA??

Yeah, 280 lb Joel Embiid of Philadelphia. James Harden is one of the two best but he's only about 230 lb.

 

[Husker Husky]

Now, if they'd address taunting and thuggery...

 

[hoopsfan22]

Now, if they'd address taunting and thuggery...

They have that in the women's game?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Maybe the ref will go to the scorer's table, like they already do, and tell them the player's number?????? and in the vast majority of fouls, the culprit is obvious.

No one seems to recognize that these numbers are signaled in the WNBA. The WNBA doesn't allow any number above 55, but you can wear 49, for example. Or 9.

Previously the NCAA ref signaled the numbers using 2 hands. I believe (but am not sure) that with the higher digits used, they simply signal the first digit and then the 2nd digit. Kind of like flashing the digits.

 

[Dublin]

Wonder if our 4 frosh who just announced their uniform numbers earlier this week will change them?

 

[Skeets]

How is throwing her head back flopping if she doesn't hit the floor??

Sometimes throwing your head back is to avoid or mitigate contact. A skill I'd like to see Caroline perfect.

 

[sun]

They're calling the new delay of game rule the "Caitlin Clark Rule" in this 48 second video.