I hope this gets approved

[Plastic Man]

NBA Might Penalize Players for `Flopping,' League Official Says

By Scott Soshnick

Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- National Basketball Association players who fake fouls might soon be penalized themselves, a league official said.

The NBA is studying how often feigned fouls, known as ``flops,'' occur and whether officials can consistently tell the difference between actual fouls and embellishments, said Stu Jackson, the executive vice president for basketball operations.

``They're really difficult to determine in real time. They're meant to fool an official,'' Jackson told reporters today. ``Are we going to be wrong more times than not? It's tough, but we're looking at it.''

FIBA, the governing body for international basketball, allows referees to impose a technical foul for flopping, a penalty that Jackson said the NBA is considering. Other sports, including soccer and hockey, also allow officials to penalize players who embellish fouls.

``We have so many more plays than you do in a football or soccer game and in a more intimate environment,'' said Jackson, who didn't offer a timetable for a decision.

Jackson met with reporters in New York to discuss the league's officiating program.

[cyman3]

that is going to be very hard to judge.

but assuming that it can be judged (fairly well), im all for it!

perhaps a technical foul (1 freethrow shot) for the other team?

[Popeye]

NOOOOOO, ZA-ZA will lead the league in turnovers, off fouls and now techincal fouls and Flops.

[DJlaysitup]

I would rather see the return of the "no call"...meaning that if a ref thinks it's a flop he/she just let's em play. Call the games like that for awhile and the flops will lessen dramatically.

[Popeye]

In soccer they have a lot of flopers and they sometimes get a yellow card for diving with no contact.

I saw on youtube Italian team in practice learning how to flop. It's funny, but they erased it now.

I play for a soccer team and my coach tells me to flop every time i am in the penalty area and there is player close to me. I am not good at it though, i can't fall right.

[Plastic Man]

Quote:

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NOOOOOO, ZA-ZA will lead the league in turnovers, off fouls and now techincal fouls and Flops.

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then he will be on the bench more, right?

[Weez]

if it's called a foul in game, as it currently is, there's no way that they can 'enforce' this game during actual play. The only solution, as I see it, is if they want to dispense penalties post-game (the refs review all tapes of their games anyway, as does the league in general) ~ I'm not sure how they'd go about it ~ perhaps a modified version of the technical total rule (your 'true' flops are tallied as the season progresses with a 'limit' to the times you can do it without penalty...of some sort?!).

[cyman3]

they could always review the tapes (after the game) and start handing out FINES to players who flop.

[Gray Mule]

Instant replay if there's a doubt.

Hard to tell how hard someone pushes, especially if that

player is somewhat out of balance.

Hard to call - even harder to prove.

[AHF]

Quote:

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they could always review the tapes (after the game) and start handing out FINES to players who flop.

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And they should publish their names on a list designed to publically embarass the player. That would probably be the most effective deterrent!