So, over the past few years I've played with a lot of the same guys @ some local school gyms. We add new folks from time to time as people move away and such.

The problem we've been running into lately, much more now than ever before, is foul calling. I will admit I've committed my share in the past, but have made an effort to lead by example to not call fouls.

I'd like to state, that for the most part most of us genuinely like each other off the court, but lately with the absurd foul calling people have been getting pretty evil and personal with their comments. Generally, it is more common with the younger folks that get added to our group.

Apart from not inviting people back or eliminating certain groups (such as college guys) can anyone lend some advice into what we can do to solve this problem? We all seem to desire to continue to hoop together, I would just like to nip this in the bud before it escalates any further.

I've been thinking recently on installing a defense calls the fouls atmosphere, but would like to hear what others have experienced with this. What other options are there?

Thanks ahead of time for your input!

No blood no foul

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I've been thinking recently on installing a defense calls the fouls atmosphere

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Good grief.

Call your own fouls. It's simple and will police itself. If some joker is getting out of hand, you put him on the ground. He will get the message from opponents or teammates.

people should be calling their own fouls, plain and simple. what's the point of the D calling their own? that's not a solution, that's just going to cause more sissy fights.

if it really is that freaking bad, bring and extra player and have him ref until he substitutes in for the fat guy who can't make it through an entire game.

Definitely call your own fouls. Some people take advantage of it in any opportunity, but for the most part if you are playing w/ legit people it won't be an issue.

In my case, I play a lot of pick-up basketball and unless the foul is just outright unnecessary or very obvious I won't call it.

I still think its funny that every now and then we will get a few idiots who will clobber somebody on the way to the basket (see Bynum-JJ Barea) and then turn around and ask "Did I get you?". Or look pissed off when other guys are calling the foul for the guy whose arse just got slammed against the ground.

Make it clear: offense calls the foul. And it needs to be called before another person shoots or the ball is going the other way.

The problem is the offensive guy that get fouled but doesn't call it, but then pouts about it. This guy needs to understand that he is hurting his team by not calling the obvious foul.

The only exception is a hard foul that doesn't allow a guy to call it, and then a teammate can.



No matter what, at the end of the game, there are not going to be layups given, but guys shouldn't be injured either. If a guy is going to be a dick, he shouldn't be allowed to play.

Also, FWIW, I like to play to 21 (17 if people are waiting). No having to win by 2 or 3 or something stupid like that.

I don't know why those numbers stuck out to me, but that is my preference.

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people should be calling their own fouls, plain and simple. what's the point of the D calling their own?

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Doesn't the defense commit most of the fouls?

Most of the guys I play with are good about calling fouls for the people that they foul. The bad thing is that we have guys who expect to get a slight touch on the elbow after a shot has been tossed up, when he is completely out of control.

So, what I'm gathering is, that I just need to be clear with everyone @ the start of our next meeting that offense calls fouls, but keep the weak calls at home. That if the weak foul calls get out of control, then what? I can always not invite those people back, but I would prefer that to be the last straw.

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I like to play to 21

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2s and 3s or 1s and 2s? Seems like an awful long time to sit and wait for next game.

yea i thought 1's and 2's to 15 was pretty standard.

2s and 3s (and only to 17 if people are waiting)

Pickup ball is always ones and twos to 15, win by two.

The other problem is tricky... usually when everyone knows each other it's not an issue. I almost always forget to call my own fouls.

dcrew,

I feel your pain. There are a couple guys that play in my group that like to put their head and shoulder down and charge at the basket on almost every play, looking for contact, and then call touch fouls. I don't feel like you can have it both ways. I don't think you should be able to have it both ways. If you're going to start a play which is an obvious offensive foul, don't call touch fouls so that you get the ball back every time you miss. It's just ridiculous and it's bad enough tto where people don't want to come back and play anymore.

Hotard,

Yea thats the issue we are seeing. It's one thing if someone is slashing to the hole and just gets hammered, but another if he is bullying his way in.

And I agree that once someone crosses the line in calling touch fouls, then everybody goes crazy. People start calling travelling, carrying, and everything else. Then everything gets heated.

I don't get to play much pickup ball anymore, but when I used to play teams we always went to 15 by 1s, win by 2. We usually played at an old outdoor court that didn't have a defined 3pt line, so every shot was worth 1 point.

Typically fouls weren't an issue, b/c most of the time everyone knew each other. If someone got hammered going to the basket he'd call a foul, and usually no one griped about it.

If there was a dispute, like a questionable foul call or out of bounds situation, someone would just say "shoot for it", and the complainer would simply shoot for posession from our de-facto inbounds line, which was about 20 feet from the basket.



[This message has been edited by madd_ag_05 (edited 8/25/2011 8:42p).]

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people should be calling their own fouls, plain and simple. what's the point of the D calling their own?

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Doesn't the defense commit most of the fouls?

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i meant the offense should be calling their own fouls. letting the defense call their own fouls is like letting little kids decide if they should be punished or not. when would they ever admit to it? where is the incentive?

Least favorite thing ever in pick up games are the dumbasses that whine about no charging, but do nothing but drop a shoulder and ram into everyone in sight.

My least favorite part is people massaging the ball. How are you supposed to handle that? I'm talking every dribble looks like an AND 1 move.

and you're called a punk for calling it.

Ticky Tack foul calling drives me nuts too. But I had the other end of the spectrum a few weeks ago in a Y league. Call your own foul, but no one can foul out. So the people who could not cover me just fouled me EVERY TIME I touched the ball, and we just had to check it up at the top.

I have never been so pissed in my life.

But to make it even I just started fouling hard on the other end. No complaining. Check the ball.

First, when I played pickup games at the A&M rec (people always waiting) it was to 11, straight up (no winning by 2). I've adopted those rules for the most part.

It's generally acceptable for both sides to call fouls. With non-dewshers, the defensive player who commits an obvious foul should be the one to call it. Otherwise the offensive person calls it. If any one person gets out of hand in being overly aggressive or calling ticky-tack stuff, usually three or four of the more level-headed people there will set him straight.

I dont call a foul unless I get knocked down to the ground

Get a solid group of 10 guys that play good ball. Organize a time and place to show up, and don't let anyone else play unless he was invited or plays ball for the Ags.

Whine and foul issue solved.

Anyone know of good pickup games in Austin? Just moved to the area and would love to play.

You should look into a league who uses refs, such as the Brazos Basketball League. We are registering for our fall adult league right now at www.brazosbasketball.com and also our September Slam 3 on 3 tournament.