I think it is ridiculous actually, it is pushing the blame to the players away from the refs, typical NBA reaction. If the refs had not begun to call these, an abundance of players would not have mimicked the few who started it. The reason it has become widespread is because players watched the first Euros, like Vlade, try it and it worked. If they had just let him lay there when Shaq made his move, we wouldn't be staring at a problem.
Besides, it is going to be very difficult to legislate, even with video review. All players, as young as middle school, are taught to "sell" the contact, this has been in basketball for years and years. For instance, when coaching, we teach players to fall on charges, if they just stumble backwards, it doesn't reveal the extent of the contact to the referee who may miss it. We don't teach to fall when there is no contact, but it is true that refs won't call things if there is contact and a player remains unmoved. It is a fine line between outright flopping, with zero contact, and exaggerating, making a brush seem like a tractor ran over you. LeBron is famous for both, but mostly the second kind. It is incredulous how hard he falls for how strong he is and what little contact there is. But is this flopping or selling the ref on the contact?
The league should start with reviewing the refs after the games, penalizing those who were fooled too often. Penalizing the players makes no sense, they only do it because it works! If the refs let more go, erring on the side of not calling a small brush of contact rather than calling even a hint of contact, you would see flopping gradually dissipate. Only the NBA would put the onus on the players for an issue that lies in the hands of the officials.
Topic: NBA institutes anti-flopping rules (Read 7225 times)