Chris Larson wrote: Good luck ever seeing it called though
Ditto that!
Beta, are you aware of this section of the rulebook?
A.R. 10. May a player use the portion of the handle of his crosse that is between his hands to hold an opponent? RULING: No.
A.R. 14. B2, with gloved hand over end of the crosse, is exerting equal pressure from the rear against A1, who has possession of the ball, thus preventing A1 from advancing toward goal. RULING: Legal play.
A.R. 15. B1, with gloved hand over end of crosse, is exerting pressure from the rear against A1, who has possession of the ball. B1 exerts enough pressure to force A1, against his will, to move away from goal. RULING: Holding by B1. Only equal pressure may be exerted.
Why would they have these specific A.R.'s in the book if they didn't want them called? If they were called as often as the occur we wouldn't get such looks of incredulity when they are called on rare occasion (usually when the attacker is shoved so hard with the stick between the gloves that they actually fall down).
Of course it would help if they actually went back to enforcing THIS part of the rulebook...
Note: A player in possession of the ball who holds his crosse against any part of his body, thus preventing the normal dislodgment of the ball, is illegally withholding the ball from play. The glove hand cannot grasp any portion of the head of the crosse. This is intended to cover faceoffs and a player in possession of the ball who is “thumbing” the ball or choking up and grasping the plastic portion of the crosse.
A.R. 64. A1, with possession of ball, is dodging B1, and slides his upper glove hand above handle and on to the head of the crosse so that the thumb of the glove is touching the frame of the stop. RULING: Withholding ball from play, technical foul.
How about it - should we go back to playing by the rules??