distraction ruling

[perfict lightning]

OK, so message boards out west get no action and I'm curious what you think ... ,

I'm playing these guys and I have been shooting quietly when I get the urge to just pin up the ball, inhale deeply through my nose and then immediately let it rip, a rollover off the post and into the net. The opposing forward says the sound of the inhale could be a distraction, (the goalie says he wasn't distracted). I say no way, the breathing was a natural part of the shot and not intended to deceive anyone, like for example if I was shooting a kick-shot and took in that breath right before a dink behind. Then the sound was made away from the play with the intention to be heard and to mislead the defender, so a case for a distraction call might be quite strong. But in my case I took the breath right before I hit the ball as hard as I could so it was more of a tell if anything. So what do you think? I can't see the sound of breathing being called for a distraction during the normal course of the game unless it is intentionally being used as one. Course the opposing forward is a complete flake and by this point was running on at the mouth about people complaining about Serena Williams all the time and she's just breathing too?!?

[deliverance]

There is no way that is a distraction.

Goal stays, ref can rule in the future.

[perfict lightning]

Thanks for your input. The players here didn't talk about the incident too much after the event, but I got the nod from some of the best ones and I'm quite sure they were in agreement with you and me both. Thanks, and I hope to see you guys next fall at the Canadian Nationals.

-Greg

[garbaggio]

It is possible to make enough noise away from the ball to qualify as a distraction. Whether your sound qualified would require a referee. But... you say.. I just breathed through my nose. What you call 'breathe' your opponent might describe as 'snort'. Breathing is not a distraction. Snorting might be. Which was it?

You need a referee to be there when the action was made.

Taha

[perfict lightning]

One more thing, I don't want this thread/rant to discredit the players in my area with respect to their ability to understand the rules and that. It's just the one player that's off, and only against me. The top players in Calgary are very talented, knowledgeable,and of excellent character. My guess is that the only problem with playing in Alberta is that you're playing in Alberta, which is sort of a fascist conservative environment. I should have had more respect for the way my university prof criticized the cons once. He whispered, he literally whispered, because if people found out it could really be bad for him. You have to be careful around here, and after some of the things i've said, well lets just say the con's wouldn't want to see me supported in any way. The players here are great, they really are, it's just a weird culture, and even that's just a guess on my part, who really knows.

[perfict lightning]

I can't believe it, I just had this other post that I thought I put up before my last one but it didn't go through, so to summarize what should have been there,

Taha, you are right, a ref had to be there, I say it was not a sudden explosive sound but rather just a drawn out breath, (and the goalie saying he was not distracted helps my case here, but there), who knows and so what, it's not going anywhere without a ref.

The same player stopped me 10 years ago from shooting a roll over where you slide/re-grip your hand/arm really quick and shoot. Don' wait 1 full second. Said it was a distraction. I didn't believe it but I stopped shooting them. Then 7 years later I went to a tourney in Washington State where everyone was shooting them. What a drag. I's a nice shot.

The one guy in Calgary sometimes argues a ref will call something if the rule book says it's possible, but a ref will not call a distraction unless they believe someone was actually distracted. At least that's the way it is for the most part, because like every other sport the refs don't want to interfere with the flow or decide the game on a technicality.

ciao

[jpguywatchout]

unless you breathe like darth vader, you're fine.

end of discussion.