Continuation rule

[bigg.nate]

Pick call, while the thrower is not in not in the act of throwing. The thrower then starts to throw but in the middle of the throwing motion, they hear the call being echoed and attempt to acknowledge it and stop play. In attempting to pull back the throw, the thrower loses control and the disc falls to the ground. Turn, or back to the thrower?

Thanks,
- Nate

[commitch]

that would be a turn based on how you described it. a throwing motion that results in the disc being released in the direction of the motion is a throw. technically, even if the thrower caught it before it hit the ground, it would be a turn (unless it hit another player first).

[bigg.nate]

That's what I initially thought as well, but after re-reading the rule I'm not so sure. "Play stops when the thrower in possession acknowledges that an infraction has been called." Would that mean that, in this case, play stops in the middle of the throwing motion, before the throw is released?

Thanks,
- Nate

[kdubs]

commitch - A player may regain control of an accidentally dropped without it being a turn. see XII B for details.

bigg.nate - it's a turn. Once the offense gains control of the disc they only way it can put it down is by calling a time out. (even dropping it while walking the disc to put it play from an out of bound pull is a turn)

[bigg.nate]

bigg.nate - it's a turn. Once the offense gains control of the disc they only way it can put it down is by calling a time out.

That's flatly not true. When the thrower acknowledges the call, play stops (XVI.C) and the disc is no longer subject to a turnover (II.R.3). If the thrower, say, puts down the disc to wipe their hands, it is not a turn. Your example of walking the disc from out of bounds is different -- the thrower can throw without a check, so the disc is live (II.R.2).

With respect to other people sharing their opinions, I'd really like to get an official response from the people who wrote the rules. That's the reason questions are posted here -- you can get rules interpretations from random people by asking on the sidelines. Then again, they never responded to my previous question, so perhaps they're not following this board any more.

Thanks,
- Nate

[kdubs]

you're right. typed to fast. I was thinking more about the recovering a dropped disc than the live/dead disc state. should have limited my reply to that

[sswang]

You're missing the next sentence in the rules:

"Play stops when the thrower in possession acknowledges that an infraction has been called. If a call is made when the disc is in the air or the thrower is in the act of throwing, or if the thrower fails to acknowledge the call and subsequently attempts a pass, play continues until the outcome of that pass is determined."

At the beginning of the throw attempt, the thrower has not yet acknowledged the call. Therefore play continues until the outcome of that pass is determined: turnover.

This sentence takes precedence over (your proposed interpretation of) the first sentence because it is more specific.

[commitch]

commitch - A player may regain control of an accidentally dropped without it being a turn. see XII B for details.

that is true, I'm aware of that rule. But what Nate described does not fall under accidentally dropped. It falls under the definition of a throw.

[mdmoran62]

That's a very good question, I think. The instant the thrower acknowledges the call and stops play, even if in the middle of a throw, play has stopped. If the disc drops out of his hand a split-second later, since play is already stopped, there wouldn't be a turnover because a turnover is not possible when the disc is dead (stoppage).

... it certainly would likely trigger a "discussion".

And by my reading, the disc didn't move in the motion of the throw... the throwing motion would be forward, and the disc fell downward.

* Not an official ruling, but I suggest is a logical resolution according to the rules.

[commitch]

That's a very good question, I think. The instant the thrower acknowledges the call and stops play, even if in the middle of a throw, play has stopped. If the disc drops out of his hand a split-second later, since play is already stopped, there wouldn't be a turnover because a turnover is not possible when the disc is dead (stoppage).

this is a VERY VERY dangerous interpretation of the rule IMO. While I fully understand that the rules are written with the assumption that players won't cheat, this just seems to give such an easy out to any thrower who throws a turn after a call. "I heard the call and acknowledged it in my head, but my body couldn't catch up and stop." I'm a big fan of simplifying things to make them easier to implement. Making a throw is not acknowledging the call. Merely my opinion.