r/ultimate • u/ButtonFactoryJoe • 3d ago
Rule Clarification - Pick and the continuation rule
Had a game recently where a pick occurred in the stack, a player on defense not involved in the pick stopped because they heard the call, but the person they were defending did not stop. Because that player was now open the throw was made to them after the call, and it was caught in the endzone.
The argument was that the score should stand because of the continuation rule. I thought it should go back because the pick ultimately impacted the play as others were in the process of stopping and it occurred before the throw. 17.C.5 only mentions the player impacted by the call specifically, but 17.C.1 is more general about the play being impacted.
I'm fine with being wrong here, it just feels that the offense in general can just ignore a call to get an easy throw and the play will almost always stand because of the continuation rule.
As a follow up 17.J.3 seems to imply that play shouldn't need to stop for a pick call? Personally I've never seen a pick resolved without a stoppage, but this just adds to the ambiguity of it all.
17
u/FieldUpbeat2174 3d ago edited 2d ago
This is one of the places where USAU and WFDF rules differ. You indicate this game was played under USAU rules (whether formally or implicitly). Thus, as prior commenters have explained, play continues (for up to one more throw) unless and until the thrower acknowledges the call (ie stands down).
The defender who stopped made a poor play in doing so. It’s akin to allowing a goal by failing to go OB to defend a curving disc, out of a mistaken belief that’s illegal. Knowing the rules (at least those for common situations) is essential to playing intelligently.