The current blocking below the waist rule language makes exceptions against such action only against a "...ball carrier...," which means he must actually have the ball.
Mr. Shaw should edit the several rules that reference an exception to blocking below the waist against a/the "...ball carrier...," to reference a/the "...runner..." instead. A receiver that is pretending to be in position to make a catch should not be given KCI, or even defenseless player, protection. But he should be given protection against blocking below the waist. Once he begins to act as though he has caught the ball, he is now a "runner," (but not a "ball carrier") and certainly may be tackled by any legal form (below the waist, in the back, clipping, grasping/encircling, etc.). And I would certainly agree that any level of 'faking' having the ball would constitute that player as being a "runner" that can be so blocked or tackled.
Note that the clipping rule and holding rules do, in fact, reference the "...runner...," with respect to exceptions against the prohibition for those actions.
Robert
