I could go into all the usual platitudes about how there's no rule requiring us to call an equal number of fouls on each team, etc., but we've all heard these before and, deep in our little striped hearts, we know we just call 'em as we see 'em.
I like to think of it this way. There's a reason one team has a lot more fouls than the other. That reason has nothing to do with any feelings on my part, but rather because that team is, for instance, acting more aggressive without having the proper coaching to not go over the contact line- they're slower and grabbier than the other team - they're just plain nasty, etc. It's their ability level and unability to execute properly on defense that's causing them to have fouls called. These are the same types of reasons that one team scores more than the other. The losing team doesn't have the same skill and execution level as the winning team.
In other words, it's the ability levels of the players that are determining the outcome of the game, including the score and the foul count, and you are not to artificially interfere with that process. Never, ever, ever change your focus intentionally to "watch for a foul" on one team or another. Continue to view the game in a proper manner, calling fouls that you see without regard to team or player.
If a team is fouling way out of proportion to the other team, it's their deficiency, not yours.
BTW - here's an old Davism for the coach that wants you to "even up" the fouls. Tell him you have to "even up" the coaching, first.
[Edited by Mark Padgett on Oct 20th, 2001 at 01:28 PM]
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Yom HaShoah
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