[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Hawks Coach said: As a coach, I like the no-call when nobody is hurt or disadvantaged by the play, provided the game is being played under control. You could call a foul every time down the court, you could ignore everything. The true skill is recognizing what to call and when to call it.

We shot 39 free throws in one AAU Regional game last year and it was just an awful game, due mainly to the refs. Never seen so many whistles or so many fouls both ways. It was hard to have a possession without a whistle, and it wasn't a particularly physical game. The refs hit us hard in the first half and we had my starting 3 and her two back-ups on the bench almost the entire first half (and none of these players traditionally gets into foul trouble nor should they have been that game). No flow to the game whatsoever, and most of the calls should have been no-call (incidental contact). I have also had games where players can't get a shot off without getting hammered and the refs se it all as incidental. Can't really stand either sitch, but I particularly hate the excess fouls. It takes the game awayfrom the players.


Bart Tyson said: Basketball is a contact sport. Players do a lot of illegal(by rules) contact. I have to agree with Crew and rockyroad. I think we can have happy medium when it comes to making calls. the rule book is a guideline.


Let me address Bart's commet first: Basketball is a NON-contact sport. I did not say that all contact is illegal. I just said that basketball is a NON-contact sport. What does that mean? It means that there will be incidental contact from time-to-time and that contact is legal. It also means that contact from an unfavorable position in relationship with an opponent or contact that puts an opponent at a disadvantage not intended by the rules is illegal and therefore an infraction of the rules.

Now let me address Hawks Coach's comments: The problem that I see in your game is not one of game officials "not" letting the players play the game, but one where the players did not want to play the game within the rules of the game. When this happens, two things can happen. The team's coach can tell his players to play the game according to the rules or the team's coach can complain about the officials "not" letting his players play the game.