[Raymond]

Originally Posted by drinkeii

How can it not be?

How can you have a rule that says "sometimes call it, sometimes don't"? This is more a case of you deciding whether to apply the rule, or whether to just ignore it. The rules are relatively black and white. The interpretations add some grey space, and the refs themselves muddy the waters even more with personal feelings, what kind of a game they're willing to call, the level of the players (um - don't remember there being anything in the rules changing them based on the level of play, by age or by skill), etc.

I guess I see it more like a card game. I don't think anyone would agree that just because I feel like it today, I'm going to allow people in blackjack to count a 2 as 5, or go over 21 without busting. The rules define what you can and cannot do. As officials, we are there to keep the players safe and administer the rules. To pick and choose which rules we want to enforce on a particular day, or how we want to enforce them, makes it less of basketball and more "me-sketball". I don't remember seeing anything in the rules allowing officials to just decide what to call and what not to. There are some areas where we are asked to judge. We're not asked to judge things like 3 seconds - we're asked to call them. We're not asked to judge whether a bear hug from behind is intentional - we're asked to call it intentional. We are asked to judge some things - but some things we're not, and people just do.

I guess it comes down to - if we have rules, why don't we just follow them and be done with it?

Well David, you continue to do it your way. You asked a question and several folks have said why they do things the way they do. You are not going to change anyone's philosophy. Have you had this conversation with any of your D1 colleagues and/or mentors? I have. And what they tell me are not the same things that you are saying here.

So what exactly are you hoping to gain from this conversation? Are you interested in other people's philosophies or do you just want to argue?