Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam
I don't think the rule differences are really the problem. The problem is officials who just don't bother to learn the rules they are working, and the coach/fan misunderstandings are the same. Too many fans and coaches (and some officials) have misconceptions that aren't true in any level of ball.
Examples:
1. Defender must be "set" to draw a charge.
2. Players must go behind the half-court line for intentional foul or technical foul free throws.
3. It's a violation to go out of bounds (due to momentum) and be the first to touch the ball upon returning in bounds.
The rule differences aren't that big of a deal. With different people in charge, and each of them having different priorities, some of the differences even make sense.
Would it be better if everyone magically agreed to a universal rule set? Sure, maybe a little. But not significantly, IMO.
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I see officials mix up rule sets more far more often that I see them make the kinds of errors above. This occurs with otherwise good officials that work more under more than one rule set, with rookies who don't yet know that the levels are different, and then officials that don't care to try to know the differences. The issues above that you listed are largely (but not entirely) issues of non-officials. But for those officials with those problems, no amount of rule convergence or divergence will change help their problems. They're just poor officials.