Yes, it's basketball, but please read.

[aceholleran]

This one pretty much caused me to unswallow.

Just take a gander.

Study: College referees hold home-team bias - ESPN

Ace in CT

[dash_riprock]

What a crock. Take exhibit A: "The 2005 Final Four meeting between Illinois and Louisville. The Illini, known for being more aggressive defensively, got whistled for the first seven fouls. By the end of the game, the foul count was Louisville 13, Illinois 12. The Illini won 72-57.

I think it's just as plausible (perhaps more so) to conclude that the Illini backed off a bit because the refs were being consistent in not permitting overly-aggressive play. Either stop committing the same fouls or have your starters foul out with 10 minutes left in the game.

I think this so-called study is about as scientific as the argument that most heroin addicts started on mother's milk; therefore, breast feeding leads to drug addiction. Just stupid.

[mbyron]

The basketball forum has a few threads on this, including one where BITS dismantles the argument pretty conclusively.

[ozzy6900]

I am not surprised by this "study". Fans and coaches think this about us no matter what the sport. How many times have you heard "What the hell is THAT, a make up call?" from the dug out, side lines or stands? The media has painted us this way and let's face it, we (both amateur and professional) have pretty much lived up to this in the last few years.

Officials taking bribes, betting, admitting on camera that they intentionally kicked a call (THAT video was abhorrent!), MLB umpires screwing up left and right in the post season - this list goes on and on.

The only thing we can do is continue to walk on the field and do our best. Never see the uniforms, just the players. Call everything that you are supposed to. That, I cannot stress enough! Call it in the first inning and call it in the last inning. Don't let a foul go by, nail 'em for it. Keep calling the game for what it is - a game! Don't make up rules, learn the rules or don't officiate!

Officials will always be the "bad guys" but at least if we do our jobs the right way, we can walk off the field or the court knowing that we did good. We are never "invisible", remember that!

[bob jenkins]

This same type of "study" has been around for 10 years or so, and never stands up to much scrutiny.

[jicecone]

"Part of the reason for the study came from something my coach used to tell me," said study co-author Kyle Anderson, a visiting professor at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, who played at Division III Knox College. "He said a team can come in and push and shove and grab and hold, and by the end of the game, or end of the half, they've only got one or two more fouls because officials kind of get tired of calling it."

And the other reason was because he needed to find a way to suck up some money from a grant, so he could fund something stupid like this to write a paper about that his name would be on. Probably needed some new equipment or laptops for his study, and gee how nice it was to attend all the BBall games at someone else expense. But I am sure being an ex-player that had no relationship to the study!!

So the calls are about even at the end of the game? Sounds like an un-biased official to me.

I think Dash summed it up nicely "WHAT A CROCK"

[TussAgee11]

Fans want CONSISTENCY. As in CONSISTENTLY IN THEIR FAVOR.

Coaches and players, same way. They ***** when the foul count is uneven, saying "look at the foul count." Now they ***** saying the foul count is unfairly even. Whatever.

I'm sure you could draw parallels to baseball. In the end, Ozzy has it right. Call it what it is, do your best on every play, and don't let the score, team, venue, situation change that judgment on judgment calls.