How involved should you become

[Smitty]

Originally posted by PGCougar
Again, I admire the intent because I really hate classless coaches and teams running-up the score. But... are you going to call the ticky-tack on the opposing team as well? An outmatched team is probably less talented, prone to more fouls and violations by virtue of their lesser talent - are you gonna call those? If not, it looks like an obvious bias, irrespective of your honorable intentions. Why go there???

Another way to look at this point is to consider advantage/disadvantage. A more skilled team can clearly gain an advantage defensively with what we might call "ticky tack" fouls because the unskilled team is not skilled enough to fight through this type of contact. On the other hand, the more skilled team, on offense, is able to typically fight through the same kind of contact and potentially get past the defender and create something. It ends up looking like you're calling things more biased to the intrained eye, but in effect you are simply using the advantage/disadvantage approach to officiating.