Foul Count.

[JRutledge]

Now I am hearing everyone talk about how advantange/disadvantage has gone too far. I hear people complaining about that the game is too physical and getting too rough instead of a game of skill and finesse. But I have officated probably 20 games or so (had a few cancelled to weather) and in almost most of those games I have called more fouls than I could ever remember. It seems like I have gotten into the two shot bonus with at least one team in almost all of my games. The only time that did not happen that sticks out was a freshman game I did. But it seems that I and others are constantly calling fouls. And if I did not use the advantage/disadvantage principle, I might have called more.

I even went to the Proviso West Christmas Holiday Tournament and watched a few nights of the games up until the Championship game. For those that do not know this tournament is one of the most well know in the country. Because several pros have played in this tournament like Isiah Thomas and Kevin Garnett and Mark Aurguire, just to name a few. And in all these games, I cannot think of one time that one of the teams in the game and many times both teams were in the 2 shot bonus. Now these are Class AA teams (Big Schools) and have many D1 prospects on the court and probably some future NBA players after it is said and done. And because the expectation in these type of game about letting them play at this level, if advantage/disadvantage has gone to far, why are so many fouls being called.

I am asking because it seems like players are not adjusting or are we just cracking down on contact? But even saying that, I do not think I have ever called this many fouls with consistency. I usually do not get into the bonus with both teams in the second half. It could be because I have had some closer games, but am I the only one?