NCAAA Final

[earmitage]

Originally Posted by Junker

You are certainly entitled to that opinion. I can assure you that when you are actually on the floor, things look entirely different. Officials are taught to referee the defense so while you, as a fan are probably watching the ball, the official is watching the defender get into position. Before I was an official, I was very much a fan. I'd sit in the upper deck yelling and screaming about calls. Then, after the first minute of my first game, I realized that it was much different when you are actually out there and I didn't have any idea what I was yelling about.

I understand where you are coming from. It can be one of the most difficult plays to call in basketball. When I watch a game, though, I do review it (via DVR) a great deal while the game is going on and in the vast majority of times I would say I get it right the first time. Not all the time but certainly more often than not. Just as all officials are not entirely competent by taking courses and suiting up, not all fans are out to lunch, as some seem to feel on this site. I have played a lot of ball, have received my fair share of accolades in the sport, and even officiated my boys at the lower levels. I have seen good officiating and I have seen atrocious officiating. It comes with the turf. We are all human. What I am getting at though, regarding the correct call on the charge/block issue and so many other intracacies of the game, is the game seems to have somewhat spiraled out of control. I am not putting the blame on the officials as much as I am those who oversee the direction of the game. I know the officials only implement the rules dictated to them.