"My last thought on this play is that the mechanics book clearly states that the Lead has primary coverage for this play (p. 42)"--John W. Adams

It would also be nice if Mr. Adams would clarify this mechanic. There is NO WAY that the Lead has primary coverage on a drive to the basket from the Center's side. When the crash is clearly on the Center's side, it has to be his call. Mr. Adams should state that the Lead has primary coverage on a drive to the basket when it comes down the middle of the lane. Basically what they are trying to do is give it to the Lead when the play is on the dividing line and in a gray area. It is absurb to think that the Lead should have primary coverage for a crash which takes place on the block outside the FT lane line on the Center's side.

Actually, that is not my understanding. It was stressed at our pre-season clinics that the Lead has everything in the lane. It doesn't matter which side of the basket it's on. If it's coming to the basket, then once it gets inside the lane, the Lead has first crack.

I agree with this, and this was the other part of what was stressed at the clinics. Inside the lane, it's the Lead; but the opposite block is still the C.

Dick Cartmel (5 Final Four Appearances) was at our local meeting last night.

He talked about this very play. He stated that he just received a memo, about Blarges, probably as a result of this play.

I actually asked him if he would get together with the other official and determine either a block or a charge....and not go with the dreaded blarge.

He said he couldn't do that...they are so scrutinized by video etc. that there is simply no way to change the "call" once they have "signaled" the foul.

He also said, as previously stated here, that they are moving more toward having the L take these calls, that are coming at them down the lane.
Dick didn't get real specific with that comment...but, I am sure it goes more along the lines of what Navadaref was stating.

Good meeting...with a lot of good information from an experienced D1 official.

It wasn't the primary defender who jumped in there - it was a secondary defender, and so it was the L's call to make.

For some reason, it seems easier to hold the signal as T or C than it is to hold the signal as L. My guess is that this has a lot to do with who takes the call.

Good point, Bob - and one that is part of my pre-game conference. We always talk about the outside officials being "slow to show" on drives to the basket. Just to try to head off any of these "blarge" situations.

This morning's 60 Seconds on Officiating (how did I get on that list, anyway) covers the blarge.

Here's the only interesting comment in that article (to me, anyway):

"In a three person crew, mechanics differ on the level. While NFHS/IAABO mechanics still allow the CENTER to officiate their half of the paint ... and CCA mechanics encourage the LEAD to take all block-charges in the paint."

It seems to me that it was easier to change the CCA manual than it was to change the mindset of the officials. Similar to the men going tableside for "one" season and then going back to opposite table after calling fouls.

From where did that secondary defender come? In which official's primary was this defender during the play?

The same was covered in the meeting that I attended. We looked at each other and all said, "Huh? Nah, they can't really mean it that way. They just phrased it poorly when writing it."

If the NCAA is really saying that it wants the Lead official to call on the other half of the lane through those big bodies, then they simply haven't thought this one through very well. That's such a poor idea.

PS I am amused by the comment by Goodwillref! :D

From the stands???

The defender came from the C's primary, but the dribbler had also entered the C's primary and that became his most competitive match-up, thus making the other defender a secondary defender, and the crash becomes the L's call. It ain't that hard...

Its not that hard to see that the defender was coming frm the C's primary. The dribbler was coming from the T's and into the C's primary. The C now has primary responsibility for the dribbler and his defender coming around the screen (the screen action up top was also the C's primary). The defender coming to give help is now the responsibility of the L.

You said it yourself, according the our new directive, the L is responsible for plays coming toward them. The L made the call, and if the C had been "slow to show" (usually covered in pregame), then this might not have been a BLARGE situation.

It seems clear cut.