Consistency? What's that?

[wanja]

Three consistency propositions.
1. Higher quality of play, greater need for consistency.


With young players just starting out -- safety, sportsmanship, teamwork and a positive experience often (and justifiably) take a back seat to rules consistency. Player age and size, score, clock and skill are huge rules application factors that decrease as such with the quality of play. There are few circumstances that justify rule application inconsistency at the higher levels. Here's one that I consider. If a trend is developing in a game toward rougher player and player confrontation, tighter calling of borderline fouls may be appropriate.


2. Greater consistency is the inevitable trend.
More scrutiny from coach, supervisors and media demands more consistency. Video exposes.


3. Greater consistency can be mandated and promoted.
It is no accident that hand checking, displacement by offensive post players and palming have decreased over the past few seasons in NBA games. This past season, John Adams, the NCAA men's officials coordinator, introduced the concept of absolutes (e.g. 2 hands on opponent by defender is a foul) to promote consistency. He also mentioned at a camp this summer, that physical fitness and the ability to cover the floor was a primary consideration for tournament assignments. So officiating consistency extends beyond the rules. Trickle down is real. Consistency is also being promoted by camps, the NFHS and IAABO.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Also, for your viewing pleasure, from the California Basketball Officials Association's "Official's Creed":

Consistency
The greatest virtue which an official can possess is consistency. He/she may have an incorrect interpretation of a rule; he/she may practice techniques contrary to those to which a team is accustomed; judgment on some play situations may be in conflict with the commonly accepted interpretations - but with it all, if the official’s practice and decision are exactly the same under the same or similar circumstances, players can readily adjust their play to fit the official. They may be surprised and confused momentarily, but when they discover that the official is unwavering in procedures, they can reorganize and continue with confidence. Probably the greatest inconsistencies occur in judgments on charging and blocking. The official should give this play much thought and attention, and learn to call it consistently. Have the courage to withhold a whistle despite contact if no advantage has been gained. If a highly technical call is made and then a flagrant act is passed on the players are placed in a position where they cannot establish a flow. Some officials may never be able to attain a high degree of consistency and they should be eliminated, just as incapable players are gradually cut from the squad. However, much can be done to point the way.

The CBOA creed (as excerpted) misses the mark on 2 counts. First, consistency by an individual official is not virtuous if it not consistent with crew consistency. Maybe crew consistency is mentioned elsewhere. Secondly, how often is too often to be consistent but clearly wrong on the rules?

A final note. A pet peeve of mine is that there should be more consistency in the approved mechanics and rules at all levels. FIBA does a much better job of this than the NBA, WNBA, NCAA-M, NCAA-W and NFHS. Elimination of some of the approved differences would directly help improve officiating consistency and also better allow newer officials to adapt good practices through observation of more accomplished officials.