NCAA effort to curb rough play

[SamIAm]

NCAA's John Adams wants to clean up rough play in college hoops - The Bonus - SI.com

Interesting article on the NCAA's efforts to curb rough play.

[BTTB]

This article was very reassuring to me, because it validates what I've been saying for years: namely that college refereeing at the college level is highly subjective.

For one, in the article above, the semi-new NCAA Coordinator of Basketball Officials officially recognises (despite the contractor-nature of the system) that there ARE major differences in how games are called depending on the league. He also says that based on a game by game, official by official, analysis by his office that 80% of the calls are correct. Well, another way to say that is that 20% of the calls are wrong. That's one out of five. And in some of those games, I'm sure, the result is worse. And in some of those, way worse.

OK, so much for "fanboy" (that would yours truly). I've said in the past that I'm annoyed that so many bad calls are made, and I've been mercilessly attacked on this forum for having no idea about what I know, or even what I see (expect this last line to be quoted by future responders to this post). FWIW, I think that 20% of calls being wrong, is about right.

Now, for the other side of the issue. There IS a rule book for college basketball. That seems to lost on at least on management. There are rules, and they are spelled out.

The semi-new NCAA Coodinator of Basketball Officials clearly sees a problem in rough play, AND uneven application of the rules among leagues (again, regardless of the fact that referees are private contractors). But rather than change the rules, he would rather send memos to individual referees, and the conferences, regarding his most recent interpretation of the rules.

Here's a message to the semi-new NCAA Coodinator: if you want the rule to change, then CHANGE THE RULE! Don't expect referees (and coaches, and fanboys like me) to know the rule, and the most recent technical advice regarding the rule, and the most recent Avant-Guarde interpretation of the most recent techical advice regarding the rule. JUST CHANGE THE RULE! Please. God. I'm beggin' ya. If two hands of the defender on the offensive player contributes to a loss of possession is a foul, PUT IT IN THE BOOK!, It's not there now, and it's only fair. To everybody. Especially (gulp, and this one hurts guys)...THE POOR OFFICIALS CALLING THE GAME.

Oh, and by the way, even though I have expressed some LIMITED sympathy to college basketball officials in this post, it was just a brief thiing. I'm better now, and I still hate you all )