Anyone an "ESPN.com Insider"?

[twocentsworth]

Jay Bilas has a blog entitled: "Ideas on how to fix officiating" that is posted on espn.com. Only those who are "espn.com insiders" can view the whole post.....

If you are an "insider" can you post the remainder of the article? Curious to see what his thoughts/remedies are to "fix officiating"......

Here's the publicly available excerpt:

Ideas on how to improve college basketball officiating - ESPN

[APG]

I'm not sure of the legality of posting the entire article...but I'll post the relevant bits...

[ballgame99]

Quote from the article "There are far too many charges awarded to help defenders, and most of the charge/block calls you see are simply wrongly decided by officials. It is out of control, and I have not heard any coaches disagree with that assertion. The charge call has become a major problem in college basketball, and it needs to be addressed with all deliberate speed."

The only way I can see fixing this one is changing the rule to say that the defender must have LGP before the offensive player goes into their shooting motion (ie gathers). This would reduce a lot of the help-side charges that most people have issues with.

[ballgame99]

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

I'm not sure of the legality of posting the entire article...but I'll post the relevant bits...

Just paraphrase his points, that would give us the jyst.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by ballgame99

Quote from the article "There are far too many charges awarded to help defenders, and most of the charge/block calls you see are simply wrongly decided by officials. It is out of control, and I have not heard any coaches disagree with that assertion. The charge call has become a major problem in college basketball, and it needs to be addressed with all deliberate speed."

The only way I can see fixing this one is changing the rule to say that the defender must have LGP before the offensive player goes into their shooting motion (ie gathers). This would reduce a lot of the help-side charges that most people have issues with.

No, that would only lead to more block calls, and there would be just as many close ones. It's just like adding 4 teams to the tournament. You've got the same debates, just moved down a rung.

And I frankly am more interested in what John Adams thinks about the block charge calls made in NCAA games than in what Jay Bilas thinks. To claim "most block charge calls" are wrongly decided is stupid.

[APG]

I'll list the big points and summary

-Freedom of movement: NCAA needs to be more focused on "freedom of movement" like the NBA went to a while back...too much bumping and impeding off ball. Part of the blame is with coaches but officials are the last line of defense

-Protect the shooter: Defenders are vertical up top, but bodying down low

-Lose the overly demonstrative gestures and gyrations: Too many officials are overly demonstrative on calls (including charges, bird dogging, out of bounds). Thinks a lot of officials are looking more and more like clowns with the actions

-Negative influence of coaches: too much negative interactions with officials...we don't allow players to do so, yet for some reason we allow coaches to go off the handle. Mandates to whack and toss (if needed) needs to occur

Next he goes into rules changes...

-Block/charge: Too many charge calls (that in his opinion) are called incorrectly. Two changes he suggests...LGP can only be obtained by a player who can get a count (his words)...so basically 6 feet. Also wants to change the deciding point for when a defender is too late...wants the shooter protected once he's committed to leaving the floor. If the defender is there after that point, it's a block and only clear and obvious plays would be charges...if any doubt, it's a block

-Goaltending/BI: Wants to basically change the rule to the NBA version...wouldn't matter if the ball is ball is above/below the rim and hit the backboard (basically, the only time it's not a goaltend in the NBA is if the ball is contacted below the level of the rim, on its downward motion)

-Lane violations: If the free throw is made, ignore...for both teams. If either team violates, they're awarded possession. So if the defense violates, instead of a substitute free throw, they're awarded the ball OOB. His thinking is you possibly deprived the offense of an offensive rebound and possible 2/3 pointer.

-Timeouts: Too many timeouts...college needed to revamp their media timeout system. Suggests eliminating use it or lose it TO...reduce the number of TO with all the media ones. Also suggests that only players on the court be allowed to call TO...also suggests that the scoring team not be allowed to call a TO after a made basket. Suggests the timeouts only be granted when there's a dead ball (a la FIBA). Finally, suggests that the 10 second count doesn't reset when a team calls a timeout.

[JetMetFan]

Here's part of what he says...this is available regardless of whether you're a paying customer:

I believe the manner in which the game is officiated is the primary culprit for the decline in the game's quality.

Officials blame coaches who teach techniques that are contrary to the rules, and many coaches are indeed doing that. But the officials are the last line of defense in protecting the game. If a coach teaches a technique that is a foul or a violation, it is up to the officials to call that foul. Period. The only way to stop players from fouling or violating rules is to call the fouls and violations. When violations and fouls are called, players and coaches will stop doing it. Why? Players and coaches want to win and want to keep the best players on the floor.

He's already contradicting himself. The only way to stop players from commiting fouls/violations is to call them, yet officials are calling too many charging/PC fouls? Not running over opponents or learning how to shoot pull-up or mid-range jumpers will solve that issue pretty fast.

[APG]

I actually agree with some of the points and suggestions Mr. Bilas talked about.

[JetMetFan]

-Freedom of movement: NCAA needs to be more focused on "freedom of movement like the NBA went to a while back...too much bumping and impeding off ball. Part of the blame is with coaches but officials are the last line of defense

This seems to be a POE every year. I hate to admit he's right on this one but he is.

-Protect the shooter: Defenders are vertical up top, but bodying down low

I haven't noticed this to be a huge problem.

-Lose the overly demonstrative gestures and gyrations: Too many officials are overly demonstrative on calls (including charges, bird dogging, out of bounds). Thinks a lot of officials are looking more and more like clowns with the actions

To each his own. It's generally the older guys who do it or when guys are selling a call.

-Negative influence of coaches: too much negative interactions with officials...we don't allow players to do so, yet for some reason we allow coaches to go off the handle. Mandates to whack and toss (if needed) needs to occur

Yet another annual or semi-annual POE.

-Block/charge: Too many charge calls (that in his opinion) are called incorrectly. Two changes he suggests...LGP can only be obtained by a player who can get a count (his words)...so basically 6 feet. Also wants to change the deciding point for when a defender is too late...wants the shooter protected once he's committed to leaving the floor. If the defender is there after that point, it's a block and only clear and obvious plays would be charges...if any doubt, it's a block

So he wants a kid who beats his/her defender to basically have a clear path to the hoop? Again, shooting pull-up or mid-range jumpers clears this up. Plus, if he thinks there are issues now try changing things so officials have to determine when a shooter has committed to leaving the floor.

-Goaltending/BI: Wants to basically change the rule to the NBA version...wouldn't matter if the ball is ball is above/below the rim and hit the backboard (basically, the only time it's not a goaltend in the NBA is if the ball is contacted below the level of the rim, on its downward motion)

Has this really been a huge issue? I can't really see how this would add that much scoring to the game.

-Lane violations: If the free throw is made, ignore...for both teams. If either team violates, they're awarded possession. So if the defense violates, instead of a substitute free throw, they're awarded the ball OOB. His thinking is you possibly deprived the offense of an offensive rebound and possible 2/3 pointer.

Giving the ball back to the offense after a violation - as opposed to the substitute FT - doesn't exactly guarantee that the offense is going to get any points from the deal.

-Timeouts: Too many timeouts...college needed to revamp their media timeout system. Suggests eliminating use it or lose it TO...reduce the number of TO with all the media ones. Also suggests that only players on the court be allowed to call TO...also suggests that the scoring team not be allowed to call a TO after a made basket. Suggests the timeouts only be granted when there's a dead ball (a la FIBA). Finally, suggests that the 10 second count doesn't reset when a team calls a timeout.

He can discuss that one with his bosses at ESPN.

I get it - he wants the NCAA game to be more like the pro game. What he forgets as someone who went to a BCS school is 95% of the players in college basketball are not going to go pro because they don't have the ability. The rules have to apply to the majority of players so they can compete. The better players can adjust no matter what.

[APG]

Points I agreed with:

Freedom of movement: Definitely agree with this...and it's something that needs to be worked on at all levels. I think the problem with this at the college level, is the inconsistency. In one conference, FOM seems to be highly enforced...whilst in another conference, it's deemed incidental contact. Officials have many more hats they have to answer to at the collegiate level (and this was actually one of Bilas points at the beginning of the article which anyone can read)...rather than having direction from one ultimate authority.

Demonstrative: ABSOLUTELY AGREE...some of this stuff is theatrical...calls sometimes need to be sold...but that kind of loses it means when you see it on every, single play. No need to bird dog when everyone in the stadium knows whom the foul was on.

Coach's decorum: Gotta agree with Bilas...if some of these college coaches tried the crap they do at the next level, they'd get whacked early and often.

Timeouts: Definitely need to change the amount of timeouts given to coaches since media timeouts (at the highest levels) aren't going to be given up. It's absolutely silly that a coach can a timeout at 15:59, come back from that timeout, inbound the ball, ball goes OOB, then we get a MEDIA timeout. And this happens all the time. NCAA DI basketball is rivaling the NFL sometimes with their timeouts (Quick did you know...in an NFL games, there must be FIVE TV timeouts...per quarter!) I also agree that the 10 second count should not reset with a called timeout.

Lane violations: I don't know if I would go with awarding the ball rather than the sub FT, but I agree...made free throw, no violations period...both ways.

[doubleringer]

Originally Posted by ballgame99

Quote from the article "There are far too many charges awarded to help defenders, and most of the charge/block calls you see are simply wrongly decided by officials. It is out of control, and I have not heard any coaches disagree with that assertion. The charge call has become a major problem in college basketball, and it needs to be addressed with all deliberate speed."

The only way I can see fixing this one is changing the rule to say that the defender must have LGP before the offensive player goes into their shooting motion (ie gathers). This would reduce a lot of the help-side charges that most people have issues with.

I've heard a lot about the block/charge in college basketball recently, and I am of the opinion that it isn't the way this play is being called, it is the lack of movement on the part of the players. I actually had this conversation with a very successful JUCO coach, and he is not a fan of the "4 out" offenses that many teams run, where basically you drive the ball at the basket, and kick the ball out or take it to the rim. It is his contention that it isn't fair to officials because it basically forces us to affect the game by either calling the block, charge, or deciding the contact was incidental. Most assignors want a whistle of some sort on this type of contact, so we are seeing more block/charge calls.

Since the game is played more and more at the rim or beyond the 3 point arc, we have to make more decisions on the block/charge than ever before. Compound that with coaches who teach taking the charge (commonly referred to as the flop ) and we are making this decision very often. Thoughts?

[Scrapper1]

I heard a recent interview with John Adams (might have been during the tournament) in which he said that he thought there were too many charges being called. So that's probably where Bilas got that piece of ammo.

I personally disagree with their assessment.

[Adam]

I disagree with making the 10 second count more like FIBA. There are only so many timeouts per game, so I have no problem with coaches who want to use them to avoid a 10 second count. It's just like avoiding a second throw in count, or avoiding a held ball, or an OOB violation. It's not really a problem, and it happens at most once per game, IMO.

As for the timeouts, that's the price of all that TV coverage we get; and the price of the replay reviews, for that matter.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

Coach's decorum: Gotta agree with Bilas...if some of these college coaches tried the crap they do at the next level, they'd get whacked early and often.

But we know why this is. Assignors work for the coaches. If officials T up the coaches, the coaches complain to the assignor. Assignor decides he doesn't need the headache and the official's schedule suffers.

Since nobody wants to lose games because of a coach's complaints, fewer T's are called, even though everyone (including the officials on the games) knows that they are deserved.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I disagree with making the 10 second count more like FIBA. There are only so many timeouts per game, so I have no problem with coaches who want to use them to avoid a 10 second count. It's just like avoiding a second throw in count, or avoiding a held ball, or an OOB violation. It's not really a problem, and it happens at most once per game, IMO.

As for the timeouts, that's the price of all that TV coverage we get; and the price of the replay reviews, for that matter.

I just think that if you play defense well enough to hold them in the backcourt for nearly 10 seconds, the offense shouldn't be able to buy themselves out of a timeout. And as it is now in NCAA...timeouts aren't as valuable as it isn't rare to see a team with 3-4 timeouts left at the end of games. The NBA has this right.

And as far the amount of timeouts, just reduce the number of timeouts coaches can have...or if a coach calls a timeout at a media timeout threshold, charge him his timeout, and make it a media length timeout.