04-05-2021, 06:35 AM
Some comments on a "physical" game vs "beautiful basketball". I am old enough to remember when the "rule" was that if two players had any contact whatsoever it was either a foul or a charge, period. If a player set a pick and you ran into said player, it was a foul, period. The real conundrum wasn't foul/no foul but rather block/charge. The problem became that as players became more athletic the game descended into a parade to the line. Today, with players able to shoot quickly from anywhere, any screen would result in a good shot because you literally had to clear the screening player totally. Going under was usually the only option. Of course, the moving screen was not allowed at all, which in today's game it often is. Further, one actually had to dribble. That can really slow down the game because you aren't a running back for the last 5 steps.
It is also true that even a "perfect" ref can't see everything. Lots of things went on off the ball that didn't routinely get called because no official saw them. However, enough of them did get called that players tended to foul out if they persisted in such activities. It has been said that basketball is inherently flawed because it relies on human beings to call the game. I believe that a more serious problem is that if you actually play the game "by the rules" it is a boring game. Very skilled offenses can't be defended within the rules. You still have the problem of block/charge, but the human refs can do a pretty good job of that. However, the fans hate the constant game stoppages and change of possessions, tons of free throws and star players unable to "do their thing" because they will foul out. What if the ref's had call McDonald every time she ran into some defender? As a result, we have the rules and we have what the refs actually call. The refs aren't enforcing the rules of basketball. They make them up as the game unfolds. What is a charge in Q1 isn't in Q4, and certainly is a "no call" in the tournament. We don't want half of both teams to foul out, so me make sure they don't. This will always be a "flawed" process because it is an ad lib in every game.
Fans still love to watch, and that is the test that the NCAA, NBA and most commentators care about, so it is what it is.
It is also true that even a "perfect" ref can't see everything. Lots of things went on off the ball that didn't routinely get called because no official saw them. However, enough of them did get called that players tended to foul out if they persisted in such activities. It has been said that basketball is inherently flawed because it relies on human beings to call the game. I believe that a more serious problem is that if you actually play the game "by the rules" it is a boring game. Very skilled offenses can't be defended within the rules. You still have the problem of block/charge, but the human refs can do a pretty good job of that. However, the fans hate the constant game stoppages and change of possessions, tons of free throws and star players unable to "do their thing" because they will foul out. What if the ref's had call McDonald every time she ran into some defender? As a result, we have the rules and we have what the refs actually call. The refs aren't enforcing the rules of basketball. They make them up as the game unfolds. What is a charge in Q1 isn't in Q4, and certainly is a "no call" in the tournament. We don't want half of both teams to foul out, so me make sure they don't. This will always be a "flawed" process because it is an ad lib in every game.
Fans still love to watch, and that is the test that the NCAA, NBA and most commentators care about, so it is what it is.