Calling a hoops game is hands-down the toughest sport to officiate. With that said, it seems bad officiating ebbs and flows year to year. It just seems particularly bad this season. I can't remember which year it was, 2 to 3 years ago maybe, when there were a bunch of late blown calls that turned the outcome of a few games. It was the same official on a couple of them. Kahill or Danato?
Calls are going to be missed, but there are few types that drive me nuts:
The incidental bumps on the handler and players off the ball where no advantage is taking place. Now I'm not talking about when a team, like Pitt, bumps, grinds and grabs all game long. In those cases, the officials need to recognize what a team is doing and start calling those early to send a message that they will not allow that type of game to be played. But to call a bump late in a game that does not result in a TO or impedes the the player which has been let go just about all game long is something that officials just shouldn't be doing.
The next is the let's let them play and not call anything during the last few minutes of the game. This simply rewards the team that gets away with more fouls than the other team.
Then there is the anticipatory foul where the official seems to be blowing the whistle before the perceived contact takes place. Replays frequently show that there was no contact in many of these bang-bang plays.
My last, and maybe the one that irritates me the most, is the quick call by the ref from the far side of the court with a lot of traffic in front of them when there's one right there in front of the play. It seems more time than not, the replay often shows it is a bad call. Just what you can see and not what you think you can see!
I'm sure there are many other types of call that drive you nuts. As bothersome the block/charge call can be, I understand how hard those are to call at full speed. I just wonder if the NCAA can put a little more money into training for officials. Teach then what to look for and maybe use computer simulation to test and train them. Teach then to look for the offensive foul arm bar on drives, the late slide under when the offensive player is already into the last stage of his move to the basket, what a flop looks like, what's considered out of control where a the offensive player should be called for the charge, etc. I'm not sure what the rule is, but I never have a problem when a defender is moving slightly and an out-of-control driver (the ones who are spinning or going backwards into the paint) initiate the contact. One call in particular needs to be cleaned up is when a player drives towards the hoop, dishes off, but has what looks like minor contact but the defender explodes to the floor like he was shot by a long range riffle. That's a let them play unless the handler completely blows up the defender who's feet are set.
So what type of calls blow your mind?
