How reffing and rules should be changed

[CTrefugee]

No argument with a fellow fan, feel the bleed for blue love but a difference of opinion. Agree with your first point and saw one just the other night, an overrule. No problem other official had a better view.
My point here is that nothing should be different during March as any game played any other month. Just as nothing should be called in the last two minutes of a game different as the previous minutes.
It is simply ridiculous how much contact is allowed through out the game and when behind, last two minutes a player can chase an opponent and touch them and get a whistle. Why not an intentional foul as it obviously was?

NCAA officials need to have improved training but not to see a game in one month or another to be different. What is needed is overall consistency from game one to the end and from the start of a game to the end. JMHO.....

The reason I specified March Madness as separate is that many schools do not have video for review of a call and the equipment is expensive. The bigger/richer leagues could opt to play by the video rules.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I didn’t see this thread before I replied to a post in another thread so let me summarize that reply.

NCAA: Admit blatant referee errors especially in critical situations.

Identify the referees involved and put numbers on their uniforms for fan identification.

Publicly suspend them from all post season games.

This seems to work pretty well for the NFL. The NCAA must take responsibility.

I know this is only a "partway" answer but -

- The NCAA did acknowledge, for example, that the championship game last year was not refereed to standard, and the refs that worked last years final game were definitely banned from the final four and possibly the entire tournament this year.

- That said, apparently they do analyze all this and stated that referees' calls are just over 90% accurate on average. I personally can understand the challenge, but 10% of calls are wrong???? Really. I'm not sure what this includes, no calls?, out of bounds as well as fouls?, but it is still to me not so great.

- Also, just to be clear, the wrath fell on last year's refs for having an accuracy in the high 80%s. It wasn't really that much worse than normal.

- Among refs that have been suspended is Brian Enterline. He completely screwed up a tournament game years ago - it had to do with timing, IIRC, at the end of the game. In any case, he was suspended and has never been seen in the NCAA's since (although I can't say he didn't choose not to ref the tourney after his initial suspension).

- Putting numbers on NCAA refs wouldn't really work, there are just so many of them, you can have 500 working on a busy day, if not more. Their names are always in box scores, I'm a long time ref watcher and generally recognize most of them, especially if I have seen them.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The reason I specified March Madness as separate is that many schools do not have video for review of a call and the equipment is expensive. The bigger/richer leagues could opt to play by the video rules.

That would be a small group in DI. The vast majority of schools stream games. Current rules permitting checking out-of-bounds and foul upgrades exist, although I agree there are probably schools that don't have the footage. But if they stream, they probably have the ability to show the refs.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I think coach challenges, reviewed by the two referees on the floor who did NOT call the play should absolutely be added as a rule. With how much technology there is now, we should be able to use that to benefit the players.

I also think that the sideline referee should be able to call for a play to be reviewed if the on court referees are unsure of the call, even without a coach challenge. Referees are still human and can make mistakes, but allowing challenges and sideline reviews keeps them from ruining a game.

Each coach get's 2 total challenges per game; if they use one challenge in the first half and they win the challenge, they will still have two in the second half. If the coach is wrong with their first half challenge, they will only have one challenge in the second half.

There also has to be an option to reverse, remove, or call fouls during reviews and not just look for flagrant/intentional.

CTGirl15- - -The problem with adding reviews or cameras on refs is the reviews already in place take too much time away from game action now and some reviews take 5 to 6 minutes of time to review!
We do not need 20 to 25 more stoppage of plays thrown in an all ready muddled game time!

 

[CTrefugee]

That would be a small group in DI. The vast majority of schools stream games. Current rules permitting checking out-of-bounds and foul upgrades exist, although I agree there are probably schools that don't have the footage. But if they stream, they probably have the ability to show the refs.

Streaming is not enough. You need multiple cameras steered to the play (as in March Madness) otherwise most video streams would not catch the crucial angle of view. You can't slow down the game just because a camera might "get lucky."

 

[CTrefugee]

CTGirl15- - -The problem with adding reviews or cameras on refs is the reviews already in place take too much time away from game action now and some reviews take 5 to 6 minutes of time to review!
We do not need 20 to 25 more stoppage of plays thrown in an all ready muddled game time!

That's exactly why it should be confined to the last two minutes. Additionally, there could be a score limitation. Twenty point lead with two minutes = no review.

 

[Puppy Love]

I posted on this earlier somewhere else, but stopping the blatant two handed shoves and other extra actions would be a start. Call them for what they are - flagrant fouls. Get two in a game…mandatory one game suspension. That would end them quickly.

 

[Bald Husky]

When Gabby Marshal was asked about the screening foul, she said it was happening the whole game. Well, if that's the case, why call it now if they let it go during the rest of the game? Foul or not, inconsistency is the problem and that's why people who actually watched the game are pissed off. BTW, Gabby is a nice girl who was just doing her job, haters just leave her alone.

 

[Pharos]

What are the variables that affect how games are experienced? Broadcasters are in business to make money. NCAA is focused on money, too. And now, the NIL sponsors want the players they have contracts with to be as visible as possible... for the sake of money. Gambling consolidators are in it for, well... the money. For the players, for the majority of players in college basketball, they play and receive scholarships, but in this case it's piddling compared with the corporate interests regarding... money.
With so much money involved, refs should get paid A LOT! That would bring the very best to the surface. They should receive training like cops do in those simulated experiences where they have to make snap decisions and get graded on their choices.
When MLB decided to move the All-Star Game out of Atlanta, I stopped watching MLB. The first weekend of March Madness is fun. Second, mostly. Final Four... might give that up.

 

[JellyBean]

• Refs should be encouraged to overrule another ref. This is rare because it stigmatizes the first caller. It should not. The game is too fast for perfect reffing.
• During the last two minutes of any March madness game, refs should have the option of video review of any call and can reverse a foul call(leagues could optionally do this for their games). Can this be done now? - what is the current rule?
• During March madness, coaches should have one call challenge per half. If the challenge fails, they lose a second half timeout. (this should be optional for league play)

any other suggestions

I like the 3rd option, allowing coaches one call challenge per half. A few rules that need to be addressed, if it hasn't already, are when an offensive player leans/jumps into a defender trying to draw a defensive foul, the continuous motion rule, and the new one about "faking a foul". That one needs to be applied more. A few teams, especially in the tournament were faking some fouls or flopping and I don't recall any warnings being given. During the regular season there were some warnings given but, in the tournament, there was some flopping going on, but no warnings administered.

 

[housekeys]

In football you have the line judge, back judge etc. Another thing that can be tried, is to have one official dedicated (but not limited) to "the problem". Contact and physicality. Off ball grabbing and holding etc. No doubt every proposed "solution" will have it's drawbacks, but that is true of the current system as well. It is also funny that such a rule would be a copy of football, given that the game has sometimes physically evolved into....football.

 

[Honeybadger]

The NCAA could start by enforcing the no jewelry rule evenly. Hannah Hidalgo had to spend almost ten minutes on the sideline having a stud removed mid game after one ref reportedly told her it wouldn’t be a problem. Then I noticed more than one South Carolina player was playing with studs and Chloe Kitts even had gold hoops dangling from her ears for the championship game. If they can’t be consistent on something so cut and dry, there is no hope for subjective spur of the moment calls. They are part of the fabric of the game albeit painful when they steal your hope at the end of a game.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The NCAA could start by enforcing the no jewelry rule evenly. Hannah Hidalgo had to spend almost ten minutes on the sideline having a stud removed mid game after one ref reportedly told her it wouldn’t be a problem. Then I noticed more than one South Carolina player was playing with studs and Chloe Kitts even had gold hoops dangling from her ears for the championship game. If they can’t be consistent on something so cut and dry, there is no hope for subjective spur of the moment calls. They are part of the fabric of the game albeit painful when they steal your hope at the end of a game.

If you saw the same things I did, they were during pre-game shoot-around, not the actual game. I didn't see any jewelry during the game, almost every player had jewelry during the pre-game.

 

[Honeybadger]

If you saw the same things I did, they were during pre-game shoot-around, not the actual game. I didn't see any jewelry during the game, almost every player had jewelry during the pre-game.

I noticed Kitts hoop earrings when she came out at the end of the game and hugged her coach. That caused me to look for it in the postgame celebrations and there were a few players with nose studs as well. The studs don’t seem problematic and I know they are difficult to remove but hoop earrings seem like a safety risk. I was surprised it was allowed.

 

[FormerCTrez]

There either should be no foul or an offensive foul when a shooter deliberately jumps into a defender.

I love this suggestion.

 

[ThisJustIn]

It sure would help to have a "So You Think You Can Ref" session or three. Give access to the training materials refs use.

Also, posted this a while back, but since the refs are independent contractors, they need to be paid for PD (beyond the prof. dev. they already pay for (ref camps) and do on their own time.) Inconsistency happens because of the Supervisors, not the refs. Different leagues have different "styles"? Look at the supervisors.

 

[Stinger92860]

None of those suggestions will work. Cannot take judgement out of the game.

Works in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and professional tennis.

 

[boontonbomber]

My senior year in hs I was called for a technical in the first minute of the first game. Umps, refs,etc stunk then,they still do, nothing will change that. My feelings about officials partly explains why I feel so comfortable on the Boneyard.

 

[maple]

One thing I would like to see more of is CONSISTENCY. How often is it that a game is called one way for the first half and then the complete opposite for the second half? It should not be like this. I'd honestly not mind them just calling less fouls overall, personally. Unless people are throwing elbows (for example), just allow some normal physicality. And can we stop with the light touch fouls?

Also they REALLY need to start cracking down on flopping.

 

[jaydee602]

One thing I would like to see more of is CONSISTENCY. How often is it that a game is called one way for the first half and then the complete opposite for the second half? It should not be like this. I'd honestly not mind them just calling less fouls overall, personally. Unless people are throwing elbows (for example), just allow some normal physicality. And can we stop with the light touch fouls?

Also they REALLY need to start cracking down on flopping.

How many times have we said, "the refs did a great job in the 1st half. They controlled the game & let the players play"?
Then they come out in the 2nd half & sabotage the game with nonstop whistles. So frustrating!

 

[Skeets]

I noticed an interesting phenomenon. When I watch a game between 2 teams that I have no real interest in I hardly ever see a bad call. However, when I watch UConn vs. anyone I notice every bad call, bad no-call, even those extremely rare calls that benefit UConn. What's my point? When the NCAA reviews ref performance they must be seeing games like I do when I have no real interest.

 

[UConn990411]

The rules in women’s college basketball are actually pretty good.

The refs are bad. Step number one for the improving that is getting better refs.

Short of that, they need to adjust how they manage games from the jump. Too often, we see refs call nothing early and then start over officiating when the game gets too physical. I’d rather see them set a stricter precedent on what’s a foul early in games, and then they can slowly peel back the whistles as the game goes along.