Why is physical play rewarded?

[SWC75]

Referees call what is unusual. if you usually don't make physical contact with an opponent, they call it a foul when they do. If they usually make physical contact, they call it a foul when they mug someone. The fouls wind up about even at the end of the game and people look at the boxscore and think ti was evenly officiated.

It would help if we had NCAA refs, rather than Big East or ACC refs and if the NCAA made an effort to get them to call games the same way in every game on both ends.

 

[Tom Curtin]

I don't know that the complaining is hurting him. It doesn't seem to impact his focus on offense or defense, so I don't think his play is hindered. As long as he doesn't take it to the point of getting a T, it doesn't really bother me. It's small, quick complaints most of the time and he usually has a point.

I can not think of a time where he went to the hoop this year and didn't complain. If you think your fouled every time you take it to the basket your game will be effected one way or another. As far as small and quick. i disagree. He doesn't forget about it. He often brings it into the huddle during a timeout and it seems to disrupt. He allows the refs to get into his head. Being someone that has played many teamed sports I know how this can effect your game. I also know how freeing it is on the court to let it go and let the refs to their job. If you disagree with the refs calls that sucks. It won't change the end result by complaining. All complaining will do is bring attention to yourself on the defensive end and in forums like this. We NEED Christmas. He has developed tremendously. It just seems like he feels as though he has earned the right to have the "star" status that NBA players have, and all the calls should go his way.

 

[Brooky03]

I can not think of a time where he went to the hoop this year and didn't complain. If you think your fouled every time you take it to the basket your game will be effected one way or another. As far as small and quick. i disagree. He doesn't forget about it. He often brings it into the huddle during a timeout and it seems to disrupt. He allows the refs to get into his head. Being someone that has played many teamed sports I know how this can effect your game. I also know how freeing it is on the court to let it go and let the refs to their job. If you disagree with the refs calls that sucks. It won't change the end result by complaining. All complaining will do is bring attention to yourself on the defensive end and in forums like this. We NEED Christmas. He has developed tremendously. It just seems like he feels as though he has earned the right to have the "star" status that NBA players have, and all the calls should go his way.

I see it differently. I'm sure many posters here have a history of playing team sports, myself included; everybody reacts differently though. To say with certaintly that complaining to the officials about fouls is going to change how Rak plays, seems like a stretch to me. I can't say with certainty that it doesn't impact his play -- none of us are in his head -- but if he complains to the refs after every shot attempt and he's averaging 18ppg, 9rpg, and 2bpg, I'd argue that it doesn't appear to be hurting his production. He's only been in serious foul trouble and/or fouled out of 3 games this season that I can think of.

 

[Tom Curtin]

I see it differently. I'm sure many posters here have a history of playing team sports, myself included; everybody reacts differently though. To say with certaintly that complaining to the officials about fouls is going to change how Rak plays, seems like a stretch to me. I can't say with certainty that it doesn't impact his play -- none of us are in his head -- but if he complains to the refs after every shot attempt and he's averaging 18ppg, 9rpg, and 2bpg, I'd argue that it doesn't appear to be hurting his production. He's only been in serious foul trouble and/or fouled out of 3 games this season that I can think of.

Ok, I agree that everyone reacts differently and I could be wrong by assuming people react like I do. The only thing I disagree with is the foul trouble thing. At least in the last 4 games I can think of at least three of them he was benched at the end of the first half because of fouls. Other than that. Touché

 

[SWC75]

Rak's situation reminds me of Dwight Freeney in his senior year. He could have had 30-40 sacks, (the had 17.5, officially), but he was being held on every play.It was a routine thing after each play for a teammate to help readjust his shoulder pads. Since he was being held on every play the refs basically stopped calling it. Rak is being hacked every time he gets the ball and they've stopped calling it. He had 12 free throw attempts vs. Wake Forest but has had a total of 5 since. meanwhile, he's been whistled for 7 fouls in the same period. I don't blame him for getting sick of it.

 

[SBU72]

Referees call what is unusual. if you usually don't make physical contact with an opponent, they call it a foul when they do. If they usually make physical contact, they call it a foul when they mug someone. The fouls wind up about even at the end of the game and people look at the boxscore and think ti was evenly officiated.

It would help if we had NCAA refs, rather than Big East or ACC refs and if the NCAA made an effort to get them to call games the same way in every game on both ends.

One big problem is not enough refs period. Some of them do upwards of 80 games a year. Way to many. So even uniting them under the big banner, you would still need more or since they have to do 3 and 4 games a week, they end up doing regional games to reduce travel.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Raks wincing and whining are not helping his cause---given. But he is certainly justified in his being upset about the continual veritable assault he endures during each game with few of what are certainly fouls committed while defending him being called by the refs.

Him not handling it correctly and becoming agitated and then fouling doesn't lessen the fact he's getting butchered down low by the opposing defenders and it's not being called.

As far as the OP. I couldn't agree more. It is a big portion of why the game has become nearly unwatchable over the past 10 years. I remember back when Big East games would be in the 80's and 90's with respect to scoring. Defensive coma inducing games characterized by scoring ineptitude are not at all pleasant to watch IMO.

And in those days the Big East was considered a defense oriented, physical league even!

 

[OrangeDW]

Just flip around the channels sometime and take a quick glance at all the games, and take note of how many fat guys with white hair there are out there refereeing. It's incredible! What do you expect? Most of these guys should be at home puttering around the garage for no reason at all while bitching about not being able to find their box of Good N Plenty.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

This probably been discussed before but why is physical play accepted if not rewarded? And I mean on defense. You all know what I mean. Teams who body up on defense all the time get a way with it. Guys ride a ball handler all the way down court get free rain, but let SU who plays a perceived finesse defense (zone) body up on a guy and the whistle gets blown. Defense in the paint gets reduced to shoving matches. Arm bars are suppose to be disallowed but still happen. Any pushing below the waist seems to be ok. There have been several articles of late about the absence of offense in the NCAA but I think if they begin to stop the physical defenses then the flow of the game will get better and scoring will go up.

aggression is nearly universally rewarded in all walks of life

 

[SWC75]

aggression is nearly universally rewarded in all walks of life

Not always:

 

[Cowtown]

This probably isn't going to be well received, but here goes.

The game has evolved on its own, make no mistake about that. Players are bigger, faster and stronger than ever before. Trust me, I remember when there was no such thing as a shot clock, a 3 point line, or a back door lob/dunk. It's not the refs job to stop or change that, rather it's their job to make the game fair, which is best done by being consistent with a.) what you'll call and not call; b.) from the start of the game to its finish; and c.) with what your partners will/won't. Whether that actually happens, I suppose, is up to the observer, and much of that decision depends on whose ox is gored. Remember, complaints such as "We're getting screwed!" and "The refs suck!" are just as common on the other side of the gym, only it's working the other way. Nobody wants fair, they just want every call. The refs referee the game in front of them, whether it's a track meet or a rock fight. Trust me, they get both and also everything in between.

I didn't much like the rougher style of play in the old BE, and don't much today anywhere else, either. But know this: you don't need refs to have a foul-shooting contest. Refs earn their money for what they don't call. And no one's gonna come out, let alone buy tickets, to watch a steady parade to the foul line that takes 3 hours to get through.