According to this article in the Herald-Leader, Kentucky has been called 39 times for charging so far this year:
So far this season, Kentucky has drawn only nine charging calls while being whistled for 39 charges. At Tennessee last weekend, UK charged five times (three by point guard Marquis Teague).
Most of us have lamented that it seems like the officials are calling more questionable charging calls with the new "restricted arc" in place. Some have even suggested that the officials are using that arc as a crutch to judge a call -- outside the arc, charge, inside, block.
I don't know about all that, but that number above indicates that Kentucky is being called for over two charges per game. That seems like a lot to me. I'm not suggesting that Kentucky is being victimized here, necessarily, but more wondering if the charge/block call is going disproportionately toward the charge this year, and if so, is the new line the reason?
Look, I totally get that officiating is an impossibly difficult and thankless job, and I have been very easy on the officials for most of the year (the last game notwithstanding). What I am really doing is wondering if this tendency can be evaluated across all of college basketball. I'd like to be able to sit and review every single play, but given the nature of the game and number of teams, that's beyond my ability.
But if somebody knows where I can find a ready-made charging statistic per team per game, I'd love to know where. i don't mind massaging data, but creating a dataset out of game play-by-plays is just too daunting a task. You can do that to some degree, though. Since charges are also scored as turnovers, the play-by-play listing has a personal foul and a turnover listed back-to-back with the same timestamp. Of course, it doesn't differentiate between a charge, and, say, a hook. It also doesn't tell you where the charge took place, i.e. out on the floor or in transition at the hoop.
All I know is, I have seen a lot of charges called this year that did not contain two characteristics I always understood to be necessary:
These two principles would seem to be established in the rules, section 35: Guarding:
Art. 4. To establish an initial legal guarding position on the player with the ball:
a. The guard shall have both feet touching the playing court. When the guard jumps into position initially, both feet must return to the playing court after the jump, for the guard to attain a guarding position.
b. The guard’s torso shall face the opponent.
c. No time and distance shall be required.
d. When the opponent with the ball is airborne, the guard shall have attained legal position before the opponent left the playing court. Exception: (Men) Rule 4-35.7The exception is the "under the basket" rule, and doesn't really impact the offensive player, but forbids the establishment of initial guarding position under the basket.
Back when I played, you had to satisfy both conditions. These days, the game has either become too fast for proper officiating, or they simply ignore the part about a defender being airborne, or having both feet set.
Anyway, it's easy to get these calls substantially right with the benefit of instant replay and much harder during live action, so perhaps this is all due to the speed of the game. I don't know.
All I know is that there seem to be a lot of charges these days. What do you think?
0 recs | 24 comments
Being called for 39 charges while only drawing 9 — more than a 4-1 ratio! — would strongly suggest that there’s something odd in the way the Cats are playing either offense (overly aggressive?) or defense (not aggressive enough?). Or it could suggest a referee conspiracy, but that seems fairly unlikely.
cmadler - January 17, 2012
would say it's a difference in defense
UK’s guys more often than not go up for a block than taking a charge. I think that’s the difference in ratio.
JustAJ - January 17, 2012
It's true that UK doesn't emphasize the charge this season ...
… due to our good shot blocking. I’m more concerned about the sheer number of charges vs. blocks overall than UK’s numbers.
Glenn Logan - January 17, 2012
I felt the same way
watching the IU and Ohio State game the other night. It feels like charging calls are WAAAYY up this year. Indiana has been a big beneficiary of it but of course when the shoe is on the other foot I think it’s horse crap.
It seems like the scenario is playing out how you described it above and officials are using the arc as a crutch. In the arc, block. Out of the arc, charge.
JustAJ - January 17, 2012
Yes, that was one of the games that informed this post.
Glenn Logan - January 17, 2012
Or it could be a combo of the two...
maybe the refs are too busy looking at the arc, and they miss the small movements by the defenders, and get the call wrong (basing it soley on arc and defender feet NOT moving) ??
kentuckyrules - January 17, 2012
Yeah, maybe.
Maybe they just haven’t gotten a feel for the new line yet.
Glenn Logan - January 17, 2012
I like it.
I agree with the idea that the arc moves focus just to the feet!
LyricSmith - January 17, 2012
OK, so if the charge calls are up across the board, why are we so much in the negative?
I wont go so far as to claim conspiracy theories here, but could the refs be using the call to control the tempo of the game to keep it manageable for themselves?
We can play 1/2 court offense or defense, but when we run, we are simply uncatchable. So could this be as a result of the referees continuing inability to call a game without being able to keep up with a game?
Or are we simply going to hear that we have all freshmen and they need to learn to control their drives??? At least one of the Teague calls was completely bogus, but players have to adjust to those things in-game.
I know I beat a dead horse here, but the NCAA needs to insert another referee or even two (one on each end) to call these games better. Too many times the referee is behind the play, or behind the call. Not to mention “phantom” technicals……..
Either get these referees up to speed, get them trained and make them full time employees, or add enough to make the calls properly. I dont want to see more calls, and I definitely don’t want to see more refs, but something needs to be done to get it right.
Greg Alan Edwards - January 17, 2012
the reason Kentucky is in the negative
is instead of sliding under a slasher, most Kentucky players opt to try and block it. Styles of defenses matter in getting certain calls.
JustAJ - January 17, 2012
but that does not account for the excessive number of offensive calls does it?
Greg Alan Edwards - January 17, 2012
I think that it is because of our style of attack
It seems the Cal has always emphasized the ‘go-to-the-rim’ style. I feel that many of our players commit to going to the hoop
-straight to the hoop-rather than looking more for the lateral slashing motion to try to get partly around the defender.Wall was always good at twisting just before contact so that it looked much more like a block than a charge. Teague goes more straight on, and it’s a close call. Unfortunately many of those close calls have gone against him.
jeffy - January 18, 2012
One solution for Cal
Would be to tell the players if they’re driving the lane and a defender/defenders is in the driving lane just pull up and take a simple 5’-10’ jump shot. Avoid the 50-50 chance that the call will go against you. If you have a very clear path to the rim – take it. What’s wrong with taking what the defense gives you. Miller is one of the only players on the team to do that presently.
KansasUKCat - January 17, 2012
Two things
1) UK players go hard to the basket. I can’t think of a single one who has a pull-up shot in his repertoire.
2) It seems nearly impossible for a referee to get his eyes fixed on the restricted arc and the defensive player’s position with respect to it AND watch for whether the defensive player has stopped movement AND whether the offensive player is airborne. That may be asking simply too much of a human being all in a split second. Therefore, since the emphasis is on the restricted arc, that is where the ref’s eyes go first.
jdogblue - January 17, 2012
Jdog, I think Miller
comes closest, and I seem to recall Wiltjer doing it once or twice. Truth is, it takes more “effort” to do either a jump stop or a plant-step stop than to keep moving. Plus ten foot jumpers usually don’t make Top Ten or allow you to beat your chest like a poster dunk. It’s the times, I guess.
oldcat'69 - January 17, 2012 via mobile
Old
I think your second point is the principal reason. Kids don’t learn pull-up or jump-stop shots in AAU.
jdogblue - January 17, 2012
And another thing - why does college ball have a different arc radius than the pro's - make them the same
This extra foot will give a ref much more clarity when determining the charge/block. Now it’s all in a smaller congested area, I believe that makes it much harder on them to get a handle on it.
KansasUKCat - January 17, 2012
I think this is a reasonable idea, Kansas
jdogblue - January 17, 2012
More anecdotal evidence
There was a very bad charge call in the BU/KU game last night, first half. The defender clearly hopped over while the offensive player was in the air.
I recall reading somewhere (sorry I can’t site the source) of a NCAA ref saying they they were used to watching the body and the new arc would force them to look at feet more and would therefore be harmful. This doesn’t line up with what I’ve seen, as they are missing feet shuffling or last second hopping.
GoLightning - January 17, 2012
anecdotal evidence
I’ve watched a number of ACC games this year with Clemson, and I don’t recall any egregious charge/block calls. When Clemson played Duke Sunday I was particularly on alert for them due to the UK/UT game the day before and Duke’s flopping reputation, but I thought the officials got all such calls basically correct with only 1 or two that might have been iffy.
JLeverenz - January 17, 2012
Jay Bilas lamented last night
that it has become way too easy to draw a charge these days. So he’s noticing it, too.
Wheatgerm - January 17, 2012
Thank You For This Conversation
I noticed KU got some “questionable” Charges called against them when they played Baylor. (It is interesting to note that KU made their run even though those call went against them)
I absolutely think the discrepency for UK is the fact that UK Offense is predicated on taking it to the rim. That is what Calipari wants. I also do not think it takes a full scale conspiracy for the refs to lean (even without being aware) toward an underdog or the team down by a lot or the home team. Also, when a team is athletic and doesn’t foul and playing a team whose very game plan is to be very physical, the foul descrepency could really look bad. All of these things contribute.
Mostly though, I believe the refs are just blowing it and I do not think it is always that difficult. Many calls I have seen have happened when the offensive player (Like Teaque) clearly move left or right to avoid contact only to have the defender slide underneath. Easy Block call but all the ref is concerned about is the Arc.
I will agree that it must be hard to make the calls on the spot at game pace. What they need is 1080p High Def with pause and slow-motion, a UK shirt, and a Kentucky Bourbon Ale and all things become clear :)
To the person who mentioned a short jump shot I say AMEN
LyricSmith - January 17, 2012
Contributing Factors
As many facets of college BB (shot clock and 3-point line being most impactive) the charge/blocking interpretation can be traced to developments in the NBA. Once it was nearly impossible for an offensive player to be assessed a charging foul in NBA but that changed due primarily due to defensive focus of coaches. 15 years ago the NBA introduced the restricted zone to keep secondary defenders from drawing under-the-basket fouls and gave greater leeway to defenders outside the zone. It was only natural that the trend migrated to NCAA and with the introduction this year of a college restriction zone the evolution is nearly complete. Is the zone good for the game? Read this opinion.
Another offensive trend adds to increased charging calls: the floater or tear drop. For the modern player especially those on the perimeter the shot has replaced the pull up short-distance jump shot, and the continuing forward momentum endemic to the tactic encourages charging.
And then there’s Pearson’s law:
Once coaches began to track charges taken and instruct on the proper method of doing so the tactic became intrinsic to play.
As for UK’s seeming excessive charging infractions, the very name DDMO would seem to suggest (perhaps subliminally to officials) that offensive fouls are likely.
Wild Weasel - January 17, 2012
This article essentially suggests ...
… that it has more to do with the referee’s focus on the arc than anything else.
Bottom line — I’m becoming of the opinion that the line has to go.
Glenn Logan - January 18, 2012
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