I posted this on the thread about PAC-12 refs sucking but thought that with 500+ views on that thread, maybe it would get lost and it deserves it's own thread. It sheds some light on what's going on in NCAA D-1 basketball with referees.
The crux of it is that the NCAA is trying to make basketball more a game of skill and less a game of physical strength but the paradox is that you end up calling so many fouls, you ruin the game. Here's one of the better quotes in the article.
"There are a lot of things that have changed over time, but there was one data point that over 60 years hasn't changed that much," Delany said. "That was the average number of fouls per team per game. It's vacillated between 18.5 and 19.5. And whenever you start getting up to 25 or 30 fouls a game, media turns off, fans turn off, coaches get upset.
"The game must have something in it rhythmically that allows for a certain amount of stoppage," Delany added. "Beyond that, you start getting funny reactions."
For those who might be curious, Utah has 26 fouls and Arizona had 20 last night but I think Utah felt the impact of those fouls more than Arizona as two starters (Poetl and Chapman) fouled out.
Season of change: The foul paradox
The crux of it is that the NCAA is trying to make basketball more a game of skill and less a game of physical strength but the paradox is that you end up calling so many fouls, you ruin the game. Here's one of the better quotes in the article.
"There are a lot of things that have changed over time, but there was one data point that over 60 years hasn't changed that much," Delany said. "That was the average number of fouls per team per game. It's vacillated between 18.5 and 19.5. And whenever you start getting up to 25 or 30 fouls a game, media turns off, fans turn off, coaches get upset.
"The game must have something in it rhythmically that allows for a certain amount of stoppage," Delany added. "Beyond that, you start getting funny reactions."
For those who might be curious, Utah has 26 fouls and Arizona had 20 last night but I think Utah felt the impact of those fouls more than Arizona as two starters (Poetl and Chapman) fouled out.
Season of change: The foul paradox
