When did the rules change?

[watchman72]

You know, I've enjoyed playing and watching basketball over the years.  I've enjoyed being a fan and I really enjoy going to high school games where I don't care who wins, just to watch a good game.  And I realize that referees have a thankless job. It's quite funny sometimes to see an entire fanbase start screaming at a ref for a not calling a walk, when the player didn't walk. Or expecting a charge when the defender hacks the shooter.  Being an unbiased fan opens your eyes to a lot of misperceived 'one sided' calling.

 

But all that being said, I heard the most ridiculous statement the other day at a district tournament game.  And I've heard it my whole life, but for the first time, I let it sink in.  The person said: "Well, it's tournament time, they're going to 'let them play'".

 

In what other sport does this make sense??!?!  Why would the ref's call a state tourney game any different than they call game 1 of the season?  But, they do!  Touch fouls, moving screens, walks...all called at an almost ridiculous level at the beginning of the season, then we switch to NBA rules come tournament time.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I like to see a game where the whistle is barely blown...let them play!  But why change the way we call games at all?  You never hear a baseball coach say 'well, it's tournament time, the strike zone just got bigger!'.  Or a football coach saying, 'we can hold more now, it's end of season ball!'. 

 

I don't get it...at all.  I've seen too many teams penalized for playing a good clean game in the post season in a way that would have worked pre-season.  It's nuts.  About to drive me to watch golf...

[Icy]

You know, I've enjoyed playing and watching basketball over the years.  I've enjoyed being a fan and I really enjoy going to high school games where I don't care who wins, just to watch a good game.  And I realize that referees have a thankless job. It's quite funny sometimes to see an entire fanbase start screaming at a ref for a not calling a walk, when the player didn't walk. Or expecting a charge when the defender hacks the shooter.  Being an unbiased fan opens your eyes to a lot of misperceived 'one sided' calling.

 

But all that being said, I heard the most ridiculous statement the other day at a district tournament game.  And I've heard it my whole life, but for the first time, I let it sink in.  The person said: "Well, it's tournament time, they're going to 'let them play'".

 

In what other sport does this make sense??!?!  Why would the ref's call a state tourney game any different than they call game 1 of the season?  But, they do!  Touch fouls, moving screens, walks...all called at an almost ridiculous level at the beginning of the season, then we switch to NBA rules come tournament time.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I like to see a game where the whistle is barely blown...let them play!  But why change the way we call games at all?  You never hear a baseball coach say 'well, it's tournament time, the strike zone just got bigger!'.  Or a football coach saying, 'we can hold more now, it's end of season ball!'. 

 

I don't get it...at all.  I've seen too many teams penalized for playing a good clean game in the post season in a way that would have worked pre-season.  It's nuts.  About to drive me to watch golf...

 

The rules didn't change.  Unfortunately, that the perspective of one official.