YOU MAKE THE CALL

 

Over the years there have been a number of sports sites with the title, "You Make The Call".  The express purpose was to offer sports fans an opportunity to express their disappointments with referee calls that determined the outcome of games.  Sometimes, very crucial games.

While their existence created a platform, I'm not sure they offered anything regarding the improvement in the officiating profession.  And it should have.  Each sport has their own issues.  The better the athletes become, the harder it is to officiate a game properly.  But that shouldn't be the fans job to correct.  It's each individual sport. Those leaders need to do a much better job of reviewing each referee's game tape, offer critiques and insight to help eliminate some of the poor calls we're seeing.  Let's take a look at the game of Women's basketball.

 A 2024 Women's NCAA battle featuring the Iowa Hawkeyes and the UCONN Huskies. Iowa was leading 70-69 with 10 seconds left and UCONN inbounding the ball.  

As UConn's Aaliyah Edwards screened Gabbie Marshall to give Paige Bueckers a chance for the winning shot, the Iowa guard flailed to her right and immediately knew the screen was indeed illegal, yelling into crowd in celebration after an offensive foul was called.  "I think we knew going in that we needed to get a stop and obviously, at least the ball was going to go to Paige and I'm pretty sure that was the game plan.  I figured they were going to try to set a couple of screens, and I was staying on her hip the whole game.  And if I'm on her hip, the person can't move into you, and they have to give you room to go around it if you're sticking with them on their hip."   

As crucial as that call was, it provided the rule and the reason for the official's whistle. 

This past Sunday Iowa was involved in another screen "mess" as they battled with #4 ranked UCLA.  This time, UCLA had the ball with under seven seconds left in a 65-65 game.  Iowa's Lucy Olsen was the defender as she tried to fight through a screen when she fell down and was called for "falling".  In looking further,

it appears a UCLA player put out her leg was caused the infraction.  A quote from 247 Sports offers this scenario.  "There's a real argument that an illegal screen took place.  Per the NCAA rulebook, the screener must maintain a normal stance with the inside of the feet not wider than should width apart.  It also states that a foul will be called if the screener extends the legs beyond legal width and trips a defender who is attempting to move around the screen."

UCLA hit two free throws and won the game 67-65.  

You've seen two calls involving the screen game.  You make the call.  It seems obvious that games are being decided with no consistency in mind.  

With the Women's game continuing to grow, there needs to be improvement in how the games are being called.  It's time to head to school, refs. That part of the game needs attention, like right now. There needs universal agreement in making things better so we can all see the sport flourish.

LAYUPS, LAYUPS AND LAYUPS.

Good grief.  I'm shocked by the number of bunnies (layups for the common fan) that are missed each and every game.  I get it that the women play below the rim.  So very little if any dunking takes place in their game.  But, what the heck.  If your team has a tendency to miss free throws, a coach puts his team at the line during practice to try and right the problem.  Do they not see this?   I.e.  Iowa unofficially missed 10 layups against Ohio State last Monday.  They ultimately, lost in overtime.  I have to think the coaching staff charts missed layups.  And that should show the problem.  Games are being decided by deficiencies there perhaps more than missed free throws.  Just an observation.  Just sayin....