The Official’s Dilemma

Recently, in a Women's NCAA Tournament game a call by one of the officials has been questioned - quite thoroughly. With seconds left to play the offensive team, behind by two points, was called for a foul. This gave the ball possession to their opponents who were almost guaranteed to win the game.

A lot of comments have been made that this official’s call was inappropriate, untimely, against sports codes and traditions. No one said that the official’s call was wrong or unfair or that a foul had not been committed - the call simply should not have been made. 

Let’s look at the possibilities.

One leading comment was “Let them play.”  

“Only really bad offenses, if any,  should be called at this time.” 

“It’s time to ignore that small stuff that you have been calling all game.”  

Possible decisions that could have been made.

The official could have made no call - would that be fair for the leading team? 

If so, and that leading team became the losing team when the protected shooter buried a 3-

pointer.

Wouldn't the new losing team, coach, followers then have a legitimate gripe that the foul

had not been called? 

Would it have been OK if the leading team’s player had been charged with the foul? 

Would the people  now saying, “Let them play” still say that?

The official made the call - he was supposed to - he saw a foul being committed and he acted as he had been trained to act.

If he hadn’t called the foul all of our officials’ training would have to be changed.  Before

making a critical decision the officials would have to change their neutral position to one

that would have them be aware of the score; determine whether this foul has been

committed by the home team or by  the guest team; be aware how much time is left, and,

and, above all, is this game so important that the rules have to be changed before they

would make the call?”

The rules of this game could be changed near the end because the game was so important. 

At what time and under what condition(s) should the rules be changed? 

With 5 minutes to go? 

At the last possession that each team has? 

Should the coaches of both teams be informed that there will be changes made in the rules of this game for the last possessions or whatever other condition?

The official made the call that he determined to be correct. It was made during a game that was being played according to clear and fair rules and he was enforcing a rule. 

Actually this was a time when the ‘correct’ calls and only the ‘correct’ calls should be made. This is the fair and correct way that the game must be played.

The really important question that needs to be asked is: What is the job of the official?  

Within the context of the game, the officials create the boundaries. Officials are a constraint within the ‘game’ environment around which the players self-organize.

This is a challenge, and often thankless job, that is critical to the games that our players play and that we coach.