Free Throw Disparity

[Clyde]

I've read in many threads about the disparity in the number of free throws. The thinking is that if one team has many more than the others that the officials must have been wrong.

 

Why is there the thought that free throws attempted should be the same or nearly the same?

 

Does that apply to travel calls?

[AirYardGo]

The travel is never called enough.

[Clyde]

The travel is never called enough.

 

"Enough" is not the issue. The issue seems to be equality.

[Reality Check]

I've read in many threads about the disparity in the number of free throws. The thinking is that if one team has many more than the others that the officials must have been wrong.

 

Why is there the thought that free throws attempted should be the same or nearly the same?

 

Does that apply to travel calls?

 

I have seen many games where I feel the officials are "catching up" with calls due to the disparity of team fouls. But you may have some teams that just do not play aggressive or teams who play very smart and do not commit a lot of fouls. Other teams may play very physical or aggressive thus creating more fouls. I am not a believer in all things need to be equal because it is unrealistic. Some teams foul more than others.

[AirYardGo]

"Enough" is not the issue. The issue seems to be equality.

 

What I meant was, there are a lot of traveling violations missed every game I go to.

[mcpapa]

I see more palming violations that aren't called than traveling. A couple of times a game, anyway. Calling three seconds seems to be totally forgotten, although it shouldn't be called nearly as often as "THREE SECONDS" gets hollered out from the peanut gallery.

[Clyde]

Concentrate.

 

We're talking about the issue of free throw disparity.

 

Should the fouls called be even distributed as many fans seem to imply? BTW, coaches say they should be unless they're on the "good" end.

[Nkysportsblog]

Concentrate.

 

We're talking about the issue of free throw disparity.

 

Should the fouls called be even distributed as many fans seem to imply? BTW, coaches say they should be unless they're on the "good" end.

 

No and in fact I chuckle whenever the parents on my girl's team complain about the disparity. We play very aggressive man to man defense while most teams sit back in a zone... we deserve to be called for more fouls. I've never understood the.. "look at the fouls you've called x number on them and Y! number on us" complaint.

[ACE]

I've read in many threads about the disparity in the number of free throws. The thinking is that if one team has many more than the others that the officials must have been wrong.

 

Why is there the thought that free throws attempted should be the same or nearly the same?

 

Does that apply to travel calls?

 

Generally speaking, given relatively equal talent on opposing teams, I believe the suggestion is that the "law of averages" will win out in the end and fouls, violations, etc. typically will come fairly close to balancing out over the course of an athletic event. Although this is not always the case, a reasonable person would probably conclude so.

[Nkysportsblog]

Generally speaking, given relatively equal talent on opposing teams, I believe the suggestion is that the "law of averages" will win out in the end and fouls, violations, etc. typically will come fairly close to balancing out over the course of an athletic event. Although this is not always the case, a reasonable person would probably conclude so.

 

I disagree contrasting styles between two teams of equal talent can greatly effect the number of fouls called.

[mcpapa]

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard "Call it both ways", I could have retired earlier than I did...

 

As far as why there is the perception that fouls called/free throws should be equivalent; I don't get it. Especially if we're talking just one game. Over the long haul, maybe, but even then, an aggressive pressing man-to-man team should be whistled more often than a sit-back-in-a-zone team.

[DragonFire]

Concentrate.

 

We're talking about the issue of free throw disparity.

 

Should the fouls called be even distributed as many fans seem to imply? BTW, coaches say they should be unless they're on the "good" end.

Of course fouls shouldn't have to be evenly distributed, but I think where people get that mentality is that there are calls that could probably be called fouls on just about every play. What IMO ends up getting called are the more major ones, while they let some smaller fouls go. This sometimes leads to one team having a higher number than the other team. Where referees get themselves into more trouble is when they've let a certain type of call go for the entire game, and then they begin calling it on a team to start evening up the foul count. There really is no denying that it happens. I was watching a game the other day where one team (Team A) had 10 fouls with about 3 minutes left to go in the second quarter, and the other team (Team B) had 3 fouls at the same time. Team A didn't have a single on called again until the fourth quarter while Team B racked them up. It happens almost every time there is a serious disparity.

[mcraycraft]

No they should not be even if the teams are not fouling evenly! The worst thing that ever happened was putting team fouls on the scoreboard. And just like in football with holding calls; you can call a foul on every play down the floor. Everyone hand checks, post play is war, someone is over the back on every rebound, and moving picks are a dime a dozen.

[Tiger1]

As a fan, I am not looking for the officials to distribute the calls evenly between the two teams, just that they are consistent on both ends of the floor.

[ACE]

I disagree contrasting styles between two teams of equal talent can greatly effect the number of fouls called.

 

No question, I agree completely, but there is typically not a large unreasonable disparity by games end given two equally talented teams. You surely agree that a large unreasonable disparity is the rare exception.