Ballin' is a Habit

THE NCAA IS LOOKING INTO CHANGING THE BLOCK/CHARGE RULE: As if the refs didn't already have it tough enough.

I think it is pretty safe to say that deciding whether contact around the basket is a charge or a block is the most difficult call in basketball. On Wednesday, the NCAA may pass a new rule that could make that call even more difficult. From the Charlotte Observer:

The NCAA will try to draw a line this week against the pounding basketball players take under the hoop. But the effort is likely to fail because the organization won't paint a semicircle on the court.

The Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday is expected to approve a rule change that would create a "no charge" zone for "help" defenders from the front of the rim to the front of the backboard.

But by not adding the arc, the NCAA will make it more difficult for officials to judge the boundaries of the no-charge area.

I understand, and agree with, the reasoning behind putting in a rule like this - how many times did your favorite team get a basket waved off because some defender slid in and flopped under the basket, drawing a charge? My problem is that this is only going to create more issues for the referees. They already have it difficult enough trying to determine whether or not the defensive player was set, if the offensive player broke the plane of verticality, if the defender flopped, etc. Now you also want to them to determine in a split-second decision whether or not the player had his foot in an imaginary 24 inch circle under the rim?

Again, the intent is correct, I just don't see this being the most effective way to curtail the Coach K theory on flopping.