A lot of people talk about the game speed and scoring lately, if the NCAA would consistently enforce the hand check rules you would see more scoring in the game.
OK, now you're opening Pandora's box with me.... You sir, are about to feel the wrath of sitting in the NCAA rules clinic being told "enforce hand checking", it's rule 10-4, scoring is down cause of this, the act of shooting now starts with upward motion of the ball instead of when act of shooting begins (yes this really is how the rules read).....
Here's the reality... YES, officials need to be more consistently enforcing contact rules (especially hand checking), from two years ago to today, I feel it's improved but not where it should be.
But here's the dark reality of it... If we call more hand checking and fouls in general... guess what that leads to? more free throws... and guess what... kids today shoot poorly not just free throws, but in general... I worked a game earlier this year and we called a total of 70 fouls... yup 70!!! Both coaches were furious, not at the crew, but at their kids cause they couldn't hit a foul shot... I kept the stat sheet... 21-40 and 20-38 were the made and attempts...
We all want more scoring, but the reality of it is until kids get better coaching at the HS level and AAU college basketball is going to be what it is and likely deteriorate more. Kids have poor knowledge of spacing, screening, moving the ball and playing defense with their feet.... I used to loathe the NBA cause it was all 1 on 1, isolate and go..... I watched the Hawks for the first time this year a few weeks ago.... It was like watching basketball in the 80's.. holy ball movement batman!!!
My long diatribe being.... It's not all officials, officiating is really only about 30% of the problem.... So so much of it is coaching now. As officials, we really are just trying to enforce the rules as we interpret they are written. Do officials get it right? No, not at all... those that say they do are lying. However, any coach will tell you, just be consistent and the kids will adapt (usually they do). Some nights as mentioned above, you get two very stubborn teams... Then some nights, you catch a really really well coached team and it's so much fun to watch and to officiate.... more often then not, it's a combo of the first one.
College basketball is sick right now, lack of fundamentals combined with todays "me" generation fueled by $$$$$$ and AAU has made the game very difficult to look at.
Sorry for the rant, it wasn't personal, I'll hop off my soap box!