Death to the charge!

In the wake of the Aaron Craft charging call, people are finally starting to seriously question the way in which NCAA refs overcall charging. 

USA Today's Chris Chase

The problem, perhaps, isn't with the call, it's with the idea that college basketball rewards defensive players for sliding into position and standing still rather than playing defense.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/03/24/aaron-craft-charge-cont… NBC Sports

This may be the most notable blown charge call in this year’s tournament, but it certainly isn’t the first. It’s an epidemic, really. Referees, who are now forced to focus on when a defender has their feet and whether or not they are outside the charge circle, are missing more and more calls under the basket. The Flagrant 1 elbow rule needs to be the first thing addressed by the rules committee this offseason, as that’s easily the worst rule in college basketball. But the referees need to get together and figure out how to start calling charges and blocks correctly.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/24/remember-aaron-cr… Jay Bilas (who's been on this all season)

On the charge call, college basketball refs repeatedly call charges on clear blocks. It is an epidemic, and a failure. We can do better.

Someone's even started a #EverythingsACharge hashtag on twitter.

Charges should be rare and obvious calls. Charges should not be able to be "drawn," they should only be called in the case of violent and careless offensive play. Any 50/50 calls should go to the offensive player until college basketball stamps out the epidemic of defenders getting in the way and falling over. In particular, it needs to eliminate charging calls when help defenders slide over and don't contest the ball.

Drawing a charge is not defense, it's just getting in the way. It encourages flopping. It's dangerous, as it frequently undercuts an airborne player. And it discourages exciting plays where defenders contest offensive players going to the rim in the air. And in general, charging cheapens the game.

Death to the Charge!