North Carolina coach Roy Williams was watching the Gonzaga-Michigan State game last month when he saw the perfect example of why the new "no-charge" zone under the basket should be painted on the floor.
"The Gonzaga kid was standing there [and] his feet were on the lane line, so it was nowhere close to being underneath the basket," Williams said recently. "He'd already gotten out his iced tea, added the sugar to it, added the extra lemon, got back in his perfect stance and the guy ran over him and the referee comes out and calls it 'block.'
"... In my mind, there's no way [the official] wasn't thinking about that stupid imaginary line."
I bet that dude's tea spilled when he was knocked over, and where I come from that is both offensive and a foul.
"I actually watched the Duke-Wisconsin game, and they had a play there where the Duke player was standing there waiting for the guy, and he took the charge and they called a block," N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe said. "And [the referee] pointed down to the floor, like, 'You were inside something.'
"Well, it's an invisible line. I just don't understand. I don't understand that rule and why they won't just put a line down there. I think it puts too much pressure on officials, and they have enough pressure as it is. They have a tough job to do. The last thing you want to do is give them an invisible line. That's just me. That rule just confuses me. I can't say it bothers me. It confuses me. I just don't understand it."
The NCAA could have the option of adding markings if the Playing Rules Committee next summer suggests that the no-charge zone be painted. The earliest the lines could be added is 2011-12, when the next rule book is printed.
If you're confused now, Sid, imagine how baffled you'll be when conference play starts and the zone magically expands like so:
