I don’t know why the national media are afraid to say it. Okay, so it has something to do with television contracts, but where are the print media? All these questions as to why there’s a major advantage for NBA home teams in the playoffs is quite simple…it’s partly due to referees’ “home calls.”

Forget the fans who always blame officials for their favorite team’s loss. That has been happening since Naismith invented the game. However, watch games in which you don’t care who wins. Are there not obvious home-town calls that are infuriating?

To be honest, I don’t know what a foul is anymore. I see players mauled in the low post – then a foul is called on a ticky-tack hand-check. How about a player driving to the hole? I know the playoffs are at a higher intensity level than regular season games, but this isn’t rugby. No, I don’t want the game played at the foul line, but there needs to be more consistency with calls.

Everyone (but the NBA) admits to “star calls” and “rookie calls.” It has been happening since black and white television, but appears more obvious today. You can’t tell me Kobe and LeBron don’t get most of the calls at home. If the NBA wants to protect the stars to keep them in the game, change the foul rule and give players 7 or 8 fouls. Hell, why have a foul limit at all? Just give the opponent 3 foul shots, or two foul shots and the ball, if fouled by anyone playing with six or more fouls.

Also, the “hack-a-Shaq” foul strategy, which is now used on any player with a foul shot percentage ala Shaq, is a disgrace to the game. For non-basketball fans, a “hack-a-Shaq” is a foul committed away from the ball on anyone who doesn’t shoot foul shots well – enabling the fouling team a possible possession advantage. Any rule giving a fouling team an advantage needs to be changed.

Here are a few more things the NBA should consider:
• Add an extra foot at each end of the floor. Between the size and athleticism of today’s great players, they need more room under the basket.
• Take away the three-pointer from the corner – it’s too close.
• Go back to two officials. That’s one fewer person on the floor feeling a need to justify a job.
• Allow replay on any play/shot ending a quarter.
• Call traveling and palming the ball – as the rule reads.

The Hall Of Fame Network www.HOFn.com has a poll asking: Which major pro league has the best officiating? I’m not sure which is best, but I do know which is worst.