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Odds and ends of Wyoming high school sports.
We fear change. HAMMER HAMMER HAMMER HAMMER HAMMER HAMMER HAMMER
Posted by:
Patrick Schmiedt on
January 10, 2008 at
8:34PM EST
Admittedly, I've been a lazy college basketball fan this year. So it shouldn't be too surprising that, somehow, an NCAA rule change new this season slipped past me.
This season, players are lining up one spot closer to the shooter on foul shots. Basically, there is no longer a player under the block; the first two defensive players are lined up above the block (much like women's college basketball has been for the past few years).
The argument is that players are so athletic these days that the defense no longer had the advantage on rebounding a missed foul shot. Really, though, it's just another excuse for basketball to become a less physical game.
It's only a matter of time before this rule change trickles down to the high school ranks.
And I'm against it.
When I started playing basketball, we filled all eight spots in the lane and we could enter the lane as soon as the ball left the shooter's hand. Then those dirty little rats that believe basketball isn't a contact sport got involved....
First they took away playing the release, instead only allowing players in the lane when the ball hits the rim (which means if you know how to box out, too bad... you'll have to save that for, you know, REAL shots). Then they took away the right to stand in the top two spots in the lane (so much for boxing the shooter effectively, or for anyone on offense that's not the shooter grabbing a long rebound).
And now they want to move everyone up the lane? No. I will not stand for it. No, no, no. Basketball is a physical game, and free throws have been the unwilling, unfortunate scapegoat in trying to reduce overly physical play.
On the plus side, players can now enter the lane on the release of the shot. But it's only a matter of time before that, too, is taken away -- again.
If reducing physical play the goal, why not shoot all foul shots with an open lane, just like a technical? If you miss, the other team gets the ball out of bounds.
Don't laugh. At our current rate, I wouldn't be surprised to see that. Soon.
Posted by patrick.schmiedt@trib.com
(19) Comments
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Posted by: Charlynn on January 10, 2008 11:05PM EST
Excellent Wayne's World reference. :)
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Posted by: werb15 on January 10, 2008 11:15PM EST
I completely agree here. It drives me crazy at the lack of physical play these days. There are so many refs these days that will call almost any contact when someone has the ball or not and its ruining the game. Players that are real hustle players are really affected because they play scrappy and usually end up in foul trouble. I'm glad you brought this up. I'm tired of both playing in and watching games where you can't even touch the other guy.
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Posted by: wyofloater on January 11, 2008 11:53AM EST
And some other common calls that don't allow for physical play:
Over the back - if a player gets a rebound while behind another player, (s)he must have been "over the back".
Blocking - if the dribbler drives into a defender, it's always a blocking foul unless the defender flops.
These "situation calls" are a little too automatic and have become pretty annoying.
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Posted by: HS Sports Fan on January 13, 2008 6:56PM EST
Well I for one hope this change doesn't happen. One change this year that I am not excited to see is the use of 3-Man official crews at Regional & State basketball. I really expected to see more 3-Man crews this year since it will be used in post season. We have not!!! I had the displeasure of watching a game last night that had a 3 man crew and it was absolutely aweful. I will refrain from telling where it was, so I don't identify the crew. I watched one ref swallow his whistle for most of the game, while the other two made numerous poor calls that they were not in position to make. More of the same, and for the obvious reasons. Why isn't it mandatory that schools hire 3-Man crews if they will be used in Post-Season? These officials need the opportunity to work 3-man if they are going to do a decent job when it matters the most. I am not an official, but when talking to officials they tell me it different working 3-man. Once again, someone has completely screwed this one up!!!!
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Posted by: bobcat fan on January 14, 2008 1:21PM EST
I agree with you Patrick! The game is physical and needs to stay that way. we had a very physical game saturday night where one of our best player took an elbow to the eye and was cut from the blow. it was a clean play wher our player stuck his face in the middle of a kid chinning the ball and pivoting (4th grade, lesson #1). we taped up our kid and he came back in the 2nd 1/2 and had a nice game. the point is my son who is a freshman said right after the game "i can't wait to be right in the middle of a game like that" the kids want to play that style of ball and any of them that have the tallent to go to the next level better be ready for more of the same.
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Posted by: fishmaster on January 14, 2008 4:58PM EST
physical is ok, as long as there is some control. Some teams take they physical route too far. Our teams can play as physical as the rest of them, but when it starts to get dirty, that is when people get hurt. Then I think we are heading down a bad direction. Most WYO teams sure know how to play physical in a good way, and it seems that the higher the class, the more physical it gets. I know that when we play out of state, many of the other schools cannot handle our physicalness, UNLESS there are NE officials.....they would call a foul for breathing on the other team if you were too close doing it.
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Posted by: Official on January 15, 2008 1:08AM EST
As for the 3 man officiating crews. They will not be used at the Regional and State Tournemnets until next season 2008-2009. I agree that more school should hire the 3-man crews. The majority of 3A and 4A school have been using 3-man crews this season. If done correctly the 3 man crew is MUCH better than a 2-man crew.
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Posted by: Bulldog Fan on January 15, 2008 1:22AM EST
We have had 3 man crews at most of our games this year. I also feel they need to work together more. We have had calls made by a ref that was in no position to make the call. It seems like they are each waiting for the other to make the call. I guess I'm not for or against it, just think they need to get the kinks worked out and know who is responsible for what.
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Posted by: John on January 15, 2008 12:38PM EST
3 man crews, in theory, is a wonderful idea. The problem is that the guys don't have enough experience yet at working them. I've seen numerous games this year and a few last year, where all three guys are looking at the same place. By design each official has an area to contend with and when that doesn't happen it defeats the purpose. The officials that I have watched must think they no longer have to move when working in the 3 man crew. They literally stand in one spot instead of moving to get better angles. One game I attended had the evaluator in the stands but it goes back to the buddy system. How can you criticize a pal. I know the game can't happen without them and I've heard it said that they do it for the kids but I've seen some who are merely out there to satisfy their own egos. We do need new, younger officials but all we can do is wait.
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Posted by: Kevin Williams on January 15, 2008 2:08PM EST
I believe all sports are evolving and changing and trying new rules in order to improve the game. I don't think that we need to condemn something that hasn't taken effect yet, nor been around long enough to make a fair evaluation of its impact. If that was the case, we would probably still have jump balls after every made basket and be shooting at peach baskets. Physical play will always be a factor in any sport where two teams share the same court or field, but I would hate to see basketball morph into something like is seen in NBA games where the physical play takes away from the athleticism that is so inherent in the sport. Just my opinion.
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Posted by: Ted 2A fan on January 15, 2008 6:57PM EST
I agree with Kevin that basketball needs to show the athleticism and not the Shag ball. I have always thought the way the Chiefs play the game is how it is ment to be played. Speed and athleticism is what the game should showcase. The players are not dressed for very physical play. My son was a 2 time allstate football player in 2A, he blew his knee out , tore his shoulder up and broke his knee cap in half all in basketball and was never hurt in football. all 3 of those needed surgery. I can't watch a pro game anymore because of the one on one and pysical play. The last best basketball was played by Magic Joghnson and the Lakers. As for the refs where do you start calling fouls and where do you stop. Football and wrestling can be your physical sports.
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Posted by: JA on January 15, 2008 7:23PM EST
I attended a game this weekend with a 3 man crew and they all looked lost. Very late whistles, one or two refs trying to take over the game, and at one time neither of them could remember if the shot was good or not on a shooting foul and who it was on... Wasted close to 5 minutes trying to iron everything out... To me there was just too much hesitation in all three officials.... I would like to see them use them in all tournaments and shootouts so not so good crews could watch good crews work and perhaps not use them in playoff b-ball untill 09-10...
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Posted by: Eaglesfan on January 16, 2008 11:59AM EST
The coaches and fans love the physical play as long as they are the physical ones. How many times do you see coaches and fans screaming "get them off", "get the hands off" or "he's getting bumped every time he shot's". Officials will let them play, but everybody has to remember that it's ok if it happens to them. As far as the 3-man goes, schools don't want to pay for 3-man. Officials shouldn't be expected to take a pay cut, matters fact they deserve a pay raise. $55 is not worth it for a varsity game. If people want the officials to get better they just need to grab a whistle and head for the closest gym.
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Posted by: Sandman on January 16, 2008 6:04PM EST
I had an complaint once about an offical's call and went to him sometime after that. I was very polite and tactful about what I said. He proceeded to ask me to try and be an offical and come back with that complaint after an year of officiating. As a coach I took his challenge. It wasn't long after that I saw what he meant. I learned a few things that;
1. It made me a better coach because of the rules you have to know.
2. I had more respect for officals and that you cannot see every thing.
3. I think in order for a coach to become a coach he must officiate the sport in which he chooses to coach for at least one year or a specific number of contests.
I agree with the three officials as long as they are not buddys.
I also think Officials should be evaluated by the state based on tape that has been sent to the state.
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Posted by: HS Sports Fan on January 17, 2008 12:09AM EST
Very good comments Sandman! - Along the lines of evaluating officials. I may be wrong, but I have heard that coaches vote for the officials who are assigned to the post season. No wonder we see coaches talking to the refs constantly throughout the game and they aren't asked to sit down and shut up. To do that would be taking a post season vote away from you. There are a few coaches that don't lower themselves to trying to influence each and every call an offical makes. They let their team do the work. That's not to say that they don't complain or plead their case with an official, it just isn't constant. The worst in my mind is the former Lander Valley coaches. They had a coach in the ear of an official at every break in the action. It was sickening to watch!
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Posted by: Nick on January 17, 2008 3:38AM EST
Well It is true that the coaches 'vote' for post season officials but I don't the coaches vote counts for much. Nor do I beleive the evaluations that are used now count for much. I think it is based on experience and who knows who.
As for officials talking to coaches. I find it very distracting when an official has his whistle out of his mount and is talking to a coach every other play.
And as any official will tell you YOU can NOT see everything. If you do your job correctly you shouldn't miss much, but it would be impossible to watch every player all the time.
I do agree that a coach/fan/player can influence what an officials sees/watches. If a coach yells watch 3-seconds, naturally the official is going to watch the lane for 3-seconds, whether he calls it or not is a different story...
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Posted by: JA on January 17, 2008 11:26AM EST
I have a hard time watching the Torrington mens coach. Sure he is passionate about what he is doing, but the dude is over the top. I saw a game within the last few weeks where there wasn't a trip down court that he wasn't whining about some sort of a call or no call.
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Posted by: fishmaster on January 22, 2008 4:59PM EST
what about the Torr. girls' coach Joshboy???
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Posted by: JA on January 23, 2008 12:09AM EST
HAHA!!! All I gotta say about that is, thank God I don't have to watch him until Regionals/State. It will be an agonizing 4 years once the little sis gets into High School......But in the mean time, Keep On Winning!!!
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