B-ball Annoyances

[Vonz90]

So, my sons' middle school B-ball team makes it to the state (Lutheran school) tournament, helped by the fact that we are located in one of the weaker regions of the state. Normally they both are starters, but the younger one just had surgery, so he is effectively just a spectator in uniform. Still, it is a good chance to go out of town and play some b-ball / have some fun even if we have no illusions that the boys are going to win the thing.

It would be a lot more fun though if I wasn't reminded of something that absolutely drives me crazy watching basketball at this level, which is the way most of them are refereed. The first thing is that refs seem to pick out who they think is the stronger team early in a game and thereafter that team has to just about mug someone to get a foul called on them. I have seen it go for us when we have played weaker teams and I have seen it (like last night) go against us when we played stronger teams. I just don't understand it though. Call it straight up and let the chips fall where they may. Both teams were from out of town and the refs were local, so I don't think any intentional bias was involved, but there is some sort of psychological thing going on with refs because I see it a lot, even when I am watching games for which I have no personal interest.

The other thing that gets my goat is the over the back fouls. Or I should say the over the back non-fouls because they just don't call it My older son is a post player (he is 14 and about 6'1”) the other team had two players who were about his height or slightly taller so he had his hands full, but he did a great job blocking out and hitting the boards. There were a bunch of times though when he (and the other post player for our team) would do a great job of blocking out and then not be able to get the rebound because they were just about giving a guy a piggy back ride. I think we have only had one or two referee teams all season who would call that foul correctly/consistently. It particularly bugs me because I work on technique with my son, see him go out and do it right, but have it not make a difference. I guess I should teach him to crawl over the other guys backs, but I am afraid that will hurt him when/if he plays HS ball.

Oh well, it is not likely that they would have won even if the game was called correctly, but it still gets my goat.

[Timo]

That was my big beef about Michael Jordan. I'll bet 20% of his points were referee aided.

[Rod]

I quit paying attention to basketball when they decided players didn't need to dribble every step of the way and they added the three point line. When a guy can take three strides, one bounce, and shoot, it's not a game any more.

[cu74]

I take this time of the year as a brief pause between Football season and Baseball season - I stopped paying attention to basketball in 1961.......

[Vonz90]

You guys need to stop trying to watch the NBA and try watching a good HS game (or as in the case of my kids / middle school game). No thugs and while I complain about the refs, they do call traveling quite regularly (if not as consistently as I would like to see). Even most college games for that matter.

The game today was an absolute blow out and they boys lost by 25. Facing a team with excellent defensive guard play and a pressure defense. My younger son (out with an injury as above) is normally the starting point guard and they really missed him, the kids taking over point duty had a lot of trouble handling the ball and making good passes in traffic. Older son played well in the post but the game was decided in the back court.

Oh well, it was actually a very well refereed game for the most part, I have no complaints there. None anywhere else either, they played a better team and lost, it happens. A good bunch of kids on both teams though.

[workinwifdakids]

In my experience, basketball isn't a sport - it's cheating and chickenshit fouls loosely gathered around a ball. If people were forced to play ball without intentionally fouling other players, the country would run out of players inside a week.

[rightisright]

I used to love watching basketball (back when it was a team sport) but I gave up on the NBA years ago. When Dr J was permitted to take three steps without dribbling, things started to go downhill.

There are some great athletes there but the "me me me" and thug attitudes have taken over and the rules are no longer enforced. Hell, Shaq may as well set up a tent and order Chinese while he camps out in the lane. It's become nothing but glorified street ball.

NCAA ball is better. But the loosening of rules (especially "traveling" and "lane violations") is starting to creep in there, too.

My dad was an IAABO referee for years. He can't stomach the NBA at all anymore.

[George guy]

I always wonder if it would make for good TV to have a sports league composed entirely of people grabbed off the street at random for each team, disqualifying players with any pro, college, or HS varsity experience, with nothing but a 1 month training session before the games.