It Helps Knowing The Rules

Last night I watch the segment on the between the games show right after Arizona beat Texas and I think it was on TNT but the way the games have been going on it is hard to keep up with which network I was watching.

The experts spent the entire time talking about the five second call which was called on Texas as they were trying to inbound the ball and win the game. Arizona’s defense did a great job and forced the in bounder to call time out. The 100 replays in which TNT ran it is clear the referee only counted to four and the Texas player turned to the ref and asked for time. The rule book says a player can not be granted a time out once the ref has counted to four.

If you are going to commentate on the games I think it would be very helpful to know the rules. Kenny Smith was the one who made the most pointed objection to the ref clearly counting to four and that Texas was robbed. The one person in that group who should have known the rule was Louisville coach Rick Pitino but he too was upset with the call. If the coach does not know the rules how can you teach your players how to play the game properly?

Knowing the rules is a good idea when ever fans open their big mouth to argue calls. The last couple of seasons there has been a Hunt fan probably a parent who hollers three seconds all night long. I have heard him screaming three seconds even before the ball is across mid court. The three second count does not start until the ball crosses mid court and any time the player in the lane receives the ball a new three second count starts. Once the ball is shot and players are rebounding the ball a new three seconds is given on each tip or rebound of a ball.

Probably the most misunderstood call in basketball is the back court call. There are many times in each game where the ball might appear to be across mid court but is passed back again across the mid court line. The rule states that the ball and both feet of the player with the ball must touch the floor in order for a back court to be called. The both feet part of the rule get most fans when they start screaming back court.

I even found out in the Big East tournament this year of a rule that as an announcer I get on players about all the time. Traveling while trying to inbound the ball, I was taught when I played during the ancient days of the 60’s that if you were the in bounder that your pivot foot could not move.

I am not talking about under the basket after a made basket but when the ref says you much hold you position. During the Big East tournament to me there was a clear traveling on an out of bounds play in which one of the coaches asked the refs at the next time out and the ref told the coach an I was close enough to hear him say this “there is a three foot box in which a player can move any where with in that box’. That night I went home and looked it up and sure enough he was right. Shut my mouth next time.

How about that ACC. Three teams in the Sweet 16 and all four teams that made the tournament have won at least one win. 7-1 record while the Big East who sent 11 are down to two. I understand that two Big East teams lost to each other Sunday but that’s seven losses in the first two games played to other teams..

Florida State was simple to fast for Notre Dame. If either Duke or Carolina lose next weekend it will be for Duke because of the missed three point shots and for Carolina there lack of pressure on the ball.

How bout Richmond Virginia. Two teams left University of Richmond and VCU. Both the last of the Cinderellas. I think Wolfpack fans should follow both of these teams closely. The next Wolfpack coach might just come from one of them.