The Lost Art

Now that I have had time to digest that awful refereed national championship game in which I don't think either team got hosed by the refs other than it is hard for a player to find the flow of a game which is being stopped every trip down the court by a whistle. Seemed the whistles were blowing when there were no fouls but did not blow when they were.

There has been no change in the rules any greater than the three point basket being instituted into the game of basketball.  It has given the little guy a bigger say in where the points come from.  When I think back as to why the whistles blew so much Monday night think with me.  Two thirds of all fouls occurred on offensive players driving to the basket.  Most of the time it was like they were plowing through a bank of snow to get to the basket.

What has this three point basket done to the sport.  No longer can anyone pass the ball.  I hate to watch a game and the big men underneath are working hard to establish position underneath.  They have and arm outstretched asking for the ball.  They have the defender sealed off I am open give me the ball and the point guard stands thirty feet away dribbling the ball with no idea how to get the big man the ball.  He is open but the passer can't throw the ball inside to a wide open offensive guy.

So now that the ball can't get inside the only thing to do is for the guards to drive many times one against five.  The defender has every right to hold his ground and when the guard who can't pass a lick gets into that congested area he fumbles the ball but fouls are being called  against the defense.  How many calls Monday night did plays like  this happen.  There was one in which Berry was called for a foul where the Zag guard bobbled the ball took five steps and Berry was backing up the entire lane and was called for a foul when contact did not occur until he had already walked five steps and they called the foul on Berry.  Did you see a charge called all night?

Basketball was meant to be played with no contact.  Perform a play the way it was designed.  A bounce pass inside  to an open big men.  In a game where the refs are calling fouls before the play ever occurs they always call it on the defense.

Former Rocky Mount High football coach John Hammett has been named the new football coach at Northern Durham.  I haven't seen next year's football schedule yet but I think I have heard the Gryphons have Northern on the schedule next season.  Hammett coached at Rocky Mount from 1999-2002.

Back to the Big East Grind tonight.  Baseball

Northern Nash 0-5 @ Hunt 5-0
Rocky Mount 4-1 @ Nash Central 2-3
Southern Nash 2/3 @ Fike 2-3

Softball:

Southern Nash 4-1 @ Fike 3-2
Northern Nash 2-3 @ Hunt 5-0
Rocky Mount 0-5 @ Nash Central 1-4