I don't Recognize the Game of Basketball Anymore

[BamaMoon]

I'm 54. Played in HS and NAIA college level. And I don't recognize this game anymore.

It's football on hardwood. Players go down in what would be good tackles and they don't even call it a foul half the time.

 

[Coach D]

I don’t understand why they pretty much removed the carry call. Shouldn’t they not make the game easier by letting you do that? They moved the 3pt line back but now you can just walk with the ball and charge at will.

 

[JDCrimson]

Yes and now you can build a campfire in the lane too...

I don’t understand why they pretty much removed the carry call. Shouldn’t they not make the game easier by letting you do that? They moved the 3pt line back but now you can just walk with the ball and charge at will.

 

[Tide Rev]

It certainly is not the game I learned to play and then later coach. I probably would have multiple T’s if I was still coaching.

 

[Bpilktree]

They need to move the 3 point line back so it opens the floor a bit more. They should also widen the court some to help with that. The line is so close and guys are so long that they can all stand in the lane clogging it up and still are big enough and long enough that they can get out on the 3 ball like Nelson did on a few blocks. The game has evolved mainly because the size of the players and ability to shoot outside but we haven’t done anything to fix the game.

 

[Bpilktree]

I'm 54. Played in HS and NAIA college level. And I don't recognize this game anymore.

It's football on hardwood. Players go down in what would be good tackles and they don't even call it a foul half the time.

The players are bigger and stronger. I played in the 90s at a large high school highest classification and Division 2 college and am 6”6. I faced maybe 3-4 guys that were bigger than me. I now coach at mid size high school and every school has 3-4 guys my size or bigger and usually 1 guy 6”9 or so in high school even guards are 6”2 in high school. The biggest difference is the size and athleticism of the players everyone is 6”4–6”10

 

[BAMAVILLE]

 

[BamaMoon]

I don’t understand why they pretty much removed the carry call. Shouldn’t they not make the game easier by letting you do that? They moved the 3pt line back but now you can just walk with the ball and charge at will.

I think this is part of the problem. The guards who drive to the basket turn into running backs carrying the ball and the bigs down low are allowed to basically tackle at will. And then fouls aren't called consistently.

Also, offensive charging has got to be added back because without the possibility of it being called more often, these type of bull drives will continue.

 

[BamaMoon]

I think the other thing that has changed is the size and build of guards. There have always been "bigs" in basketball, but the guards/ball handlers are more bulky and often are often the same size as the tallest man on the court.

 

[Tideflyer]

The players are bigger and stronger. I played in the 90s at a large high school highest classification and Division 2 college and am 6”6. I faced maybe 3-4 guys that were bigger than me. I now coach at mid size high school and every school has 3-4 guys my size or bigger and usually 1 guy 6”9 or so in high school even guards are 6”2 in high school. The biggest difference is the size and athleticism of the players everyone is 6”4–6”10

Played in the 60`s in HS. 6`4" was an absolute freak. And we never played against a team with a black player, that I know of. I`m not ABSOLUTELY certain of that because Pensacola Catholic had a couple of guys who were dusky hued. Could have just been hold over tans from the summer though.

 

[AirGuardUA]

I'm 54. Played in HS and NAIA college level. And I don't recognize this game anymore.

It's football on hardwood. Players go down in what would be good tackles and they don't even call it a foul half the time.

Unless you're playing in an Alabama uniform against Grand Canyon. They'll call everything then.

 

[Padreruf]

Consistency in officiating has always been an issue. With bigger, faster players it is even more so. Officials struggle to keep up with the pace...

We once said that basketball was a contact sport and football a collision sport...I think basketball is now that as well.

BTW, this toughness started @ Arkansas with their "40 minutes of hell" defense. Has just gone upward from there...

A good win on a tough shooting night...Sweet 16 is not what I thought this team would be...too much playground ball for me.

 

[Bama9001]

I felt like the game lurched in the wrong direction to accommodate Shaquille O'Neil. He was quite the draw at LSU and the conference decided that they were going to find ways to keep the big, clumsy oaf on the court. By normal standards he would have fouled out of every game in the 1st half. Allowing truly excessive contact started then and has grown continually worse, leading us to the travesty we witnessed last night.

How many guys playing today could stay on the court if facing 1980 rules? My guess is that basketball would look entirely different. All of these big clumsy guys would be playing football most likely.

Edit: I attribute the SEC's slow start in the tourney to be, at least partially, due to the teams not being ready to play basketball without rules. Seriously, who could have guessed it would look like that?

 

[TideEngineer08]

I'm 6'1" and in day to day life, rarely meet anyone who just towers over me. I feel like a "tall" person, usually.

It's crazy to think almost everyone on a basketball court would tower over me.

 

[dtgreg]

I'm 6'1" and in day to day life, rarely meet anyone who just towers over me. I feel like a "tall" person, usually.

It's crazy to think almost everyone on a basketball court would tower over me.

You don't hang out with young people. Go to a nightclub or bar that averages 21-35 years of age and report back.

 

[Tide&True]

It amazes me the beating Sears takes every game. I’m literally in awe of him. The game is so much more physical these days…not for the faint of heart.

 

[TideEngineer08]

You don't hang out with young people. Go to a nightclub or bar that averages 21-35 years of age and report back.

Exactly. Why would I do that?

But seriously, yes. Genetics are changing. I blame the chemically infused food sources in this country.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Yes and now you can build a campfire in the lane too...

Watch the Purdue game. I think Lurch is in the lane for the entire shot clock sometimes

 

[dayhiker]

I can't really decide if the game is that different. I vividly remember late 80's NBA playoff games. What I don't recall is if the college game was similar at the time.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Consistency in officiating has always been an issue. With bigger, faster players it is even more so. Officials struggle to keep up with the pace...

We once said that basketball was a contact sport and football a collision sport...I think basketball is now that as well.

BTW, this toughness started @ Arkansas with their "40 minutes of hell" defense. Has just gone upward from there...

A good win on a tough shooting night...Sweet 16 is not what I thought this team would be...too much playground ball for me.

Alabama is-playground ball?

This is a very intricate refined offense. It’s beautiful to watch. Last night we were playing orcs and trolls. Hard to look good against that stuff