College Basketball "is brutal to watch right now"

[dslyank]

For those of you who still get the tu sports, an interesting article on page 2--commentary from Paul Newberry (AP--Atlanta).

 

Briefly, he is saying college BB scoring his way down and games are brutal to watch. He blames the physicality of the current game. He sites officiating, coaching and mostly LACK of universal oversight of leagues by the NCAA.

 

I have been saying for a number of years one of the reasons UA has "not been competitive" against the elite of the AmEast (as many of you claim). is UA recruits basketball players and athletes, while much of the league just goes after brutes or at least coaches a type of physical play that compensates for lack of 'skills". Now I am NOT saying that I am right and Newberry is right (basketball today is brutal), but just throwing it out there for anyone interested in reading the article.

[UAalum72]

http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/College-basketball-is-brutal-to-watch-right-now-4283774.php

[UA_MA_2000]

I agree with the article. I think the game has changed. Although I played basketball in the Suburban Council, in college, and then locally in some leagues a couple years ago, I quit playing the sport competitively because of the overly aggressive play (and because I prefer distance running).

 

For example, defense was once played by moving your feet and staying with your (wo)man. Now defenders are lazy and use hand and body checking. It's lazy (but perhaps now necessary) defense IMHO.

 

Basketball was once a "non-contact" sport and it no longer is.

Edited February 16, 2013 by UA_MA_2000

[Oldtimer]

Read the article before the game and agree entirely. If they called the game like they did when I played at Albany 50 years ago there wouldn't be any players left to play on either team. Hooley is flattened with a ref within 8 feet and it is a no call???

[Eli]

No offense to you guys who played ball...but PEOPLE are different today. Meaning, back in the time when you guys played...guys were smaller (not shorter - smaller). Guys are JACKED now. And they keep getting bigger in order to beat off the next guy who's just as big or bigger. Based on the videos and images I've seen of the game in the 70's and 80's (not sure when you guys played - but I'm guessing you weren't the 90's or 2000's)...guys were tiny back then compared to today.

 

This is why I hate it when NBA fans talk like Russell or Wilt are the greatest centers ever. Those guys would be like Dwight Howard in today's NBA. The game was not as physical back then. Shaq/Ewing/Hakeem, etc. would have ate them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

 

Sorry for the NBA tangent, just using it to show my point. Same thing in NFL. Guys are bigger, faster, stronger. It's the evolution of the game. No better example than Lebron. If Lebron did Back to the Future and played in the 70's, the size he is today, he'd average 50/20/10. He's already unstoppable, he would be God on the court in that era.

 

I admit I'm a much bigger NBA fan than college/UA fan.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Ilko

[dslyank]

IIko, It seems to me, if guys are bigger/stronger and more jacked today [and I agree they are]; it would be less and NOT more likely that fouling and physicality would need be apparent. They should be more able to use their athleticism to compete. A stronger athlete should be able to jump and leap to block a shot cleanly without hammering the opponent. A faster stronger guard should be able to defend with speed, footwork and agility; NOT WITH HANDS AND HIPS. An offensive player, should be able to use his strength/speed/quickness/leaping to pull up for a jump shot rather than barreling through 2 or 3 guys to get to the rim. The stronger players of today, should be able to leap and out jump opponents for rebounds, not just box out and let some guard snake through and hack the ball away.

It is really only my opinion: but I never watch the nba anymore, because if I wanted to watch football, I would watch the nfl. I hate to see the college game become rugby, and that is what is happening {in my opinion--no offense intended}

Edited February 19, 2013 by dslyank