There have been a rash of flagrant fouls and flying elbows this season, which have caused alarm among NCAA and conference officials. Those elbows, and a notable face stomping, however, are part of the bigger issue of how physical the game has become, particularly in heated conference games.
And those elbows are beginning to be viewed as the poster child of a larger issue. Don Shea, a regional supervisor of NCAA basketball officials until he retired in 2008, thinks the game has simply become more bruising.
"The college game," Shea says, "has become rougher than the pro game."
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HARD foul he sits out rest of game, flagrant foul, he leaves for 3 games, going after an opponent fighting, both involved, 5 games. They are kids wanting to be hard nose thugs. THUGS need diciplined.
Agree with your recommendation.
Additionally recommend revisiting goal height and perhaps court size. Otherwise see dismal future for this game, ruled strictly by physical size and weight instead of athletic ability and skill.
Start with fines of $10,000.00 per flagrant foul that the University has to pay. Sitting a player out a game really won't do anything. The player may be penalized, but SOMEONE-namely the coach- is in charge of the player and a coach is definitely going to control his players if the pocketbook of his Master(the University) is effected. If players are flagrantly fouling, it is because coaches are encouraging rough play, or at the very least NOT discouraging it. Colleges make huge money off these players, and ultimately, the colleges are in control of HOW the game is played. The tendency toward a more physical game has likely occurred because it brings in more television coverage. Let us not wait until someone is killed or seriously hurt before we reign this in.
Then give them the equivalent of an F in all subjects that week. They are academically ineligible...that way the school, coach and player all are faced with the responsibility of their actions.
Basketball is a rough game - suck it up and deal with it- dont turn it into some panzy dance contest - let them hit each other - let them play the game. Dont turn basketball into another weak sport- like baseball or golf. Let there be contact - its what makes the game fun.
Refs need to grow a pair of balls. Regardless of sport and what ego-centric players or owners/coaches or "sponsors" may be, if a player crosses a line of safety or sportmanship/integrity, throw the book at this cocky kids with bad grades.
Once you, as a ref (again, regardless of sport) set the precedent as to how you will make a call/what you will tolerate, players fall in line pretty darn quick, as they know what they can get away with, and what ultimately will cost their team points, advantage or momentum, etc.
The college game is played by athletes who either know they will never be professional or beleive they can/should be some day. Those who harbour professional interests beleive in the need to insure they are recognized for their committment to winning. At what cost doesn't really matter to them so long as the media and television camera are in their face at the end of the game.
SImple truth - get recognized, get professional money and a life style youth only dream of. The problem is that few programs seem committed to teaching professionalism in the game. Dress, hair styles, tattoos, and every imaginable method of personal expression is indulged, yet few lessons seem enforced to teach the trade of professional sports.
Rule changes don't teach professionalism, mentors do. There are few storied programs being led by true mentors, people who commit themselves to their word, not their opportunity. This is what is currently affecting college sports, more than the violence which is being "noticed."
Hey genius, remember-they changed the rules so that ALL players have to attend college for a year BEFORE going pro. This was done to make SURE that colleges didn't lose their T.V. big name stars to the NBA before they made a few million in advertising dollars off of them.
To the person who said "suck it up" there is a good chance they never played the game except in gym class. The game is physical but not to the extent of players being hurt and missing a game or two. The rules are in place to call a game and still have the teams put on a good show. The announcers need to shut up about "They did not mean to do that" how in h ll do they know what the player has been told to do or if the player doing the hitting really cares if they hurt some. You get that look of what did I do from the person doing the hitting. They have been doing this for so long they do not know or care what happens. By the way I did play college ball, it was rough but when we were told to stop we did so, because if we did not stop we would be out of the game.
Game is deteriorating from how it was intended to be played. Offset the increased size, speed, and athleticism of today's players at the college level by widening the lane, raising the goals a foot to 18 inches. Force those who play to learn to shoot, use dribble, passing, and defensive skills. We've let the game gravitate to a boring isolation game, with dunking a small ball into a hole twice as big as the best shot in basketball. Basketball it's not. Reward skill, not just size.
Remember that not so many years ago, a group of college basketball players consistently won gold medals at the Olympics. Now our pros struggle. If you watch the skill level of many of the teams we compete with in Europe for example, the lack of skills of many of our teams are truly visable. It is truly unfortunate for basketball can be such a beautiful game of skilled players when it is played that way; we seem to prefer 5 man football on the court which is, for me, unfortunate
The NCAA is to blame for ruining the game by allowing football type rough plays to happen in college basketball both men and women!!!!! The NCAA sets the tone for the worthless officials!!!!!! You can't blame the coaches for the rough play when the crappy officials and worthless NCAA is standing by and doing nothing to put an end to it!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is filtering down to high school play now too. My son played in a game last night and there were two players in the game for the opposing team that NEVER touched the ball- they just beat people up under the basket. Their signature move was to get the shooter in a headlock when he was in the air shooting the ball. Their coach was encouraging this kind of play and the officials DID NOT call any fouls. This is almost criminally negligent. This kind of play could kill someone.
It has filtered down to high school. Had a girl on my team receive an elbow in the stomach area off ball and took her wind right out of her. None of the 3 refs saw it .
There is a a lack of consistency throughout the country. I think it's about time that they put an end to officiating by conference officials and provide national standards by having all officials come under the training, standards and supervision of the NCAA. I'm a fan of Big East hoops, I don't think there is a more physical conference in the US. I'd rather see the physicality, but if we have to sacrifice it, at least have the standards be level nationwide!
Start with the basics....start calling traveling, three-seconds and palming the ball....ever since Ed Cota at UNC was allowed by ACC officials to "legally" palm the basketball, in the 1990's, the rules have gradually slackened until we are at the sorry state we are now.
Call the basics, enforce fouls under the basket...it may take a season of a march to the free throw line, but eventually, they'll get it...
Basketbrawl; some have ruined the sport, instead of enhanced it. Double dribbling, palming the ball, traveling; good God, what a freaking cartoon fest. Basketbrawl is supposed to be a non-contact sport and with their entitlement issues, those that play the game have ruined it for everyone else. The game is painful to watch and hardly a 'sport'. It has become a circus act on a hard wood floor. Rules? These dudes never heard of rules.
I watch a lot of games and quite honestly don't know what people are talking about in regards to the roughness. It's no worse than when I was growing up. In the ACC the refs over-call contact and ACC teams get penalized outside the conference because they are not used to being allowed to play. The sport is just over analyzed with all the talking heads on TV and all the writers who need something to write about.