Common sense rule changes? (Angels singing)
Posted: Friday, May 08, 2009 12:44 AM
Filed Under:
New rules
Every now and then, the NCAA tries to fix a dumb rule. Thursday was one of those times.
Thankfully. This was a win for common sense.
(Ray of light shines from heaven. Cue chorus of angels singing.)
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Thank the hoop gods
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Sure, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel has to approve the changes, but it should just be a formality. Starting next season, two inane rules will be history.
One rule pertains to substituting a free-throw shooter who has been injured (astute fans recognize that Missouri coach Mike Anderson utilized that rule perfectly in the Tigers’ second-round NCAA tournament win vs. Marquette).
I’m not ripping Anderson, who did what any smart coach should do. But replacing an injured player with one who can make free throws? This isn’t baseball. No pinch hitting!
But the more important change was to what Rush the Court calls the Battier Rule.
The rules committee recommended to prohibit a secondary defender from establishing position under the basket in an attempt to draw a an offensive foul (specifically, the area from the front of the rim to the front of the backboard).
Translation? No more cheap fouls!
It’s a slight change, but an important one. And one that was looooooong overdue.
Why? For that, I turn to Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News, who’s been waiting for this change for about 20 years.
Wow. That was like 15 Star Trek movies ago.
