AlaskanAssassin
Well-Known Member
In watching the NBA finals last night, and watching Durant have to sit due to foul trouble, it got me thinking of ways to eliminate the 6-foul (or 5 for HS and college) and you're out rule in basketball. Watching Euro 2012 also attributed to this idea. Before I reveal how this drastic change would be implemented, let me give some background:
1- I hate excessive time spent at the free throw line.
2- Forcing a coach to remove a great player in favor of a lesser one is counterproductive in trying to provide the best entertainment possible.
3- I hate the concept of fouling someone to avoid the "easy basket", and making them "earn" it at the FT line. (Have they not earned it already by getting to the rim?)
4- The game of basketball was never meant to be as physical as it is played today. It was an off-season sport for Football players to stay in shape. It's a game of finesse and skill, not brute force.
5- Intentional fouls happen far more frequently than they are called in the NBA, it's just difficult for refs to determine intent. In fact, I would argue that a large percentage of fouls are at least partially intentional, where the player knows they are making a play that is likely to be deemed a foul play, only hoping for a non-call.
I am proposing the addition of yellow (caution) cards and red (suspension) cards. Yellow cards would be used for fouls that are overly physical in nature and/or intentional by the player committing the foul. Red cards would be used in the event of obviously intentional or malicious play. These may be plays where the foulee (just made up that word) is put in danger.
Yellow cards would be issued any time a defending player has little to no chance of impeding the offensive player and a foul is still called. (This again goes back to intent. If they have no chance of stopping the scorer, why should they be committing a foul?)
Normal personal fouls would continue, but a portion of these fouls under the new rules would be considered Yellow-Card fouls.
One red card or two yellow cards would result in an ejection (and possible suspension) from the game. With this we would eliminate the 6-fouls and you're out rule.
I know there is a lot in there that would be subjective for referees, but no more subjective than what we use today.
Finally, I would propose that all free throws awarded would be shot at the end of the quarter in which they happen, except for the 4th quarter where they would be shot immediately following the foul play. This would help limit the constant trips to the free throw line.
Can you imagine Tim Duncan being hit with a Red Card? Sound good to me!
1- I hate excessive time spent at the free throw line.
2- Forcing a coach to remove a great player in favor of a lesser one is counterproductive in trying to provide the best entertainment possible.
3- I hate the concept of fouling someone to avoid the "easy basket", and making them "earn" it at the FT line. (Have they not earned it already by getting to the rim?)
4- The game of basketball was never meant to be as physical as it is played today. It was an off-season sport for Football players to stay in shape. It's a game of finesse and skill, not brute force.
5- Intentional fouls happen far more frequently than they are called in the NBA, it's just difficult for refs to determine intent. In fact, I would argue that a large percentage of fouls are at least partially intentional, where the player knows they are making a play that is likely to be deemed a foul play, only hoping for a non-call.
I am proposing the addition of yellow (caution) cards and red (suspension) cards. Yellow cards would be used for fouls that are overly physical in nature and/or intentional by the player committing the foul. Red cards would be used in the event of obviously intentional or malicious play. These may be plays where the foulee (just made up that word) is put in danger.
Yellow cards would be issued any time a defending player has little to no chance of impeding the offensive player and a foul is still called. (This again goes back to intent. If they have no chance of stopping the scorer, why should they be committing a foul?)
Normal personal fouls would continue, but a portion of these fouls under the new rules would be considered Yellow-Card fouls.
One red card or two yellow cards would result in an ejection (and possible suspension) from the game. With this we would eliminate the 6-fouls and you're out rule.
I know there is a lot in there that would be subjective for referees, but no more subjective than what we use today.
Finally, I would propose that all free throws awarded would be shot at the end of the quarter in which they happen, except for the 4th quarter where they would be shot immediately following the foul play. This would help limit the constant trips to the free throw line.
Can you imagine Tim Duncan being hit with a Red Card? Sound good to me!
