What do you call it when the first and second place teams face off in a game to determine who the champion of their conference will be? I call it a championship game, and that is precisely the setting for Saturday’s matchup between the #15 Iowa Hawkeyes and the #10 Ohio State Buckeyes!
The Big Ten often takes some heat for not having a formalized “championship” game (even by many of the writers on this site). Hopefully, this de facto championship matchup will help to quiet some of those naysayers, because the word “championship” does not have to be present in the title of a game for it to have a championship feel (and outcome). Simply put, this will by far be the BEST game to watch this weekend, because it will decide a BCS invitation.
Ohio State and Iowa both sit atop the Big Ten standings with conference records of 5-1. That means that the winner of Saturday’s game in Columbus will be in sole possession of first place in the Big Ten with only one more game remaining on the season. That GUARANTEES the winner at least a share of the Big Ten Conference crown for the 2009 season. Since both Ohio State and Iowa close the season against relatively weak opponents (Michigan and Minnesota, respectively), though, the likelihood is that the winner of this matchup will finish the season as sole champions of the conference. In addition to guaranteeing at least a share of the Big Ten title, though, the winner also gets to punch their ticket to the BCS. Thanks to the elaborate tiebreaker system in place in the Big Ten, the winner of this game will be guaranteed an invitation to “The Granddaddy of Them All”, the 2010 Rose Bowl game.
When you consider the paths taken for each team to reach this point in the season, you find two VERY different stories.
Ohio State was expected to be in contention for the Big Ten Championship, although the preseason projections were that they would be competing with Penn State for the title, as opposed to Iowa. While the Buckeye offense may have been the subject of much scrutiny and criticism this season, Ohio State’s defense has played quite impressively this year. Even in their losses to Purdue and USC, the defense for Ohio State has played remarkably well. Three of their eight victories this season have been by shutout, and they have won their last three games by a combined score of 107-14.
The Buckeyes did need a little help to get themselves into this situation, however. The loss to Purdue back in October had cost Ohio State their lead in the Big Ten, and if not for a very surprising Iowa loss at the hands of Northwestern last week, the Buckeyes would not be playing for the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
As for the Iowa Hawkeyes, the 2009 season has been full of drama and excitement. The Hawkeyes started their season off by needing not one, but TWO blocked field goals at the end of the game just to save the game against Northern Iowa. The close calls didn’t stop there, though. Iowa has trailed at some point in every single game they have played this season. Despite playing from behind, though, they managed to pull off a major upset victory over Penn State, who at the time was ranked as the fifth best team in the country. They also went on to win several other nail-biters, including games against Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Michigan State. As a result of those wins, Iowa had managed to climb the national rankings all the way up to the number four spot before finally losing to Northwestern last weekend. With that loss to Northwestern, Iowa had lost any hopes of competing for the National Championship game, but they remain in complete control of their Rose Bowl dreams.
During the game against Northwestern, Iowa suffered a second, very damaging loss when junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi injured his ankle. The injury, which was severe enough to require surgery, will prevent Stanzi from playing against Ohio State this weekend. Without Stanzi under center, Iowa will be forced to start redshirt freshman James Vandenberg on Saturday, which means the Hawkeyes will likely have a much more difficult time in scoring points against the vaunted Ohio State defense.
The setback of losing Stanzi is nothing new for the Hawkeyes, though, who have been used to playing under high-pressure and dire circumstances all season long. If anyone is used to playing with their backs against a wall, it is the Iowa Hawkeyes. For their part, Ohio State has shown vulnerability even in games they should have had well in hand, and so nothing should be taken for granted by either team coming into Saturday’s game.
When you consider everything at stake for this game – A guarantee to be at least co-champions in the Big Ten Conference, with the an automatic BCS Rose Bowl invitation for the winner – the formula adds up to a championship game with a championship atmosphere!
Read the arguments from Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer about which game they believe is the best of this weekend.
It appears there is an attempt to change the guard in the Mountain West Conference. A conference dominated for so many years by the impressive Utah Utes program, complete with an undefeated run and unfair BCS treatment last season, is now being challenged by fellow strong MWC program TCU.
TCU is not just another non-BCS school spoiling the party. TCU is a legitimately talented team complete with plenty of professional prospects. But, this matchup is the weekends best for many more reasons than the obvious “check out the pro prospects.”
Utah is in the unfamiliar role of the spoiler. What makes this game so compelling, however, is that the teams matchup extremely well on the field.
Utah boasts a balanced offense which is ranked third in the conference. Balance, if not sexy certainly is effective. Effective, in fact, is an excellent word to describe Utah’s team this season. Utah has converted an effective 42 percent on third down. Utah has been effective in controlling the ball, keeping it for nearly 32 minutes per game. Utah’s 411 plus yards per game on offense is excellent – even effective – though it does not lead the conference or factor nationally.
TCU features an exceptional duel threat running attack this season with Joseph Turner and Edward Wesley. Turner has amassed 560 yards on the ground while Wesley accounts for 461 nine games into the 2009 season. The two have 12 touchdowns on the ground between them. The running attack is also balance with outstanding quarterback Anthony Dalton. Dalton has thrown 16 touchdowns in 2009 against just three interceptions while completing nearly 64 percent of his passes. Dalton has also completed passes to 13 different receivers, with eight of those receivers having caught touchdowns.
What is the point of providing a quick offensive breakdown of the Horned Frogs? The Horned Frogs are known as one of the strongest defensive teams in the NCAA year after year. In fact, TCU ranks fifth nationally in points allowed per game and ranks third nationally in yards allowed per game in 2009. This is the first season where it appears as though TCU has put an entire team together, with a balanced and effective offensive attack complementing the always strong defense. TCU is a legitimate BCS contender.
TCU may have a matchup advantage over Utah in the running game. While TCU has the second best rushing attack in the conference (behind the always interesting veer triple option from Air Force), Utah allows opponents 130 yards per game on the ground. It is a good thing games are not played on paper.
A key factor in TCU’s continued climb that few seem to have noticed nationally is that the Clemson Tigers, a team TCU defeated 14-10 in September, has played well since the loss to TCU. The Tigers have played so well that the team now controls its own destiny in the ACC. Win out, and the Tigers are ACC champions. TCU would love nothing more than a scenario where both schools win out. TCU’s strength of schedule continues to get stronger and stronger. Any slip up by the two leading SEC teams, Florida and Alabama, or a slip up from Texas, locks the Horned Frogs into the BCS title game. And, TCU deserves a shot.
If TCU wins on Saturday, a changing of the guard is complete and TCU will deservedly take its perch atop the conference, and gains deserved notice across the nation. Utah has the opportunity to fight off the challenger and, though the program’s one blemish (a non-conference, seven point loss to Oregon) will prevent a BCS appearance, at least reclaim the MWC crown. Both programs need this win not just for their own good, but for the good of the conference. Two teams with balance on offense and toughness on defense, plus plenty of conference and national title implications, will meet in the best game of THIS weekend.
Read the arguments from Bleacher Fan and Sports Geek about which games they believe are the best of THIS weekend.
We are over halfway through the NFL regular season, and we are, sadly, closing in on the end of the college football season, too. We just kicked off the season the other day, right? Wow, it always flies by! Nevertheless, we enter this weekend with some interesting NFL matchups. After looking at the schedule, we all know what the best game of the weekend is and I was not about to skip it. The undefeated Indianapolis Colts welcome the New England Patriots to town. Is it just me, or does this game always seem to pop up on the schedule? This is the 14th time these two teams have met (including three times in the playoffs). The Patriots have won eight of 13, but the Colts have four out of the past five. It is without a doubt the best NFL rivalry of this decade.
As always, it is a big game. The Colts come into the game undefeated at 8-0, though they have been tested the past two weeks against the San Francisco 49ers and the Houston Texans. Peyton Manning, once again, is having an MVP caliber season. Through eight games, he has thrown for 2,545 yards and 16 touchdowns. I thought he might have somewhat of a down season, for his standards anyway since he no longer has Marvin Harrison to throw to. Add in the fact that the other starting receiver, Anthony Gonzalez, has not played since week one, and there is a recipe for inconsistency at the wide receiver position. But guys like rookie Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon have picked up the slack, combining for 55 catches and six touchdowns. Head coach Jim Caldwell has done a magnificent job of picking up right where Tony Dungy left off.
Meanwhile, the Patriots are who we thought they were. The Patriots come into this matchup with a 6-2 overall record. New England has had its share of close games, too. Tom Brady, after a slow start, has picked up the pace and thrown for nearly 2,400 yards and 16 touchdowns. The usual suspects are still there at wide receivers with Randy Moss and Wes Welker having solid seasons. Remember when Moss was considered a bad seed? That seems like such a long time ago now! The offense as a whole is third in the league and the defense quietly is the second ranked defense right now.
New England needs this game to send a message to the Colts that they are still a force to be reckoned with in the AFC. It will also keep the Patriots alive in the battle for home field advantage in the AFC, which is very important in January… especially if these two teams are to get together again. Indianapolis needs this game to distance itself overall by three games over the Patriots. The Colts most definitely do not want to go to Foxboro in January, having been there and done that and knowing they do not want to do it again! It is quite a bit warmer at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Overall, I am definitely looking forward to this game. It is a Sunday night NBC matchup so we will all be able to watch it. It should be another classic in a long line of great games in this rivalry.
For a VERY small percentage of the population, college education exists as a means to explore the boundless potential of human intellect. For that group of people, the pursuit of higher learning is motivation enough to continue education for its own sake. For EVERYONE ELSE who goes to college, they do so for one reason – to get a better job!
I went to college to get a degree. However, if I was approached during my junior year and told that the hiring representatives from a particular organization had already seen everything they wanted to see, and were willing to offer me a job which paid significant sums of money, I would have left school and taken the job in an instant. The fact is that attending college can help people accomplish their goals without actually finishing college.
Earning a degree in college matters for many reasons. If you wish to be a surgeon, a teacher, or work in some other professional discipline, a degree becomes a necessity. If you wish to play professional football or basketball, on the other hand, a degree is not a prerequisite.
Don’t get me wrong, the decision to stay in college or go pro is a very personal one. If a student has a strong desire to return for their remaining years of school, then by all means, they should. For many people, athlete or not, there is a certain status they feel can be achieved by becoming a college graduate. For others it may be a pursuit for college glory. As Loyal Homer points out, a professional career in the NFL is very short on average. As such, many college athletes will not reach the ranks of the uber-wealthy superstars of professional sports. So, staying in college and getting a degree could serve as an insurance policy for the long-term.
Taking all of those things into consideration, however, I am still awarding the debate to Sports Geek.
As Sports Geek points out, MOST college athletes with professional potential are using their time in college as a platform to launch a potential professional career. If they are able to achieve that in a shorter length of time than is required to finish their college education, they have accomplished their goal. They have earned an opportunity to compete in the professional ranks with a chance for fame and fortune – who cares if it does not work out? MANY people in the world change careers, some do so multiple times, and often changes take them into a career which they are not fully educated for. It is impossible to fully prepare for every possible curveball in life, and so the best thing that a student of any discipline can do is take advantage of the few opportunities that are presented to them.
While I do believe that some athletes are driven by values that exceed simply earning a big paycheck for playing football on Sunday afternoons, I disagree with Loyal Homer’s argument that enjoying a senior year of college brings so many benefits with it that it outweighs the benefits of being a professional athlete. NFL and NBA athletes are just as likely to “get the girl,” and who cares about having drinks bought for you when you have millions of dollars at your disposal?
Loyal Homer’s sentiment may be idealistic, but it is not practical. If a college athlete’s goal is to play in the pros, why unnecessarily delay that opportunity in order to earn a certification that holds no relevant bearing on playing professional sports? When opportunity knocks, OPEN THE DOOR!
Matthew Stafford, Colt McCoy, and Sam Bradford were all viewed as marquis college quarterbacks from the 2008 football season. Each was eligible for early entry into the NFL Draft, and each was projected to be a high-draft selection. With millions of dollars at stake, the temptation to go pro early could be very strong!
Matthew Stafford chose the NFL. As a reward for his decision, he received a contract with $41.7M in GUARANTEED money. On the down-side, he has to play quarterback for the Detroit Lions, a job that has already been tried and failed by the likes of Daunte Culpepper, Jon Kitna, Joey Harrington, Jeff Garcia, Charlie Batch, Gus Frerotte, Rodney Peete, Frank Reich, Ty Detmer, Stoney Case (who?!), Scott Mitchell, well… you get the point. Stafford’s job will not be an easy one, to say the least!
On the other hand, Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford decided to return to their respective college teams for one more season, foregoing the immediate prospect of millions in salary to chase a different prize – a national championship (and the Heisman Trophy). The decision has not been a bad one for McCoy so far, whose Texas Longhorns are undefeated and sit third in the current BCS rankings. But, things have not worked out as well for his Oklahoma Sooners counterpart, Bradford. Bradford’s decision to stay in college may have been more costly, as he has only played in one full game all season due to shoulder injuries. It is true that he looked very impressive in the few instances where he played, but the lack of any substantial playing time may impact his long-term professional value. Likewise, his injury has cost his team several games, and subsequently cost them the opportunity to play for the BCS National Championship this season, a key reason Bradford returned in the first place.
It is a question that every NFL and NBA prospect especially must face during their time in college. For some, the decision to stay in the NCAA or go pro is simply a matter of trying to maximize their professional value. Staying in college is only worthwhile to them if it means the prospect of even more favorable ratings and reviews in the next NFL Draft, rather than the current one. For others, it is about not wanting to leave college behind without a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
Former Ohio State safety Mike Doss was a standout football player at every level of the game. He won championships in his Pop Warner leagues and as a high school star at Ohio’s Canton McKinley (one of the schools in the GREATEST area for high school football in the country!!!). He was again part of a championship team as his high school Bulldogs won both the state and national titles. In 2002, Doss came back for his fifth year of eligibility at Ohio State so he could try one more time for a National Championship at the collegiate level. His decision paid off, as his Buckeyes went on to defeat the heavily favored Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl.
That same decision did not work out so well for several members of the 2007 Michigan Wolverines. After a very exciting season in 2006 where the Wolverines nearly reached the National Championship Game (if not for a loss to Ohio State in the final game of the season), running back Mike Hart, offensive lineman Jake Long, and quarterback Chad Henne all decided to return for one more season at Michigan in the hopes of winning the National Championship (or any bowl game for that matter) and to get a win over Ohio State. Instead of realizing the dream, the Wolverines lost the season opener to Appalachian State in one of the greatest upsets in college football history, as well as three other games that season (including another loss at the hands of the Buckeyes). There were no championship celebrations in Michigan that season, which left Long, Hart, and Henne frustrated and very disappointed.
There are risks and rewards to both options, but which is the better option to choose? If given the opportunity, should talented college players leave college early, as soon as they are eligible?
To tackle this issue, Sports Geek will argue that the better choice is to go pro early, while Loyal Homer will argue that players should return to college and finish their career before going to the next level.
Read the debate intro and the argument from Loyal Homer that no matter what the circumstances a student-athlete should complete their education.
In respect of the impressive debut from TSD’s newest contributor, Babe Ruthless, I decided to use a classic rock song lyric in my title, too. While my chosen lyric is appropriate, it does boil down a complex issue a little too simply. Encouraging a college player to leave the college environment early is a little bit of a stretch for the Sports Geek (given, ya know… the GEEK part). But, a full analysis of the situation does lead me to believe that a critical point can be reached where an athlete must choose the best use of their time. Sometimes, the best use of time is playing professional sports.
I have incredible respect for former Florida State college football star defensive back Myron Rolle. The New York Times did a substantial story on the scholar athlete and recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford across the pond. Rolle intends to become a neurosurgeon after he completes his education (and professional football career, he hopes). He has already started a foundation that is going to build a medical clinic near the Bahamas. Rolle’s scholastic aptitude and ability to juggle the intense lifestyle of a top tier athlete and a top tier academic load is impressive. Still, few athletes approach the type of academic ability that Myron Rolle has.
However, for Rolle, the best use of his time is in scholarship to further his education and prepare for life after football and his ultimate goal of neurosurgery. Rolle is the rarest of rare examples.
Let’s examine two normal, contemporary scenarios (of which Rolle is not) and determine the best course of action.
Scenario 1
You are an unprivileged scholarship athlete in your junior season at a state university. You have worked hard to get good at football in order to create the opportunity for a shot at the professional leagues. Your stats are solid and your grades are not. Is their value in staying in school and completing your education?
No. Take the professional money and develop your career. Many non-athletes do not have college degrees but have gone on to be successful in their chosen career path because of hard work. See Michael Dell and that Bill Gates fella for two examples.
Scenario 2
You are a redshirt junior at a major national university. You are smart, an above average student with an actual major like Finance. You have also completed 69.4 percent of your passes for 2,453 yards and 13 touchdowns. You are the fourteenth most efficient passer in the country, and ranked fourth in completion percentage. Professional scouts are giddy over your potential claiming you are first or second round draft pick material. Do you come back for your final year of eligibility?
No. Despite your college success both on the field and in classroom, Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder, the best use of your time, talents, and resources is to continue to develop your craft at the professional level. While it may not be easy, it is not impossible to suspend a college learning career and come back to it later. It is impossible to suspend an athletic career and come back to it later in hopes of outstanding results.
Most college athletes are not geniuses. For example, Sam Bradford is a football player. He is not the Rhodes Scholar type. Attending another year of class and tip-toeing around strange NCAA rules that dictate who can and cannot purchase you and your roommate dinner is not going to do Bradford any good. The best use of his time is preparing for the draft. Sam Bradford could have received a headline like, “Sam Bradford First Quarterback Taken” or “Sam Bradford Hopes to Rejuvenate the [Team Name]s.” Instead Bradford’s headlines read “Oklahoma’s Bradford Should Have Gone Pro Earlier” or “Sam Bradford Plans to Enter Draft After Surgery.” When a primary job skill is sound decision making, it is fair to query Bradford about his insistence on staying in college. If he has another year of eligibility, but does not have his degree yet, what did this one extra, injury riddled season accomplish for him? Nothing. In fact, the season was a loss. He did not do anything to build his resume for professional teams and he managed to injure his throwing shoulder twice, requiring surgery after the second injury.
Welcome to The Bradford Effect. Any impressive and highly regarded college athlete who chooses to go pro instead of arbitrarily sticking things out in college has learned from The Bradley Effect.
Athletes, what is the best use of your time? Is finishing your education for an advanced post-football career that requires a great deal of training necessary and important? Or, like 99.9% of student athletes, is your education not the primary focus of college, but a hopeful jumping off point to a career in professional sports. The majority of athletes must make the intelligent decision and maximize their potential by aligning their capabilities with their priorities. In other words – Go on, kids… take the money and run.
Read the debate intro and Sports Geek’s argument that capable college athletes should forgo their education for a career in the professional leagues.
I know the popular answer is going to be “Take the money and run.” The four writers here at TSD have never been in a situation like those that star college football players face after being in college for three years. We do not know what we would do. And believe me, my heart breaks for guys like Sam Bradford. He really seems to be one of the good guys and I hate that his season has been essentially ruined by injury. He bypassed millions of dollars to come back to try and win a championship in Norman. But LONG TERM, the best thing for the individual is to return to school.
According to the National Football Players Association’s website, the average career length of an NFL player lasts around three and a half years. Basically, that means for every Clay Matthews (19 years), there is a Mr. Irrelevant. If a player leaves school early and the NFL career does not work out, what does he have to fall back on? Even if the player does have a lengthy career, what is he going to do once he retires without a degree? Sure, he could go back to school to finish his degree. Many say they intend to do that. You may say, “Well, he’s wealthy and he doesn’t need to work.” But retired NFL players do not work for the money. They work to stay active. We have all heard our parents preach this and we will preach it to our kids when they get to that age – it is very important to get that degree!
Bleacher Fan mentioned Mike Doss in the intro. Another guy that comes to mind is Matt Leinart. Leinart came back to Southern Cal as a fifth year senior. He wanted the chance to make college football history by winning a third consecutive national championship. He gave up millions for, as he called it, “$950 a month” and a chance to win another championship. It did not quite turn out that way for Leinart, as his Trojans lost in the BCS championship game to Texas in one of the greatest games I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Financially, however, the money was still there when he was drafted the following year by the Arizona Cardinals with the tenth overall pick. Sure, he was not the first overall pick, but he still signed a six-year deal worth a maximum value of $50.8 million, including $14 million guaranteed. I will grant you that he has not exactly panned out yet in the NFL, but at least he is getting a fat check. And, he always has that degree. He will not have to go bagging groceries after his career is over!
What is wrong with being the big man on campus? A senior star college football player probably never has to buy a drink at the local bar. He probably is one of the most popular guys on campus. He probably has all the girls wanting to go out with him (which is a good thing only if he does not have a girlfriend). How many times does one get to experience that in a lifetime? Responsibility and life can wait! Why not enjoy the senior year of college? It only comes along once!
Yes, it is hard to turn down the millions! But it is impossible to put a price tag on what can be experienced as a senior in college. And, you cannot put a price tag on that diploma!
“Oh won’t you gimme three steps, gimme three steps, Mister, gimme three steps toward the door…”
-Lynyrd Skynyrd
This phrase is part of the chorus from the classic rock song “Gimme Three Steps” by the Southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd. The song was released in 1973. Maybe the writers of this song had the2009 NBA season in mind when writing the song! Of course, instead of “door” it should say “gimme three steps toward the basket.”
I must give credit to Babe Ruthless who contributed the first of what we hope will be many articles here on The Sports Debates. I came away very impressed, and it is safe to say Babe Ruthless has passed through the initiation period. Like Babe, the video game NBA Jam was a big part of my life growing up. I would play it first at arcades, and then when it came out on Sega Genesis I was one of the first to buy it! By the way, click on the NBA Jam link above and take a look at the old rosters the game used in its time. That will take you back!
Bleacher Fan wrote that there is no tangible benefit for the NBA in making this rule “change.” You know what? I agree. I am awarding the victory to Bleacher Fan!
I admittedly did not watch a lot of basketball last night due to the CMA Awards, but I did watch bits and pieces of the Cleveland Cavaliers-Orlando Magic game and the Atlanta Hawks New York Knicks game. I saw a couple of instances in both games and from all four teams where players took two steps and no traveling violation was called. The same thing could have happened last season and nothing would have been called. As Bleacher Fan points out, where does it end?
What won the case for Bleacher Fan, however, is the analogy to speeding. Speed limits are set to prohibit speeding, thus the word “limit.” But, most people will still drive 5-10 miles per hour faster than the limit, and chances are they will not get pulled over for it. I drive to work on an interstate every day, as many of you may. The speed limit is 70 MPH, but it is fairly common for Loyal Homer to set my cruise at 80. I have been personally told by a Georgia state trooper that most law enforcement officials will not pull anyone over until hey are 12 MPH or above (some of you do not believe this, I know). I know I can get away with going 80, so I do it. And so do many other drivers. NBA players knew they could get away with two steps before the “rule” change. Perhaps players believe they might be able to get away with three steps. You can bet they will try. We will see how much the NBA enforces it.
Before I begin, let me first welcome our newest colleague and fan persona, Babe Ruthless, to the Sports Debates – a welcome addition to our team. Today will actually be the first article from Babe, so I am looking forward to reading the argument. I also have a feeling that our two personas will have some intense battles over the coming months because they are quite opposite of each other. It should be pretty entertaining!!!
Did you know the NBA had a rule called “traveling?” If you are a fan of the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s or a current fan of the Los Angeles Lakers or the Cleveland Cavaliers, then no, you might not be! But, yes, there is a rule against traveling in the NBA! (Obviously, I am being sarcastic!)
And this season, the wording on “traveling” has been changed. The section of the NBA rulebook dealing with traveling used to allow players to “use a two-count rhythm in coming to a stop.” It has been reworded this season to say players “may take two steps in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball.” The NBA has repeatedly stated that the actual rule has not changed. That is another debate in itself.
The NBA season is just two weeks old so it is a little early to tell if this “rewording” of the rule will have a major affect of the game. The Sports Debates is taking it a little further. We are debating: Is the “new” traveling rule good for the NBA?
Bleacher Fan will argue that the new rule adds very little to the game and that it is not good for the league. Meanwhile, Babe Ruthless, will, in a debut article on The Sports Debates, argue that the new two-step rule is good for the league.
I am very curious to hear both sides of this debate. And, I am even more curious to hear what the fans have to say on this topic. Please comment and give us some feedback. I guarantee that at least one of us will respond to your comments! We always do.
The basketball court is yours, and Babe… it is sink or swim time!
In the land of basketball, monster dunks and high flying acrobatics reign supreme. Fans do not watch to admire Kevin Garnett’s bounce passes, Dwight Howard’s ability to set a screen, or Shaquille O’Neal’s free throw mechanics. People watch the NBA waiting for one of these giants to soar over the boards and impose their will on a defense via a dunk that results in earthquake quality aftershocks, or for a player to drive the lane with the intensity of a freight train, take flight, and toss up a shot that seems to alter the laws of physics before sinking through the hoop for two points. Basketball fans anticipate these moments with an intense primal ferocity that is akin to a hungry lion watching a parade of gazelles. The slam dunk brings the same excitement to basketball that the long ball brings to baseball, a good fight brings to hockey, and a multi-car pileup brings to NASCAR. These special moments produce a Zen like euphoria for fans that keep them coming back for more. The NBA would be crazy not to encourage it, and the new two step traveling rule is a step in the right direction (pun intended).
This season NBA players will be allowed to take two full steps without dribbling – one more than previously allowed. NBA players – and for that matter players at every level of the game – have been taking this extra step for years. Even some of the elite players, from Earvin “Magic” Johnson to “Pistol” Pete Maravich, have been caught taking this extra step when approaching the basket. Has it tarnished their legacies? No. Instead it has made the game more exciting and allowed for more creative and memorable moments. Fans are thrilled by the mind-blowing shots players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James seem to pull off every game. I am sure if we scrutinized the highlight reels of todays superstars we would notice an enormous amount of missed traveling calls, but would that make the awesome feats of these legends any less appealing. Again, I say “no.” This rule has given a larger canvas to the hoops artists of the modern era.
This “new” rule is not even “new.” Rather, it recognizes a long standing and informally accepted practice. Even high ranking NBA officials like Joe Borgia the Vice President of Referee Operations have admitted to instructing referees to turn a blind eye to this type of traveling. Officials have a hard enough time imposing the rules of such a fast paced game without having to be martinets enforcing ticky-tack rules. For example, basketball is one of – if not the only sport – where the official must keep a running clock of how long a player is in a certain area of the playing field (e.g. the three second rule), yet they are expected to count player steps, ensure proper dribbling, and watch for fouls all at the same time. It is just too much. Most fans want to see players simply play the game they love. The other option for the NBA is to dehumanize the sport with instant replays and challenges, allowing machines and computers to decide how a GAME is played.
Every sport makes adjustments to accentuate its best aspects. Just as MLB’s decision to lower the pitchers mounds in 1968 resulted in more prolific offensive displays, the decision to formally allow this extra step will open new scoring exhibitions. Some critics of this rule argue that it will allow players to run across the court without dribbling. But, it merely allows one extra step… a final push needed to elevate for more distance, greater height, and new innovative dunks.
Growing up mostly a baseball fan during the 1980s and 1990s, I was indoctrinated into the world of the NBA through video games. In 1993 Midway produced a game that would change my life forever and ignite my passion for both the NBA and the monster dunk – NBA Jam. This video game taught me more than just the phrase “boom-shaka-laka!” It taught me that the most exciting aspects of basketball are massive dunks and backboard breaking slams (á la Shaquille O’Neal). Today, the NBA still needs the slam dunk, but more importantly the league needs it to stay fresh. When the NBA’s Slam Dunk contest turns to costumed theatrics (i.e. Dwight Howard) to stay relevant, then a change needs to be made, and adding this extra step is that change.
Try to imagine this scenario: An epic match up in a pivotal game seven between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. With seven seconds left in the game and both teams out of time outs, the Lakers are up by one point. The Cavaliers have the ball and LeBron James brings it, and his team’s fate, across half court. He checks the clock, considers his options, and decides to drive into the lane. LeBron is met by defenders. He jukes, spins, jumps, and releases the ball with mere fractions of a second left. Millions around the world watch in awe. The entire population of the cities of Los Angeles and Cleveland hold their collective breath. As the ball ascends toward the net the crowd crescendos to a deafening level as history rides on this shot…but WAIT, the sound of the final buzzer is figuratively drowned out by the shrill whistle of an official. “Traveling!” is the call.
No fan wants to see a game end with a traveling call. Lakers fans want to see Ron Artest or Kobe Bryant have the opportunity to swat away the ball and the hopes and dreams of Cleveland. Cavaliers’ fans want to revel in that magic moment when King James’ coronation becomes official and they see him rule not with the scepter but with the ring. No one wants a futile, outdated rule to cheapen such a pivotal moment in the sport.
Posted by Bleacher Fan 
Posted by Sports Geek 
Posted by Loyal Homer 
