The New Rules

Posted by J R Stewart on March 17, 2008

‘Eaton: Minus Theatrics’ (Bill Powell – NBAE/Getty Images)

Remember how The Mailman would power to the hoop, in the first half of his career anyway, and knock over players for a right-handed ‘hamma’ dunk? Recall how Stock could hand check, grab, hold and get away with it.

It’s a different set of rules now.

Booz already gets a high percentage of his fouls on the offensive end. Gone are the days of powering over players on your way to hole.

Welcome to the age of the flop!

It’s no longer necessary to make actual contact; just the air movement of pivoting is enough to crumple a defender to the ground. Defenders no longer challenge the shot. Instead they jump to a spot just outside the half circle, try to plant their feel and start falling backward long before any contact. It’s like watching a fish out of water.

Ahhh, THE FLOP!

To coin an old cigarette ad, Shane Battier and ‘Sideshow Bob’ (aka Anderson Varejao) would rather flop than defend.

Under the current rules, if Mark Eaton could have learned the technique, and had better acting skills, he would have lived at the charity stripe. Instead, guards would jump into him and bounce off, like a brick wall, and Mark would get the foul.

The Mailman and The Diesel used to inflict sever damage, if you got in their way. Now there would be 5 ‘floppers’, lined up like bowling pins, waiting for a gentle breeze from a nearby ocean to topple them.

It’s not just the defenders flopping.

Now a year of acting school is required before you can enter the NBA Draft. With the ‘no contact’ rule for guards, flopping, flailing, groaning and falling are the norm.

Just being in the same ZIP code as a Tony Longoria or an A I shot is enough to result in another ’severe’ fall and more free throws. Manu flails like a child having a temper tantrum on his drives. Try to block Kobe from the side or back and you’ll get whacked in the face, or kicked, and a foul called on you. Players routinely use their off-hand to hit or push the defender and get rewarded with free throws.

The rule changes have generated higher scoring averages, as the NBA wanted. However, have they really improved the game?

Is acting now more important than basketball skills?

I kinda’ like it when the player causing the contact, actually gets the foul. An outmoded concept, I suppose.

Jus’ sittin’ ‘round, yearnin’ fer an ‘antiflop’ rule.

Jazzaholic

5 Comments

Linda McFarland on March 18, 2008 said:

You share my thoughts exactly. It is nice when we have a veteran ref who is fooled a little less by the flop. The problem is that the acting schools seem to get better than the flop schools. One more game and then his work sends my son out of town and I get to be at the games in person!! Just a little anxious. Now if I can just figure out a way to make the ushers think our seats are on the floor level. Thanks J.R., good blog.

J R Stewart on March 19, 2008 said:

We’re in the 1st row of the ‘nose bleed’ section now, but used to have tickets in the Salt Palace so high up they would give you an oxygen tank as you started your ascent. Then, we would walk all the way down, saying hi to the ushers, and sit a couple of rows behind Frank Layden to help him coach the team.

Don’t think that will work today.

Jazzaholic

Linda McFarland on March 19, 2008 said:

Must have been nice to be able to go around the arena more and maybe even run into one of the players or coaches!!! Our seats are in the first row above the moving circular sign. I think trying to get anyplace near any player or coach would be a lot like trying to board an airplane holding a gun. Hate to be old enough to say this but “what happened to the good old days?” Does anyone know who is on the injured list for Thursday game? It is hard to do the Fantasy contest when you don’t know who is playing. Our paper here gives us very little on the Jazz.

Johnathan Kendrick on March 19, 2008 said:

Linda –

Boozer is listed as day to day and Memo is sick, he will be a game time decision.

I would expect both to play. We will know more tomorrow morning.

Linda McFarland on March 19, 2008 said:

Jonathan….Thanks. That is one thing that is nice about this years team, if someone has to fill in for a person who is out they seem to draw some extra something out of somewhere and do a good job. I don’t know why it should be so important to me for the fantasy questions because I can’t seem to get the points and the rebounds right when I know exactly who is playing!!

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