Ban the Dunk

Banning the dunk was one of the changes Dick Enberg said John Wooden would like to make in order to make basketball better. That's a fantastic idea. While we're making this easier for shot blockers, why don't we allow goaltending too. Just let Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas stand in front of the basket and swat away shots all game.

Enberg went on to qualify Wooden's feelings towards the dunk by saying that it wasn't necessarily the act of dunking, but the me-first attitude the dunk can engender, that the Hall-of-Fame coach had a problem with. That sentiment is understandable. Unfortunately, players showboat on dunks, blocks, and three-pointers. Why didn't Wooden just say "Ban showboating!"

The No Fun League (or is it the National Football League) is cracking down on end zone celebrations. ESPN reported that high school and college officials were calling for the NFL to take action because young players were looking at the pros and following in their footsteps. Making changes to the NFL rules is not the ideal solution. In fact, it may not have much positive impact. High school and college officials should just apply the rules correctly. It shouldn't take many unsportsman-like conduct calls to rectify the solution. If players continue to break the rules, keeping flagging them. I'm not sure why college players still dive into the end zone (and, inevitably, draw flags). If I were a coach, I'd put a stop to it quickly.

Getting back to basketball, a local high school basketball game was prolonged by an idiotic, unsportsman-like play. Norman HS was up 2 points with about ten seconds left in overtime. Norman North HS had the ball but, subsequently, turned it over. So, Norman was up 2 with the ball and almost no time on the clock. One of the teams called timeout. On the way to the bench, one of the Norman players grabbed his jersey and did the flicking thing that all the college kids do, showing "Norman" to the crowd. He got a technical, which resulted in him fouling out of the game (he already had 4 fouls) and Norman North getting two FT's and the ball. Norman North made both free throws and the game went into double overtime.

SIDE NOTE ON JOAKIM NOAH (because I'm watching George Mason v. Florida):
Noah is a fantastic athlete, obviously. He's tall, he's long, he's quick, fast and agile for a 7-footer. Unfortunately, he can't shoot. Isn't Kwame Brown also tall, long, and athletic. I'm not saying Noah is Brown, but Noah isn't a LeBron James like ballhandler and passer and he doesn't have a good jump shot. I also haven't seem him make any real outstanding post moves. Wasn't Jonathan Bender a 6'11" athletic player with good ball skills coming out of high school? How did he turn out? Similar things can be said about Tyrus Thomas, who is an amazing athletic specimen. I bet the Hawks would like to go back in time and take Chris Paul, rather than Marvin Williams, the big-time athlete coming out last year. Basketball isn't just about athletic talent (or UConn would have beat GMU last Sunday). Quit drooling.