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From: tischler@ihlpg.UUCP (Mark D. Tischler)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re: What's wrong with the NBA?
Message-ID: <126@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 2-Feb-85 16:30:55 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.126
Posted: Sat Feb  2 16:30:55 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Feb-85 04:23:40 EST
References: <804@godot.UUCP> <808@CS-Arthur>, <5046@tekecs.UUCP> <4715@cbscc.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 36

> Why is the NBA so boring? Except for maybe Boston, Philadelphia, and LA, I
> doubt whether most of the readers of this note can name 2 starters on any
> other team. The interest in the NBA is minimal. Most of the people I know
> (are they the wrong people?) have no idea who's in first, what the divisions
> are, or even what the team nicknames are. Is that because we don't have a team
> here in Columbus? or is prevalent throughout the country? So tell me...why
> isn't the NBA making it?
> ...bob garmise...at&t bell labs, columbus...

I'll tell you why the NBA is so boring!

   1.  Zone defenses are not allowed --> detracts from defense
   2.  3-to-make-2 free throws --> thwarts comebacks
   3.  Bad shot selection
   4.  One-on-one play
   5.  3-point shots --> further encourages bad shot selection
   6.  24-second clock --> encourages bad shot selection and one-on-one play
   7.  No necessity for coaching, therefore there is none -- it's sandlot bball
   8.  Refs don't call charging --> discourages good defense
   9.  Refs don't call traveling (better this year I've heard)
	 --> allows for dunks from mid-court
  10.  20-second timeouts --> to easy to get out of trap situations
  11.  too many playoff teams --> who cares about the regular season anymore


Of these, none were even thought of in the college ranks until a few years
back.  Now, suddenly, they've adopted #11, a version of #6, and are thinking
of #5.  The rest I feel have been reasonably avoided so far.  Let's hope
college basketball doesn't sink into the muck that the NBA has, because it
sure looks like they're trying to emulate the NBA as hard as they can.
-- 

			Mark Tischler
			(312) 393-7199 (home)
			(312) 979-5123 (work)
			ihnp4!ihlpg!tischler