justwomenssports.com
They don't allow the same type of physicality in a men's game such as holding, grabbing the jersey etc. There would be fistfights.
So true and like Geno said men's games are tough because every time you go into the lane the whistle blows.
Of course it does. The only difference is that Iowa has other scorers. Against us, Nika face guarded Clark all game, and Kate Martin went on a tear. Similarly, Stanford has a pair of perimeter shooters — Jump and Demetre — who make it hard to overplay Jones. When we had Azzi and Caroline, the defensive pressure on Lou was lower. Lou is our primary perimeter threat right now, so of course other teams have to overplay her. They’d be insane not to.
it seems to me that 'freedom of movement' should NOT include the freedom for a player, when driving to the basket, to intentionally jump into the defender. that is rarely called an offensive foul and almost always the defender is penalized. it's disgusting and rampant for some players or teams and a real flaw in the game.
The sad part is this is not a 'One Time Thing'!
It's been a big problem for Uconn's MBB too since the Big East season started with refs who allow to much fouling away from the ball and specifically against teams who run motion offenses with a lot of cutting and screens for shooters/ more talented players. Providence and St Johns are 2 of the worse offenders of the foul you on every play/ "they can't call it" all philosophy. What they did and the refs allow on Senachal was a travesty. So it seems to have worked it's way into the women's game as a ploy for less talented teams on the perimeter, who just want to play bully ball.
Exactly. I sat court side at Rose Hill at Fordham last week when the men upset St. Louis. There is physicality, mostly underneath, and the players are very athletic, and whereas they didn't call pushing off by the dribbler onto the defender when it was just the removal of the hand and the arm wasn't stiff, they do call holds and restriction of movement and fouls in the lane. Nobody grabbed someone else's jersey. The refs weren't great on the charge vs. block calls but they controlled the game and nothing got out of hand despite the fact that it was incredibly loud and a very heated game.
Excessive physicality is an equalizer or a way to reduce the effectiveness of an opponents player. This was first witnessed (for me) back in the Lambeer/Piston days. They could get by the more talented Celtics. So they made the game a physical fight - for a variety of reasons. This sucks and makes the game ugly. Additionally, it’s very obvious that UConn ‘being successful’ is not a ‘cultural choice’. I mean - eleven is enough. This is sickening - and no longer a game of skill. It’s disheartening at times. It shows how skilled the coaches and players really are. Having a chance to win without Paige and Azzi is pretty impressive. I am convinced that ‘refereeing’ is being polluted. Dawn is not Geno - SC is not UConn. Geno and UConn changed the game over the last 25 years. Some - don’t like it. I see bruising and abuse - no excuse. Just my opinion…Geno Auriemma takes issue with referees: ‘It’s not basketball anymore’ - Just Women's Sports
The UConn women's basketball coach said his frustration with the officiating led him to slam a water bottle on the court, drawing a technical foul.
Yes, yes, yes!
Fellow "old dude," this is an excellent summary/analysis of the unfortunate hyper-physical transition from hand checking to body checking that inhibits offensive movement and raises welts and bruises. And turns basketball into a form of assault.
