Let Players Decide Games, Period

[greydog]

good take on current state of sports by Mike Lupica, includes his take on UConn and Geno during semi final ending.

Refs, coaches need to remember: We want to watch players.

 

[JellyBean]

Must not play street basketball often.

 

[bags27]

Well, we learned one thing we never knew before:

"My Hall of Fame friend Bob Ryan, the best basketball writer of all time...."

 

[UcMiami]

Interesting, because I was watching Vic and a few other coaches during the tournament who seemed to be coaching every offensive possession throughout the game. And i was thinking about one of Geno's complaints about what was killing MCBB and picking out that trait of college coaches trying to control every second on the court on every possession and taking the spontaneity out of the men's game and making it boring.

I do wonder about the choice of sitting William for the last 10 minutes of the season - seems odd to not allow for the possibility of a message being delivered in the first 5 minutes and giving the team leader another chance. Mid season, fine, knock out tournament unless for something egregious, at least subject to a few questions.

 

[UcMiami]

And while I agree that it is a players game, Daly and likely every coach, and certainly every ref, has been involved in teams and games where the players didn't allow him to coach, and players broke the spirit of fair competition and forced refs to become the game. And in those cases it all rests on the players, but frequently commentators place the blame on the coaches and the refs because it is 'a players game'.

 

[cohenzone]

If memory serves (and it ain't so trusty these days) Ricky Byrdsong while coaching men at Northwestern, tried sitting in the stands during a game.

The poor guy was murdered in a racial hate crime.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Interesting take... While most fans don't want to see the Officials take over a game, they also have the responsibility to "get it right." Mike Lupica didn't agree with the Flagrant 1 foul...OK, that's his opinion, but there are plenty of Basketball Professionals who DID Agree...and that's their opinions. Clearly the Officials agreed! And they "made the call right". That's what they are there for!

 

[uconnfan68]

Interesting take... While most fans don't want to see the Officials take over a game, they also have the responsibility to "get it right." Mike Lupica didn't agree with the Flagrant 1 foul...OK, that's his opinion, but there are plenty of Basketball Professionals who DID Agree...and that's their opinions. Clearly the Officials agreed! And they "made the call right". That's what they are there for!

Would have been better to make that call when it happened, but they got it right. Thanks for nothing Mike.

 

[Centerstream]

At least the referees we're alerted to the obvious flagrant foul via an email from a tv viewer...

 

[meyers7]

Sometimes writers are just stupid.

The worst thing in the article:

"Referees have one Pass/Fail question to answer before every game: Why am I here? The answer? To adjudicate the smooth flow of the game. Period."

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So very, very wrong.

#1 job of an official is protect/provide a safe environment for the players. #2 is to adjudicate a fair contest.

Lupica and Ryan are completely clueless on this subject.

 

[ctfjr]

good take on current state of sports by Mike Lupica, includes his take on UConn and Geno during semi final ending.

Refs, coaches need to remember: We want to watch players.

I enjoy the give & take of others opinions but to assume his carries more weight than any other fan is total BS. Yes, nobody wants the refs to 'take over a game'. That said there are unlimited scenarios where a foul near the end of the game just has to be called. Lifeline, my royal butt. You may not agree with it but the 3 refs on the floor did. Go whine somewhere else.

 

[eebmg]

I have got to say, imho, this is one of the most childish articles I have seen in a while and it feeds into this growing concept that sports is above all entertainment and everything is just about the wow factor.


Yes, sports should entertain but first and foremost, it should teach life lessons to both players and fans about developing discipline and a strong work ethic, team work, striving for goals, understanding meritocracy and fairness. Without referee's calling the game without consideration of the moment etc, there is no fairness. The flagrant call incident was unfortunate in drawing out the 'haters' but fairness dictates you play by the rules and the rules state that any over the top action should be reviewed. The time the referee's spent on this decision was so long because they really understood the repercussions and that either way, this was a hard decision.

The nonsense about Morgan William was even more annoying to me. No one was pulling for her more than me but for what ever reason, she simply was not playing well (emotional and physical fatigue in my opinion) and the team needed to try and find a spark.

 

[Sonny44]

If a player isn't putting out 100% or is just plain having a bad game, she's hurting her team mates and the program. The coach owes it to the team to bench her. IF!

 

[BroadwayVa]

And while I agree that it is a players game, Daly and likely every coach, and certainly every ref, has been involved in teams and games where the players didn't allow him to coach, and players broke the spirit of fair competition and forced refs to become the game. And in those cases it all rests on the players, but frequently commentators place the blame on the coaches and the refs because it is 'a players game'.

I like this comment on so many levels and from so many angles.
I love watching the players---but in tight games I enjoy watching the chess match between coaches --x does this--y counters with this and on it goes--anyone who doesn't appreciate the strategy and games being played within the game--are missing a lot of the fun.
Geno was smiling, not just because he lost the chess match-but that he could not get across to his players what they should have been doing---to him winning the NC is a minor big deal---to his kids it would have been a huge big deal---when your kid don't do as they have been taught and lose--smile-who is the big loser??? Geno?? (I doubt it).

 

[BroadwayVa]

I have got to say, imho, this is one of the most childish articles I have seen in a while and it feeds into this growing concept that sports is above all entertainment and everything is just about the wow factor.


Yes, sports should entertain but first and foremost, it should teach life lessons to both players and fans about developing discipline and a strong work ethic, team work, striving for goals, understanding meritocracy and fairness. Without referee's calling the game without consideration of the moment etc, there is no fairness. The flagrant call incident was unfortunate in drawing out the 'haters' but fairness dictates you play by the rules and the rules state that any over the top action should be reviewed. The time the referee's spent on this decision was so long because they really understood the repercussions and that either way, this was a hard decision.

The nonsense about Morgan William was even more annoying to me. No one was pulling for her more than me but for what ever reason, she simply was not playing well (emotional and physical fatigue in my opinion) and the team needed to try and find a spark.

If my coaches had said --we are teaching you basketball --and also we are teaching life lessons ---being a stubborn guy, I would have walked away and played pickup games---I enjoyed them a lot.
Morgan---you don't stable your best horse when that horse is within 10 minutes of winning or losing---what was the lesson learned from that---I can make you lose??? Vic is the coach--and he can.

 

[BroadwayVa]

If memory serves (and it ain't so trusty these days) Ricky Byrdsong while coaching men at Northwestern, tried sitting in the stands during a game.

The poor guy was murdered in a racial hate crime.

I don't know the coach--but remember the situation--

 

[osceola48]

I agree with the majority here, who are saying the article was a bit off-base. But I side with Mike Lupica on the golf part of the article. I think that some of theses golf rules are archaic and silly, and that golf officials get a bit full of themselves. The situation described is just one of several tournament-outcome-changing situations involving the enforcement of a silly rule. I also think spectators, whether in the gallery or watching TV should not be able to point out things the golf officials may have missed.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Sometimes writers are just stupid.

The worst thing in the article:

"Referees have one Pass/Fail question to answer before every game: Why am I here? The answer? To adjudicate the smooth flow of the game. Period."

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So very, very wrong.

#1 job of an official is protect/provide a safe environment for the players. #2 is to adjudicate a fair contest.

Lupica and Ryan are completely clueless on this subject.

You are right--writer is wrong. Refs are like cops---walk the beat, if nothing happens keep on walking---some old ladies purse is lifted
shout FOUL and take appropriate action--- Refs job is to enforce the rules---not care about the "flow" of the game---in big games
don't be so quick to arrest anyone. I agree safety i.e. manage angered players keep violence from over flowing.

 

[JellyBean]

There is never a happy medium. If a coach runs a loose program and is friendly with the players "Coach is too nice. Coach not holding these kids accountable." Let a Coach crack down on players and hold them accountable. Then we see players transferring. Next we hear "Oh coach was too tough. Never allowed the kids to be kids and make mistakes." Or my favorite "Coach is making it all about him/her. He/she is just be a harda@#" With the refs. When the refs are making calls, "Oh man the refs are taking the fun away from the game. Let the players play!" Or "These calls by the refs are slowing the pace of the game down." Or another classic "The ref is trying to make this game all about themselves." But when the refs don't call stuff and the game gets too physical and a player gets hurt or a fight breaks out "The refs should have seen this coming. They should have called a tighter game." Folks are never satisfied.

 

[eebmg]

If my coaches had said --we are teaching you basketball --and also we are teaching life lessons ---being a stubborn guy, I would have walked away and played pickup games---I enjoyed them a lot.

I did not imply players should not have fun but I imagine the best fun you could have is winning and sacrificing as a team and those life lessons just happen (even if you do not preach it).

Morgan---you don't stable your best horse when that horse is within 10 minutes of winning or losing---what was the lesson learned from that---I can make you lose??? Vic is the coach--and he can.

The lesson I took out of it is that no player is above the team. I imagine since he was right there in the huddle, for whatever reason, he did not believe she was the best option in the 4th quarter. Vic would not have made this decision lightly since he really admires her. Morgan showed maturity beyond her years and understood that.

 

[McFly]

I like Lupica, and usually enjoy listening to him. But not on this issue. Rules should not be selectively enforced. A play that's a charge or a block at the beginning of a game, is also a charge or block in the final seconds with the score tied. Never mind "letting them play". Unfortunately, things like traveling no-calls in the NBA give the impression that rules can be ignored. If a rule needs to be changed, change it. Otherwise, enforce it.
Regarding the flagrant foul, it seemed obvious to me that the officials didn't want to call it, and only did so because they had to.

 

[Kurebeach5]

Lupica is, and always has been, an officious little twit.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I did not imply players should not have fun but I imagine the best fun you could have is winning and sacrificing as a team and those life lessons just happen (even if you do not preach it).



The lesson I took out of it is that no player is above the team. I imagine since he was right there in the huddle, for whatever reason, he did not believe she was the best option in the 4th quarter. Vic would not have made this decision lightly since he really admires her. Morgan showed maturity beyond her years and understood that.

Obviously---I have to believe that Vic has overwhelming reasons for sitting her---If her actions were above and beyond acceptable norms they probably should be acted on there and then---without positive knowledge of what was the offense--we have to accept Vics.
However what I said stands---and doesn't need to be repeated here---Without my just posted Obviously---Any coach would be
really really wrong to keep Morgan or any player from playing the game---this was the wrong time to correct perceived attitude or insufficient energy---do that next season..l

 

[Bestiarius]

In High School, there was one referee considered to be a great one by the players. He was very verbal about specifically what caused him to make a call. When the clock was stopped, e.g. during a foul shot, he would caution uninvoled players about their behavior. "You're moving a wee bit too much when setting screens. Keep it up and you're gonna get called for it." he'd say. He always cautioned players that were not impacting a play for their transgressions. Players that fouled during key parts of the game, got called. His games always went off smoothly. The players always appreciated his input and knew how they had to behave.

What gripes me is that often players don't know how they should play the game because of how refs are deciding to call or not call a game. When the announcer says, "They're letting them play." What is really should be said is, "The refs aren't following the rules tonight."

 

[ThisJustIn]

Honestly, folks who say "let players decide the game" puzzle me. Players ARE deciding the game by committing fouls. Should refs not call them?

Guess the only way to REALLY let players decide the games (Period) is pull all the refs off the court.