Geno Auriemma Proposes That The Rim Be Lowered In Women’s Basketball

[Millhouse]

if you don't want to lower all the hoops, staple a bunch of flip flops to the bottoms of their shoes.

 

[JDubbin]

"I love this idea"

- Britney Griner

 

[orangefog]

I'm all for this:

High School Boys and girls 10'
College Men 10'4" - Women 10'
NBA/Professional Men 10'8" - Women 10'

Dunking does take skill out of the game so should be discouraged.
But all the balls should be the same size..

You can't change the height of the rims, do you know that would do to shooters?

 

[690West]

The very first thing they should do is decrease the diameter of the rim. Serious, with the smaller diameter of a woman's ball, it is ridiculous that they keep the men's diameter for the rim. You ever shoot with a woman's ball???? the margin of error is so big that basically anything near the rim goes in - you don't need to be anywhere near as good shooter to make shots with a woman's ball. It's absurd.

I play hoops a couple days a week with a woman who was a starter on George Washington's Sweet 16 team a few years ago. I asked her about shooting with a men's ball compared to a women's ball and she said "on my own - I only ever practiced with men's balls because they were so much larger that you needed more accuracy to shoot with them". She is an insanely good shooter...

[and yes, I know there is obviously a joke to be made out of her quote, but let's try to be grown-ups here, aight?]

I've been saying this for years. Not to change the diameter of the rim but for people to stop with the "women are better free throw shooters" nonsense. Their ball is smaller!

 

[rstone7727]

You can't change the height of the rims, do you know that would do to shooters?

Yes I do, they would adjust just like everyone that's ever played street ball with different height rims.

 

[PoppyHart]

If implemented I could see a 100% increase in my personal viewership ... to 2 games a year.

 

[AlaskaSU]

I don't think dunking and bringing the women's game closer to the men's game is going to accomplish what Geno thinks it will. The women's game has its own appeal, and its fans enjoy the game largely because of the differences between it and the men's game. In my opinion, the best way for the sport to grow would be increased parity. Honestly, the UConn program is probably the biggest blessing/curse the sport has right now. If there were more than five or so programs with a legitimate chance to win the national championship, I think there'd be more interest.

"and its fans"

What fans?

How would men like a 20' high basket? Height matters - ask any woman. Not only are women shorter, they have less vertical leap. Why not let women enjoy playing the game? the discussion should be about recreation. I don't care about the fans as there are not many womans' basketball fans.

 

[BlackKnight76]

"and its fans"

What fans?

You clearly don't spend much time in Connecticut.

 

[AlaskaSU]

thats my point.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Women didn't have a vote in what size ball they used - women used the regulation size basketball until 1984 when the mens' athletic organization, the good old NCAA we all know and love, took over womens collegiate sports. They changed the size of the ball for the same reason Geno is making his suggestions - supposedly making it more likable for male viewers thus more tv and attendence $. The NCAA only got involved with womens sports after they saw that the 1975 AIAW womens basketball championship drew 12,000 spectators in its first game at Madison Square Garden and $ were to be made. I heard all the arguments and fighting in that period from the coaches, players and administrators on both sides when the men's NCAA took over organizing and administrating womens college sports. So it's ironic to me that so many men criticize the ball size change in womens basketball when it was the men's NCAA organization who mandated the change shortly after taking over.

When I played college basketball in the 70's (with a disco ball hanging above the rim ) we used regulation basketballs, rims, refs and even had a 30 second shot clock that collegiate men didn't adopt without plenty of argument and contentiousness until 1985. I don't know many women players who wouldn't prefer to play with the regulation ball. I found the transition difficult - like shooting at a basket with a volleyball or soccer ball running full tilt. Try playing a pickup game using a womens basketball , it doesn't happen so most serious women players still use both balls and have learned to adapt to playing with both sized balls from necessity.

Regarding foul shots wouldn't it be logical that the taller players would have an advantage shooting foul shots? Doesn't really seem to work that way does it? Guards like Calvin Murphy, Hal Cohen, Jimmy Lee, Kyle Macy, GMac etc were exceptional fouls shooters. Sure doesn't seem like size, strength etc improve free throw shooting prowess. Totally different skills.

 

[orangefog]

Yes I do, they would adjust just like everyone that's ever played street ball with different height rims.

It would be a mess. Shooting is all about muscle memory. Sure, they could adjust, but it just seems pointless to change the height of the rims. What do you gain?

 

[slidingdown]

I propose the height of the rim change several times per game, without warning, and very rapidly. Also, there should be some sort of shark-and-lion pit. And a circle on the floor that, if you shoot from within its boundaries, would cause a made basket to be worth 30 points.

Wait, we're not talking about rock 'n' jock? Dammit.

 

[orangefog]

I propose the height of the rim change several times per game, without warning, and very rapidly. Also, there should be some sort of shark-and-lion pit. And a circle on the floor that, if you shoot from within its boundaries, would cause a made basket to be worth 30 points.

Wait, we're not talking about rock 'n' jock? Dammit.

Can the sharks have lasers on their heads?

 

[slidingdown]

Can the sharks have lasers on their heads?

Please. Frickin' lasers or Adios.

 

[dollarbill44]

None of my vertically- challenged- suburban- white- kids- who- can't- jump- friends in HS could dunk either. You know what we did from time to time? We played on 8 foot baskets, so I get it, women want to have more fun playing hoops.
I don't think lowering the rim will increase viewership. Even though we could lay down some serious dunk on the 8'ers, no one came to watch us.

 

[pfister1]

I guess I agree with this, a softball field is much smaller than a baseball field. Can you imagine girls trying to play softball on a baseball field? I honestly still Wouldn't watch no matter what!

Except softball is an entirely different sport then baseball. A softball field is a softball field and not a baseball field, so softball whether played by women or men is played on a 60 foot diamond. Man or Woman....can you imagine trying to throw a softball across the 90 foot diamond from third or deep short to first?

 

[IthacaMatt]

This would take a good engineer about 0.35 seconds to accomplish.

I used to have a rim at my old house that could be adjusted up or down in 6" increments.

 

[priestp]

I support chromosomal testing.