STEVEHOLT
There are FIVE letters in the name BLAIN.
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- Aug 27, 2011
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Seeing some posts below about the unwatchability (not a world but should be) made me recall a recent interesting article in ESPN magazine about the game pace in college basketball and how its been dropping steadily in terms of possessions per game. We are looking at hitting fewer than 65 possessions per game for the first time ever in the shot clock era.
Moreover, the data shows that teams in the bottom half of pace do better than teams in the top half. There is no internal incentive to speed up the pace with the way the games are called as well as the rules.
In the NFL aggressive offense is rewarded , often in the form of defensive penalties, in college bball, the aggressor is often given the shaft by the refs with their over zealous, momentum changing, charge calls.
Game pace also slows within each year, something we can for sure relate to.
Until there is a fundamental change (such as shortened shot clock) this trend will continue. Coach's dont care about the aesthetic appeal of games, they are hired to win at any cost.
I know there is a lot of talk about game play being subpar due to one and dones, but I really feel that is a side issue. Theoretically a one and done should be just as pathetic at defending as he is at scoring, so those factors should at least partially offset.
My opinion is that you could put MJ, Hakeem the Dream, and Oscar Robertson out there and the way current games are structured would still render them difficult to watch
Moreover, the data shows that teams in the bottom half of pace do better than teams in the top half. There is no internal incentive to speed up the pace with the way the games are called as well as the rules.
In the NFL aggressive offense is rewarded , often in the form of defensive penalties, in college bball, the aggressor is often given the shaft by the refs with their over zealous, momentum changing, charge calls.
Game pace also slows within each year, something we can for sure relate to.
Until there is a fundamental change (such as shortened shot clock) this trend will continue. Coach's dont care about the aesthetic appeal of games, they are hired to win at any cost.
I know there is a lot of talk about game play being subpar due to one and dones, but I really feel that is a side issue. Theoretically a one and done should be just as pathetic at defending as he is at scoring, so those factors should at least partially offset.
My opinion is that you could put MJ, Hakeem the Dream, and Oscar Robertson out there and the way current games are structured would still render them difficult to watch
