SWC75
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...is the title of an article in Sport's Illustrated's 12/9/63 college basketball preview, which is one of a bunch of SI basketball preview editions I got from an internet collector a few years ago. I happened to spot them and decided to look through them. The article is by Frank Ramsey of the Celtics with Frank Deford, just starting his long career with the magazine. Frank is describing the little tricks he uses to bend the rules and gain an advantage that isn't strictly legal. His descriptions sounded awfully familiar.
WHY I FALL- Drawing fouls chiefly requires the ability to provide good, heartwarming drama and to direct it to the right audience. I never forget where the referees are when I go into an act. The most reliable eye-catcher is still the pratfall. Particularly on defense, when everything else fails, I fall down.
I MOVE TO THE REAR - When I am guarding the player with the ball and contact occurs, I forget pride. I don't hold my position, even if I am sure I am right. But if I forget and do stand my ground, I stand perfectly rigid...Falling is always safest. Notice that I collapse with the least bit of contact. I react before the offensive man does, so that the blame appears to be his.
I TRY FOR THREE - I am not afraid to take chances when I am shooting because the way the game is played the officials almost always side with the offensive player in a tough judgement situation. When I try to set up a three point play, the odds are with me...Instead of going straight up I gamble by by jumping slightly into him. The brush should not disturb my shooting and may earn me a foul shot as well.
BUMP AND SHOOT- This ploy was originated by Dolph Schayes. Certainly he always did it better than anyone else. It utilized reverse psychology on the referee. The man with the ball starts with good position but then creates the foul deliberately by bumping before he shoots. It happens so fast that the officials believe the defensive man must have fouled- on the theory that nobody would be looking for trouble if he is set for a shot. It should be done very subtly though , so that it does not embarrass the official. I never try to make an official look bad. If I must talk to one, I try to be polite and make him feel I'm on his side. This is an emotional game and the hotheads don't get the breaks.
DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS- Under the basket a good actor has a big advantage. The ball is loose, we're all moving and there is bound to be a lot of contact. Naturally the officials are looking for fouls and it's a good time for drawing them. And for my dramatics...From the side, you could tell that I'm falling on purpose here. But the official is usually under the basket, right in front of me. If I act pained enough, he'll call the push.
OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS- In the situation above, I do have position so unless the ball takes a crazy bounce out of my reach I don't have to worry about over-acting. Here, though, I am blocked out and have a better chance to get the foul than I have to get the ball...Cut off from the ball, with my opponent all set, I just happen to collide with one of his arms. I bounce off in agony, pretending he elbowed me out of the way.
OLD RELIABLE- The underhand shot is still the classic maneuver for drawing a foul. Anytime I am near the basket and I am fouled before I shoot, I flick the ball up as fast as I can. It may look like a legitimate shot for me to get two free throws instead of one. All the pros know about this sort of thing. They know what I've been getting away with. without having to see these drawings. But it isn't easy to combat these moves when they're done properly.
Nothing new under the sun. The guy playing the opposing player in the drawings that accompanied the article was Frank Deford. The article created such a firestorm that Ramsey retired after that season and back to his farm in Kentucky.
http://www.si.com/nba/photos/2014/10/06/smart-moves-master-deception
WHY I FALL- Drawing fouls chiefly requires the ability to provide good, heartwarming drama and to direct it to the right audience. I never forget where the referees are when I go into an act. The most reliable eye-catcher is still the pratfall. Particularly on defense, when everything else fails, I fall down.
I MOVE TO THE REAR - When I am guarding the player with the ball and contact occurs, I forget pride. I don't hold my position, even if I am sure I am right. But if I forget and do stand my ground, I stand perfectly rigid...Falling is always safest. Notice that I collapse with the least bit of contact. I react before the offensive man does, so that the blame appears to be his.
I TRY FOR THREE - I am not afraid to take chances when I am shooting because the way the game is played the officials almost always side with the offensive player in a tough judgement situation. When I try to set up a three point play, the odds are with me...Instead of going straight up I gamble by by jumping slightly into him. The brush should not disturb my shooting and may earn me a foul shot as well.
BUMP AND SHOOT- This ploy was originated by Dolph Schayes. Certainly he always did it better than anyone else. It utilized reverse psychology on the referee. The man with the ball starts with good position but then creates the foul deliberately by bumping before he shoots. It happens so fast that the officials believe the defensive man must have fouled- on the theory that nobody would be looking for trouble if he is set for a shot. It should be done very subtly though , so that it does not embarrass the official. I never try to make an official look bad. If I must talk to one, I try to be polite and make him feel I'm on his side. This is an emotional game and the hotheads don't get the breaks.
DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS- Under the basket a good actor has a big advantage. The ball is loose, we're all moving and there is bound to be a lot of contact. Naturally the officials are looking for fouls and it's a good time for drawing them. And for my dramatics...From the side, you could tell that I'm falling on purpose here. But the official is usually under the basket, right in front of me. If I act pained enough, he'll call the push.
OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS- In the situation above, I do have position so unless the ball takes a crazy bounce out of my reach I don't have to worry about over-acting. Here, though, I am blocked out and have a better chance to get the foul than I have to get the ball...Cut off from the ball, with my opponent all set, I just happen to collide with one of his arms. I bounce off in agony, pretending he elbowed me out of the way.
OLD RELIABLE- The underhand shot is still the classic maneuver for drawing a foul. Anytime I am near the basket and I am fouled before I shoot, I flick the ball up as fast as I can. It may look like a legitimate shot for me to get two free throws instead of one. All the pros know about this sort of thing. They know what I've been getting away with. without having to see these drawings. But it isn't easy to combat these moves when they're done properly.
Nothing new under the sun. The guy playing the opposing player in the drawings that accompanied the article was Frank Deford. The article created such a firestorm that Ramsey retired after that season and back to his farm in Kentucky.
http://www.si.com/nba/photos/2014/10/06/smart-moves-master-deception
