Stephen A Smith on Gameday

[RF2044]

Just fix the officiating: no contact allowed.

A shorter shot clock would be a bonus.

Agree 100%.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Why can't college ball just go directly to international rules? If I'm not mistaken, they allow a zone (in the sense that a Center can park in the lane) and have a shorter shot clock. Seems logical to me


btw, Stephen A. Smith is garbage

Actually, Stephen A. Smith is one of the most well connected media people in the NBA and breaks a lot of stories other people can't even hope to get. People don't focus on that though because it's more fun to pick on the on-screen character he portrays.

 

[djcon57]

I'm not sure about a 24 second shot clock. But it makes zero sense that high schools play with a 30 second shot clock and college plays with 35.

Getting it down to 30 would seem to make sense.

The biggest problem runs much deeper than that. The way the game is played and refereed makes zero sense. A foul is a foul. It doesn't matter how many fouls the player has or the team has or how much time on the clock. A foul is a foul. Call the fouls by the rules of the game consistently. Problem solved.

If the Pittsburgh's of the country have to finish some games playing 2 on 5 for awhile, oh well. Stop fouling. I'm sure they'll learn how to play/coach the game within the rules of basketball eventually

That's it. That's my beef.

Watch an NBA game and watch a college game. They "bang", but they aren't literally hitting each other.
The Nova/Cuse game from earlier this year was a fn embarrassment.
Also, the refs need to compensate for the fact that they players are simply less skilled.
In the NBA, one slick handler can get through a press pretty easy...not the case in college, so they let teams press, someone gets stuck, then they trap BUT THEN they allow them to hack the crap out the guy. Call the foul. Period.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

and yet many find the nba unwatchable

I can't stand isolation basketball and that's what the 24 second shot clock does.

30 seconds is a reasonable fix. That and making kids stay 3 years if they decide to play. You want the game to be watchable, force the guys who can actually play it to stay for more than one season.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

To me the guys that are hurting college ball are guys like JDixon and Buzz (even tho theres much i like about Buzz) ; BStevens was the same way. They have their players just assault guys like Rak. I remember literally Buzz would have his kids try to cave in Keitas knees from behind. This crap would never fly in the nba because you cant touch someones superstars. My guess is Brad Stevens will struggle in the nba

I have no clue why you came to the that last conclusion. Brad Stevens is like 8 years old comparatively. You think he just didn't see what the college refs were allowing and adapted the way his players play to take advantage of that. I'm sure he is capable of figuring out what the refs allow in the NBA and adjusts his style accordingly.

 

[Alsacs]

I was waiting for SAS to scream Slava Medvedenko. The guy knows hoops but his idea for college hoops suck.
College hoops though today is becoming unwatchable. 35 second shot clock and physical defenses with incompetent referees has ruined college hoops.

 

[llandz]

And you are promoting the Syracuse v Duke game tonight at every commercial but it was not worth making a prediction on the game? Are we that irrelevant right now? Did we not just win two very good games and are ripe for this upset? Now I really want to win. (Not that I didn't before).

 

[dasher]

I was waiting for SAS to scream Slava Medvedenko. The guy knows hoops but his idea for college hoops suck.
College hoops though today is becoming unwatchable. 35 second shot clock and physical defenses with incompetent referees has ruined college hoops.

Kids leaving early has ruined college basketball. Refs have always been incompetant. In fact, when I was in college, we had only two refs per game. They got out of bounds calls wrong a lot. At least that doesn't happen anymore. The defenses were also physical back in the 80's. The Big East was a war. The games were great. The 30 second shot clock would really help us. It takes more time to break a zone than a man to man. The game is worse today because the teams aren't as good. Too many young kids. Ewing, Chris M. Derrick Coleman stayed 4 years. Those teams were powerful.

 

[CuseinNYC]

24 second shot clock and eliminate the zone.

Round table on how to improve (I say fix bc this garbage is broken) the college game.

All 5 on Gameday agree its unwatchable.

That's so funny because it misses the whole point of what the problems are. If the fundamentals are weak, what is a 24 second shot clock going to improve?

The 3 point shot has made college hoops unwatchable IMHO. At this point, the whole game is centered around hucking up a 3-ball and hoping it goes in.

If you want kids to be forced back to fundamentals, get rid of the 3-ball in college (or make it 25 feet back). This will force teams to develop meaningful 2 point offense.

 

[Scooch]

Kids leaving early has ruined college basketball. Refs have always been incompetant. In fact, when I was in college, we had only two refs per game. They got out of bounds calls wrong a lot. At least that doesn't happen anymore. The defenses were also physical back in the 80's. The Big East was a war. The games were great. The 30 second shot clock would really help us. It takes more time to break a zone than a man to man. The game is worse today because the teams aren't as good. Too many young kids. Ewing, Chris M. Derrick Coleman stayed 4 years. Those teams were powerful.

Yep, the BIGGEST reason why the college game is generally lousy these days is because of the lack of talent. There are dozens of players in the NBA right now who would still be in college a couple decades ago. One of the reasons I prefer the NBA game is that people can make shots. Every possession isn't an exercise is slow torture like it is in college. And many of the guys making shots would have been doing it as seniors years ago. Our 4 year guys used to be Coleman, Douglas and Wallace. Now we have Joseph, Fair and Triche. Love those guys, but you see the difference.

It also doesn't help that the pros have commissioners who have authority to constantly tweak the rules in an effort to enhance the quality of play, which typically means increasing offense, while college does not.

Agree with those who say college needs to cut the shot clock down, I'd go with 25, and make a concerted effort to stamp out the overly physical play.

 

[Brooky03]

Actually, Stephen A. Smith is one of the most well connected media people in the NBA and breaks a lot of stories other people can't even hope to get. People don't focus on that though because it's more fun to pick on the on-screen character he portrays.

Considering there's no real need for him to play that character to be successful and considering I think he truly believes that LeBron is infallible, I think the criticism is valid. He comes across very arrogant and dismissive, which is off putting, and I don't usually find his analysis overly insightful or accurate. I know he was playing a character to an extent on First Take, but he and Skip eventually jumped the shark. I haven't seen anything from either of them that would restore whatever level of confidence I had in their journalistic or analytical abilities.

These are obviously just my opinions, but I see little in him that is redeemable. Perhaps he is well connected and breaks stories nobody else could, but his credibility is suspect, IMO.

 

[longislandcuse]

I would play a 24-30 second shot clock and move the 3 point line back to the NBA. I think it's beyond ridiculous that the rules are so dramatically different between pro and college.

 

[Jack Hall]

I have no clue why you came to the that last conclusion. Brad Stevens is like 8 years old comparatively. You think he just didn't see what the college refs were allowing and adapted the way his players play to take advantage of that. I'm sure he is capable of figuring out what the refs allow in the NBA and adjusts his style accordingly.

It was just a guess,we shall see, some guys can adapt some cant. Case in point, there are many refs crews who would have called our sweet 16 game differently than that crew did. He didnt really know. He was a great coach in college, i dont deny that. We will see if hes a great coach in nba

 

[Scooch]

It was just a guess,we shall see, some guys can adapt some cant. Case in point, there are many refs crews who would have called our sweet 16 game differently than that crew did. He didnt really know. He was a great coach in college, i dont deny that. We will see if hes a great coach in nba

He's doing a helluva good job with the Celtics.

 

[orangefog]

Actually, Stephen A. Smith is one of the most well connected media people in the NBA and breaks a lot of stories other people can't even hope to get. People don't focus on that though because it's more fun to pick on the on-screen character he portrays.

I don't mind Stephen A. Smith, but getting rid of zone defenses is absurd. I agree with other posters, shot clock to 30 seconds and enforce the rules consistently, a foul is a foul. If teams foul out everbody, then they will have to adapt how they play and games will become more free flowing and enjoyable to watch.

 

[Jack Hall]

He's doing a helluva good job with the Celtics.

23-33 w little talent or experience? I guess but not convinced

 

[Scooch]

23-33 w little talent or experience? I guess but not convinced

Yes, exactly. The C's have been in position to win a huge chunk of their games, but they lack talent to finish. If Stevens had a couple more legit starters they'd be battling for the #5 seed. He's a good coach.

 

[Jack Hall]

Yes, exactly. The C's have been in position to win a huge chunk of their games, but they lack talent to finish. If Stevens had a couple more legit starters they'd be battling for the #5 seed. He's a good coach.

I cant argue, when i said "struggle" i more meant compared to his level of success in college ball, ie two straight finals. But yes that is a high bar

 

[DoctorBombay]

Actually, Stephen A. Smith is one of the most well connected media people in the NBA and breaks a lot of stories other people can't even hope to get. People don't focus on that though because it's more fun to pick on the on-screen character he portrays.

Maybe so, but he's a know-it-all, loudmouth, & braggert who seems to get off on hearing himself talk.
True substance doesn't need alot of "look at me's" to make it's point. His credibility died a long time ago- he's just a cartoon at this stage.

 

[alphaorange]

Too many young kids.

The NBA is struggling with that very same problem.

 

[longislandcuse]

The NBA is struggling with that very same problem.

Although Wiggins and Parker (pre-injury) are playing well. Agreed on your main point though. CBB and the NBA would benefit from a 2 year in college rule.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Maybe so, but he's a know-it-all, loudmouth, & braggert who seems to get off on hearing himself talk.
True substance doesn't need alot of "look at me's" to make it's point. His credibility died a long time ago- he's just a cartoon at this stage.

He's credible within NBA circles.

 

[Col. Bleep]

... the on-screen character he portrays.

You hit it exactly.
He plays a character on the air.
It's pathetic, dopey schtick.
Often so unwatchable people can't even get to the merits of whatever he's talking about.

 

[OburgOrange]

Who cares what anyone says on ESPN

 

[Bayside44]

30 second shot clock and fix the block - charge, esp the secondary "defender" who flops like he plays for Brazil in futbol.

Watched VCU-Richmond the other night, double overtime game, guys making plays everywhere. 2nd OT, the VCU guy beats his man to the hole, the secondary "defender" slides in not to play be defense but to be the nail to the offensive guy's hammer. VCU of course gets called for the charge and game over. The defender wouldn't get rewarded for playing defense but does for standing there like a dope and acting. Terrible.