[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

Perhaps I just don't watch enough women's basketball, but I really don't see that those rules differences make much difference. The amount of time in a game spent in backcourt, closely guarded, or as an airborne shooter is not that significant. Now the shot clock will certainly have a dramatic effect, I'll grant you that. But I'm not aware that there is any difference in the shot clock rules between men and women, other than the duration.

You need to watch a little more Women’s basketball, because it is often on a press the team in control of the ball is not always advancing the ball because they do not have 10 seconds to get across. If you have a really good dribbler, you can dribble around without the threat of getting a 5 second call. This all allows for a press to almost be ineffective if you cannot cut off a guard from movement. This is a significant strategy difference.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

I could be wrong. Perhaps Rocky, or one of our other fine NCAA women's officials would disagree about the extent to which these rules differences affect the game.

Whether he agrees or not is really not the issue. I started out in NCAA Women's basketball and it was in my opinion a big difference. And for the record, NCAA Men's had a rule several years ago that allowed the dribbler to not get a closely guarded count and the rule was changed a few years later. It made the guards dominate by just dribbling around and took defense out of many parts of the game.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

But again, I believe that despite the vast difference in styles between the women's and men's game, it's all achieved almost entirely within the same set of rules.

Basketball across the board is similar. The basics of the game are always going to stay the same. But to think all rules should be across the board the same regardless of age and level in my opinion is not very wise.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

No, I don't think the difference in interests between men's and women's NCAA is anywhere near the differences between NF/NCAA and the NBA. The NCAA comprises several hundred schools, with a very wide range of athlete ability, athletic budget, and various other concerns. Frankly, running an athletic association with that many members and diverse interests, whose teams are only associated with the NCAA, not owners or owned, and getting anything done must be like herding cats. The NBA has what? 30 teams? That's 30 owners, and together those owners own the league, I believe. Sure, they hire a commissioner, and he has significant authority. But realistically those 30 guys, each with multi-hundreds of millions of dollars invested, and with the highest level of talent in the world, have a vastly different collective agenda than the NCAA, men or women. And they can get anything changed that they collectively put their minds to.

What makes you think they want a HS rule that might not put the butts in the seats? Why do you think there is the half-circle under the basket? They do not want defenders hanging out under the basket to prevent dunks and scoring. This is also why there is a 3 second defensive call and other rules that encourage offense. This is why many have accused the NBA as being entertainment rather than pure basketball.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

And between NF and NCAA the difference is far less. Thus NF rules and mechanics seem to be perpetually chasing the NCAA. And for that matter, the differences in style and ability among the organizations that have adopted NFHS rules (high school leagues, junior high leages, church leagues, rec. leagues, etc.) is probably far greater than the difference between men's and women's NCAA.

Even NF rules get modified when you start going to younger players in many jurisdictions. It is not like all the NF uses are adopted across the board either. Even if you got everyone in a room and said all the rules would be the same, I bet you would have more changes or modifications to fit an organization's philosophy. And it is also a myth that the NF is chancing NCAA Mechanics. Some CCA mechanics are adopted but I clearly doubt all of them will always be adopted. Hell, Women's basketball took on a bunch of signals that are new this year you likely will never see adopted at NCAA Men's or NF levels.

Peace