Originally Posted by bainsey
For a few years, I've maintained a personal list of basketball's biggest rules myths. The existence of "over the back" has always topped my list, but I may have something to top it. I'd like some thoughts.
Varsity boys today (not working, I was a spectator): V down 2 points in the closing seconds. Shot is missed, put back is missed, H called for pushing foul, V will shoot two with :01 left. H-22 says F.U. (not sure to whom, some say an official, but I can't confirm that) and earns a T. Clear the lane, we're shooting four.
The first two free throws for V are missed. However, both technical free throws are nailed (different shooter). We got to overtime, where V eventually wins a 65-63 thriller on a buzzer beater.
Of course, some H fans say about the technical, "you don't make that call at that point in the game." Granted, there is significant emotion talking, and perhaps they didn't know what V-22 said, but I still find this to be a very common myth, even when you don't have a horse in the race, so I think it's more than just sour grapes talking. What's more, I find this myth to be a more damaging than most, because it's predicated upon the belief that the officials somehow take away games from the players, as opposed to enforcing the rules and their penalties, as we're obligated.
You don't hear this cry from fans nearly as much in football, when there's a pass interference penalty in the last minute. I could draw parallels to other sports, but the bottom line is this myth seems to exist mostly in basketball. Am I off base with this?
I've been taught that time and score are irrelevant to the enforcement of the rules. I'm curious why so many others think the opposite, when it's expected that way in other sports.
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