Ten Second Free Throw Violation ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

I don't get it...what's shady in basketball about "ball, ball, ball" or "dead, dead, dead"? "Ball" could be a player on offense calling for the ball, or on defense indicating either that s/he's covering ball or that they need someone else to cover ball. "Dead" could mean any number of things to a particular team.

It's not what they say, but how they say it, and how they keep repeating it over and over, trying to get under their opponent's skin, trying to panic their opponent.

Maybe it's alright in some sports, but I personally don't believe that yelling in an opponent's face in an irritating manner when one is only inches away is good sportsmanship in a basketball game.

I would never teach, or allow, the middle school kids I coached to do it.

Is it taunting? Probably not (but it could be). Is is baiting? Probably not (but it could be).

Maybe it isn't unsporting, but it certainly doesn't demonstrate good sportsmanship.

Is this what Dr. Naismith envisioned? What would Jesus do (Jesus Shuttlesworth, Big State University basketball player)?

Like I said, I ain't a "guardian of the game" hero, and as an experienced official I'm not addressing this activity with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.

But I should.