Yes, the NFHS did. But I thought then and still do that that it was a stupid excuse and not a good reason.

MTD, Sr.

What has a guard's great play or poor play to do with the AP? Before you say the AP "rewards" great play you should note that 50% of the time it rewards the OTHER team.

The jump to start the game is ridiculous most of the time because officials don't care enough. Players can time the majority of jump balls because of hitches (a slight dip before going up) in the tossing motion. A low toss is another reason jump balls are bad. Danny Crawford, a (gasp) NBA official uses a nice toss without a dip. I use two hands and go from a bounce straight up while I'm talking so the jumpers cannot steal the tip.

How many of us have a dip that allows our toss to be stolen?

Wouldn't a better question be "How many U's don't call a violation for a stolen toss?"

This is a much quoted explanation, but according to Red Auerbach, he started the movement for alternate possession because Kareem Abdul Jabbar never lost a tip-off, and he was sick of the Lakers getting two extra possessions a game. He started complaining that the referees couldn't toss the ball up consistantly and people bought it.

The real reason this took off is that the game was getting longer due to TV timeouts and the powers that be welcomed ways to shorten the game.

Here, here! Well said.

MTD, Sr.

You got that right.

I haven't called any stolen tosses, but I did call an horrendous toss back this weekend in the Boo Williams Tourney. Technically I shouldn't have b/c I was the U2, but the toss was so horrible and the U1 didn't blow his whistle so I had to step in on the that one.


I talk also, but I don't bounce. I step into the circle and say "I'm going straight up" and as soon as I finish my sentence the ball is leaving my right hand...I'm a one-hand tosser (no smart remarks please :o )

Mark, referee incompetence have nothing to dio with the NBA's semi-circle. The rule was added by the NBA because they wanted fans, coaches, and players to understand that they did not want charges called when secondary defenders were standing under the basket. It had nothing to do with officials being unable to make the proper call.

Obviously you don't know about the "dip fake!"

I dip my shoulder but then hold it until I'm ready to toss it, not when the bohemoths think i'm going to toss.

BTW, my crew called 7 jump ball violations on jumpers this year for getting the ball on the way up.

Who needs to fake anything?

I toss it like Tom does, 2 hands in mid-sentence but not off the bounce. I walk into the circle and get dirctly between them while saying something like "OK fellas, you ready to go? Don't hit me in the..." ball goes up "...head."

How can you use that 50% stat? You odn't know for sure which play is rewarded in each situation. YOu can say there's a 50% chance EACH TIME that the OTHER team is going to be rewarded, but, for all you know, the great guard play could end up getting rewarded everytime.

Rut:

I understand why the NBA/WNBA has it I just think it is stupid and hope that the NFHS and NCAA (and don't get me started on Barb Jacobs and her lack of rules knowledge contribution to the situation) does not adopt such a rule.

MTD, Sr.

Geeze, well maybe because the alternating possession arrow actually *alternates* from team to team...and since there are only 2 teams to consider, 50% of the time the arrow will in fact be pointing at the OTHER team.

MTD, I think the biggest problem with the NFHS and NCAA is consistency. It doesn't matter if you have the restricted area or a picture of Bozo the Clown, if games aren't called consistently people will be unhappy.