Apparently, PETA has been on the NCAA's rear to stop the use of leather balls for basketball games - does anyone know if this is just an administrative decision (i.e., tournament time only) or if it is a prohibition in the playing rules (i.e., no leather balls at any time during the season).

Does every player have to wear canvas shoes too? :p

I can see the new shoe polish now - "Canvas Lustre".

Also - I guess we'll have to start calling coaches "Howler Carrots".

BTW - I thought PETA stood for "People Eating Tasty Animals".

From what I've read/heard, this only applies to regular season games/tournaments. All those preseason conference tournaments and such can use the "old" stlye balls, but come regular season, this is going to be an inforced "rule."

If I don't get a raise because my school has to purchase two new sets of balls, I'm going to be a bit upset with PETA!! :D

As I understand the rule, they will have to use the composite ball in the NCAA tournament in 2003, but other than that leather balls may still be used...previously you had to get the visiting coach's approval to use a composite ball, but that is no longer true...I am not aware of any rule saying they MUST use a composite ball - where did you hear that??

PETA
 

I am not a fan of PETA at all, they do do some good but then they take it to far. I read a story where a pig farmer raised some pigs just to be raced. PETA thought this was inhumane so they protested so much the farmer had to stop racing the pigs. Now, he made money from raising the pigs and he used that money to maintain the pigs. No race, no money, so he had the pigs slaughtered. Nice job PETA. I wonder if that is what they wanted to accomplish?

High School balls will have two markings on them soon.
the NFHS approved stamp, and the PETA approved stamp!

AK ref SE

Re: PETA
 

This sounds like an urban legend to me. It's just too good to be true...

Checked the NCAA website last night for the actual rule change.

Starting this season, teams can choose to use a composite (i.e., non-leather) ball without obtaining the approval of the opposing coach. The men's basketball tournament committee has decided to use composite balls for the entire tournament.

I've gotta ask
 

After reading the subject of this thread am I the only one that infered a different line of discussion.

I'm sorry, I'll now go to the principals office.

No, you're not. But I'm very proud of us as a board that it took 5 whole days for someone to mention it!! :D

Chuck

I think we should be proud that Padgett wasn't the first to mention it!

Of course, he was saving that "golf course" joke of his . . .

Actually, it was too easy of a setup - not worthy of my maniacal, demented brain.

But - since you like golf jokes - here's the first new one I've heard in a long time:

Three guys were going to play a round and asked a guy in the locker room if he would join them to make a foursome. He said he would, and he went out and shot a pretty good round. They noticed he played the entire round left-handed. They asked him to come back next week and he said, "OK, but I might be about 10 minutes late."

Next week came. He was right on time and this week he played the entire round right-handed. They asked him to come back next week and he said, "OK, but I might be about 10 minutes late."

Next week came. Again, he was right on time and this week he played the entire round left-handed again. They asked him to come back next week and he said, "OK, but I might be about 10 minutes late."

One of the guys said, "Wait a minute. Each week you say you might be about 10 minutes late, but you show up right on time. One week you play left-handed, the next week you play right-handed, then you switch to left-handed again the following week. What's going on?"

"Oh", he replied. "You see - when I get up in the morning, I look over at my wife in bed and if she's lying on her left side, I play the round left-handed but if she's lying on her right side, I play the round right-handed."

"Hold on", said one of the guys, "what if she's lying on her back?"

"Oh", said the guy, "then I might be about 10 minutes late." :D

Mark P: Is this why you were 10 minutes late to your last game?