Is it me? Or, is ESPN Doug Gotleib an idiot?
 

Did anyone listen to Doug Gotleib this morning on ESPN saying that John Cahill made two terrible calls last night back to back in the Syracuse-UCONN game, but yet quoted the rule and stated that by letter of the law it was the right call to make on one of the plays. Is this guy that big of an idiot?

Yes. I stopped listening to him a long time ago. One of the worst, IMO.

That is a pretty common meme of common-taters and sports journalists.

Not only that, but I do believe that being an idiot is a pre-requisite for the job.

Last night near the end of the Duke-UNC game a Duke player caught a ball with his left foot in the backcourt and his right foot pivoting. He pivoted into the front court and then into the backcourt. The C was straddling the division line with a "that's nothing" pose and Dookie V starts in, "Isn't that backcourt? He stepped over the line."

His partner had to gently say, "I think that's all right. He wasn't all the way across."

Which foot was the pivot foot?

and a few other things
 

not a big fan.

Article: Gottlieb Charged - The Washington Post | HighBeam Research - FREE trial

:d

I saw that one. Even for a commentator, that one was pretty bad. It wasn't like it was even close.

As far as Doug Getleib goes, it's typical armchair officiating from a commentator who acts like he knows what he's talking about. What made it even worse is they quoted the rule book, went back and looked at the play, and still disagreed about the call.

(Answer to Subject)

Yes, he is an idiot. No, its not you (at least in this case) :D

Regarding the player straddling the center line; here's what happen. The player is dribbling from back to front court. He picks up his dribble while straddling the center line and then picks up his foot in the FC and puts it in the BC. I thought that it was a BC violation because it is in FIBA rules. Is the NCAA backcourt rule different?

Yes, it's different in NFHS as well.

This player has BC status the whole time due to his foot in the BC.

In FIBA, does this player have FC status while straddling the line?

In FIBA, all three points have to be in the FC when dribbling the ball to achieve FC status. But when holding the ball, if any part of your body is in the FC, then you are in the FC

Interesting. The 3 point rule is the same, but a player holding the ball is in the BC if any part of his/her body is touching the BC.

Just looking to clarify...

So then stepping on the division line after being entirely in FC is not a BC violation? Nor would stepping into BC with one foot while the other remains in FC?