I'm attending our board's class for people who want to become IAABO members. Our board interpreter told a story that I thought you all might find interesting. We've asked ourselves this question dozens of times on this board: why is dunking prohibited during warm-ups?

According to my interpreter, the reason is as follows. Years ago, he didn't say how many, several of the members of a college basketball team were extremely ill with the flu. They had a game scheduled on the road, and the AD called the host school, explained the situation and asked if the game could be postponed. The host school's AD (apparantly smelling an easy win) said they would not postpone the game and they had to play the game as scheduled.

The visitors arrived on the day of the game, went out for pre-game warm-ups and tore the basket off of the backboard while dunking. The game could not be played and was postponed.

The rules committee put the rule in so that a team could not intentionally gain a delay in the contest.

It sounds a little too contrived to me, but this guy really knows his stuff and wasn't pulling our chains. What do you think?

Chuck

Under FIBA dunking during warmups isn't illegal - however hanging on the ring is (just as it is during games). However, this explanation does sound legit.

Sounds plausable, but the same thing could be acheived on the first play of the game, running a screen for your big man and letting him drive home the broken basket.

The rule was put in when Kareem Abdul Jabbar(Lew Alcindor then)was a freshman at UCLA.Their freshman team(frosh weren't eligible for varsity then)beat the varsity team quite badly in a scrimmage.The rule was supposedly put in the next year so he wouldn't be as dominate.Sports Illustrated even ran a story to that effect just before his sophmore year in their basketball issue.

That makes no sense, JR. Why would not allowing dunking during pre-game have any affect on his dominance?

That was a little bit before today's rule that we are talking about. I think your Kareem story was when they went to no dunking period. We had a time from the mid 70's until the early 90's where dunking was allowed in warmups and the game. Now it is only allowed in the game.

They banned dunking before and during the game BOTH at the same time!Make sense now?

I think the truth lies in the original story, but was enhanced for dramatic effect.

I have long been told the reason was they did not want uncontrolled dunking during warmups to bend the rims or break the glass, thus causing a delay.

The origin, I was told, was that huge monster:TV. It takes about 30 minutes to change a backboard, and that could or did, mess with TV schedules, so they convinced the NCAA it was bad, and it trickled down to the FED.

IIRC, they used to call the no dunking rule the "anti-Alcindor rule". It was feared that if Lew Alcindor (nee' Kareem Abdul Jabbar) were allowed to dunk the ball that he would be so dominant that no one would be able to contain him so they put the rule in to level the playing field.

After attending camp with you this summer all I have to say is I'm not surprised. :eek:

BTW, this post entitles you to 1 free shot concerning the Mighty Eisners recent success vs America's favorite baseball team. ;)

No,it don't! Proceed at your own risk,Chuck.:D

Don't you mean Kareem Abdul Jabaar (nee Lew Alcindor)? :p

However pre-game dunking is legal according to the rulebook, our board has told the refs to warn at the first dunk and whack no.2 and further.

ADR

I stand corrected. Thank you.

I will say only this. Unlike Yankees fans, who for some reason take huge amounts of pleasure in the Red Sox misfortunes and take undue pleasure in their own team's successes, most Red Sox fans that I know take no pleasure in rubbing anyone's nose in the Yankees first-round loss. We're glad they lost, we're glad we don't have to listen to obnoxious gloating all winter, and clearly we wish the Sox had made the playoffs instead of the Yankees. But there is no joy in the Yankees loss. Mark D. and I have been silent about it. My only consolation is that Georgie is stuck with Mondesi's $13 million contract for one more season. I am now left only with rooting against the Giants. Maybe I'll root for the Twins, just to stick it to Bud.