Latest Version Of The Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

I guess I don't consider it a "commonly misunderstood" rule unless I hear it virtually every other game. One idiot fan per season doesn't make my radar.

Therein lies the rub. One idiot fan per season, especially on a very simple call, does make my radar.

In the immortal words of a naked old man running through the streets of ancient Syracuse (no, it wasn't Jim Boeheim), "Eureka". Thanks to your post, I've finally figured out how I selected rules to post on this "list", or "article". Selections are not only based on the frequency that the rule is misunderstood, but the selection is also based on how simple the rule should be to understand, if the fan only knew the rule.

Note that there is no explanation on my "list" regarding the different types of jump stops that are legal, or illegal, in regard to the traveling rule. This rule is difficult for some officials to understand, and more so to explain, so I'm not going to expect a fan to know all the nuances of the traveling rule.

When a player executes a completely legal jump stop, and a fan yells, "travel", I'm not thinking to myself, "stupid fan", but when an inbounds pass from underneath the team's basket goes untouched into the backcourt where it is retrieved by as player from that team, and a fan yells, "backcourt", then I'm thinking, "idiot fan, if he only knew the rule".