We have our first volleyball association meeting next week, and as I'm sitting here looking at a very dead basketball forum, it occurs to me to look at the volleyball page. Which doesnt take very long!! So I'm left wondering...

Why is this basketball board so very much more active than any of the others? The softball and baseball forums have been much busier this year, haven't they? But they don't come close to basketball, and football at a distant third is the only other page worth bothering with.

Why?! Is it the scintillating posts by Padgett, and Dexter who only do basketball? Or is basketball just inherently more interesting to discuss? Are the rules really that much more complicated that they need so much explanation?

Any takers?

[Edited by rainmaker on Aug 9th, 2003 at 10:29 PM]

The McGriff Football board is the premier discussion board for football, like it was for basketball years ago. Some of those guys also post on this football forum but not many.

About 3 years ago, many of us from the McGriff board began to frequent this board. Padgett and mick were among the first to arrive. I think you, Dan, DeNucci, and I followed shortly afterward. I can still remember mick emailing me in early in 2001 writing, "Hey, the new board is really getting good, even better than McGriff's."

I don't know that one sport is more popular than another, from an officiating discussion standpoint. I do know that the football guys on McGriff stay focused on football all year, while we're guessing what's across the street from the nike campus. :) I always tell people that football rules are harder than basketball but football is easier to officiate. So, there are plenty of rules discussions on the football board. I frequent this board all year long but I really start reading the McGriff football board in August, which really helps prepare me for the season. I can take an NF basketball exam anytime of year and make 95 or better on it. But football requires more study.

Oh well, maybe I'm ramblin' but those are my thoughts.

Don't apologize -- very interesting!

I'd be interested in how the McGriff football board stays focused all year long. We don't wander often, but this time of year, what could (should?) we be discussing?

Juulie - you know I also officiate croquet (really). In fact, not only do I officiate it, I also play it. Here's a recent photo of me at a match.

BTW - those aren't my real knees. I'm smuggling walnuts.

http://www.croquet.com/photogallery/seattle/CBSmith.GIF

Don't forget Chuck Elias.He should be on everybody's short list.

Simple answer.
 

Basketball is the only sport that is played literally year-round. Football is a seasonal sport. Baseball is a seasonal sport (some regions even more seasonal). There is someone that is doing basketball somewhere. If it was not for my other sports, I could find a basketball game to officiate in all 12 months of the year if I wanted to.

Peace

It's lucky for you that Juulie is reading this thread. . .

Re: Simple answer.
 

Around here, soccer is also a year-round sport.

I like the Guess the Quote discussion in the General forum!

Geeze,why all the hostility? :confused: I was just commenting on your,ah,longevity.

That's because you seem to know'em all! :D

BTW, there are 5 new quotes to be discovered! ;)

[Edited by BktBallRef on Aug 10th, 2003 at 11:26 AM]

Are the rules more complicated?
 

Yes. I am a grunt level volleyball official, and I can assure you there are orders of magnitude of difference in the complexity of the rules. Volleyball is a nice game, athletic, high speed, competitive, but it doesn't carry the weight of rules. Of course neither does streetball. I did a couple games yesterday with a mix of graduated D1 and D2 players and you might have been stunned to hear some of their versions of the rules. I was stunned to hear as much mouth as I did. To some extent, it goes with the outdoor game. They just think they're in their own kitchen, so to speak. The team that mouthed less won, and the player who mouthed less was the best player in the game . . . oh boy.

Wow. I don't think I've ever been called scintillating before.

And, as Padgett, I do more than basketball. No croquet for me, but I also officiate (flag) football, (indoor) soccer, and volleyball.


As to why we "drift" - I think it's the combined insanity.

[Edited by Mark Dexter on Aug 11th, 2003 at 07:54 AM]

No hostility. I was just saying that you're lucky. So I guess what you need to ask yourself is, "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?

Couldn't decide whether to post this one here or in the General forum :)

Mark,
Is that NFHS or USSF soccer? Or both? If so I have a rules question for you on the soccer forum.

[Edited by Nevadaref on Aug 11th, 2003 at 01:39 AM]