More NBA traveling...

[JetMetFan]

Another thought...don't or haven't we all at some point set aside the traveling rule at some point? Think about it: you're working a game with young kids or even a JV game where one or both teams is lousy. Kids are shuffling all over the place. Do you blow your whistle every time? I'm going to guess the answer is 'no' simply because we don't want to a 32-minute game to take three hours to play. However, you do try to get every foul because you don't want anyone hurt, you don't want a fight or a combination of the two.

I'm not saying NBA officials set aside the travel rule. We do need to realize:

1. The NBA's travel rule is different than the NCAA and NF rules
2. The NBA is about entertainment -- when we media types use file video from the NBA the courtesy is "NBA Entertainment." That's not an accident.
3. They, like many of us, have probably been told to call travels when they take place but if a call is to be missed better it be a travel as opposed to a foul. Missed travels lead to arguments. Missed fouls lead to fights.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mcuban

Actually. There are a couple split foot travels missed a game

I guess the question is whether those give a player an advantage

The question is would you be happy with the results if you tweaked the filters a bit. In other words, if the refs adjust so they're watching the feet more closely, they're going to get more travels called. The problem is, they'll likely now be calling a few travels that aren't actually travels.

You're not going to get absolute perfection, so the question is which way would you rather they err?

[Pantherdreams]

Originally Posted by mcuban

Im back

The question really is a 2 parter

1. How can you change mechanics to catch travelling

or

2. How can you simplify the rules so that some of the nuanced travels are no longer travels. Do we make it 3 steps ? And why not ?

Across the board we are going to be looking for ways to make the life of an official easier. How can we simplify the rules and remove some of the more difficult calls.

As has been said here before, players will adjust.

I think we make the game too hard for the officials

Anyone have ideas on how we can simplify the rules ?

If you want things to be simpler for officials or simplify the rules there are easy ways to do that.

1) You write your rules with clear and easily identifiable markers for being in our outside the rules.

ie. The NCAA moved to and then away from "upward motion" vs leaving the floor on block/charge situations because "upward motion" was too difficult to determine or judge at the speeds of plays. So examine what humans can and can't see to write your rules to match ability. Some have suggested increasing court size would increase sight lines. Simplifying rules language to automatics and look fors does the same thing. THe automatic contact rules now mean officials have more time/attention to spend on footwork because after the first touch they don't have to judge the 2nd.

In terms of travelling maybe you say the ball has to be on the way to the floor or have hit the floor before the back foot comes out to make that easier to judge. Or eliminate words like simultaneous from jump stop rules so officials. Even saying once a player gets both feet down either can be their pivot foot means less look fors. I'm not saying any of these are good ideas just makes things simpler.

2) Make the measure of good officiating more to do with consistency of correct calls vs avoiding ball calls. The mentality of call it only if you are sure encourages letting go or missing of calls by officials in the same of fairness and good judgement. Where as if you called a call a specific way in a specific situations and 98% of the time you are validated, 2% you got wrong. Then you would have a call that was being made 100% of the time the same way rarely inaccurately and teams/players would adjust. KNowing the call is coming and is being called consistently makes the game just as "fair" but without the confusion over what is and isn't being called. Not what is currently taught but again simpler you just have to live with mis-calls vs MIssed Calls.

[Mark Padgett]

I think I may have posted this story previously, but it was a while ago and it seems like it's on topic.

Years ago I was working a MS "competitive" tourney and one of the players was the son of NBA player Kenny Carr, who was with the Trailblazers at the time. Kenny was sitting in the bleachers watching his son play. Every time the point guard on the other team would bring the ball up court, Kenny would chant, "TRAVEL, TRAVEL, IT'S A TRAVEL, HE'S TRAVELING" over and over. Finally, I turned to him and said, "Kenny, you play in the NBA. How do you know what a travel is?" He looked at me, laughed and said, "You know - you got a point."

[mcuban]

[QUOTE=Pantherdreams;962634]If you want things to be simpler for officials or simplify the rules there are easy ways to do that.

i agree 100pct. We have to simplify the rule book so that we have more automatic calls

Ive given them a long list. Will be interesting to see what gets traction. Things like
1. 2ndary defender cant step in and get a charge. You have to be actively guarding to get a charge. Just step in to try to beat to a spot and its automatic block

2. Grab/Clench in the post and its automatic foul, no matter what. Guys know that its tough to see, and when its seen, the official has to decide if it impacts the game. Grabs and clenches lead to pushes and shoves to extricate.

3. allow 3 steps for a layup. It doesnt really impact the game, it just looks bad and determining which is the first step can be tough. So make it 3 and deal with the heat we will get for it

4. Better define what a legal screen is. Open to suggestions here

5. Better define what is or isnt incidental contact on drives to the basket. Offensive players have figured out that the officials look at the bodies of the defenders. When there is contact , its very rare it becomes an offensive foul, and its likely its a defensive foul, so we see guys trying to create contact for the sake of conact

6. Get rid of verticality. Block the shot or get out of the way

Feel free to rip me to shreds

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by mcuban

i agree 100pct. We have to simplify the rule book so that we have more automatic calls

Ive given them a long list. Will be interesting to see what gets traction. Things like
1. 2ndary defender cant step in and get a charge. You have to be actively guarding to get a charge. Just step in to try to beat to a spot and its automatic block

2. Grab/Clench in the post and its automatic foul, no matter what. Guys know that its tough to see, and when its seen, the official has to decide if it impacts the game. Grabs and clenches lead to pushes and shoves to extricate.

3. allow 3 steps for a layup. It doesnt really impact the game, it just looks bad and determining which is the first step can be tough. So make it 3 and deal with the heat we will get for it

4. Better define what a legal screen is. Open to suggestions here

5. Better define what is or isnt incidental contact on drives to the basket. Offensive players have figured out that the officials look at the bodies of the defenders. When there is contact , its very rare it becomes an offensive foul, and its likely its a defensive foul, so we see guys trying to create contact for the sake of conact

6. Get rid of verticality. Block the shot or get out of the way

Feel free to rip me to shreds

Don't like #1 or #6. That penalizes good defense. Everyone on the court should be entitled to their space on the floor up to the ceiling.

What would be great is if you would come to an officiating camp. Joey Crawford and Duke Callahan run a 2-day camp at Villanova June 19-20. It's strictly a teaching environment with all the evaluators NBA officials (and all proceeds go to charity). You should give Joey a call.

BTW, I'm still mad about that White Castle comment earlier this year.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mcuban

i agree 100pct. We have to simplify the rule book so that we have more automatic calls

Ive given them a long list. Will be interesting to see what gets traction. Things like
1. 2ndary defender cant step in and get a charge. You have to be actively guarding to get a charge. Just step in to try to beat to a spot and its automatic block

2. Grab/Clench in the post and its automatic foul, no matter what. Guys know that its tough to see, and when its seen, the official has to decide if it impacts the game. Grabs and clenches lead to pushes and shoves to extricate.

3. allow 3 steps for a layup. It doesnt really impact the game, it just looks bad and determining which is the first step can be tough. So make it 3 and deal with the heat we will get for it

4. Better define what a legal screen is. Open to suggestions here

5. Better define what is or isnt incidental contact on drives to the basket. Offensive players have figured out that the officials look at the bodies of the defenders. When there is contact , its very rare it becomes an offensive foul, and its likely its a defensive foul, so we see guys trying to create contact for the sake of conact

6. Get rid of verticality. Block the shot or get out of the way

Feel free to rip me to shreds

#1: This penalizes team defense. Not a fan.

#2: I'd be ok with this.

#3 if you allow three by rule, then they'll take four. The NBA rule already allows an extra step on this from other rule sets. Why go further?

#4 I'm not sure this needs defined more than enforced. But I'm also not convinced these aren't already getting called correctly.

#5 Again, just a matter of enforcement. The NBA officials are excellent. Have them no-call a lot of the offense-initiated contact and it'll stop because guys will be missing shots because they put themselves off balance.

#6 I just think this is a bad idea. Good defenders know how to pick and choose when to block a shot. Good shooters know how to avoid it. This rule isn't broken, IMO, so it doesn't need fixed.