"He walked!"
Ah, the rule in basketball against traveling with the ball. It's come a long way since the old days of the set shot. In the U.S. pro league, the boys get to go a lo-o-o-o-o-o-o-ong way after they stop dribbling -- and the more famous they are, the more they get away with.
From our friend Matt comes news that they're changing the league's rule on traveling to conform more closely with the current reality. They now admit that you can take two steps at the end of a drive. Blazer fans can only hope that this year's union-busting "replacement" referees hold Kobe, D-Wade, and Lebron to just two.
Meanwhile, the always-thoughtful league has just set up a video rule book to help fans sound more articulate when they complain that "We wuz robbed!"
| Posted at 7:52 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (7)
Man, I didn't even know they had a traveling rule anymore. I really didn't -- I thought they had given it up in the pro game or something.
Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | October 17, 2009 11:01 AM
Figures. It's the only basketball rule I thought I more or less understood.
Posted by Allan L. | October 17, 2009 11:40 AM
The actual application of the rule will be that AVERAGE players get two steps. Stars get three. Superstars get four (or more). Otherwise, how could they give the superstars a big advantage over everyone else.
Posted by rural resident | October 17, 2009 12:02 PM
Also, 'carrying' or 'palming' the ball -- used to be a double-dribble or broken-dribble violation, then Magic Johnson ....
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By strange coincidence, just last night at my sister's house we were watching an old Blazers game -- reruns! -- from 1985. I didn't know they replayed old tapes. So I watched awhile and the refs made some 'unfavorable' calls against the home team (Celtics), picky calls they usually ignore. A pair of 3-second lane violations, three whistles for 'traveling' and an honest-to-goodness 'double dribble.' Boston lost, at home -- what're the odds? And I started wondering if this was one of those games the ref(s) rigged and had bets on in Vegas at the same time ...
Posted by Tenskwatawa | October 17, 2009 12:45 PM
Any thoughts on Walton's mea culpas?
I for one am flabbergasted.
Posted by Lawrence | October 17, 2009 3:28 PM
I'm so old I still haven't got used to players showboating and hanging from the basket.
Posted by NW Portlander | October 18, 2009 2:34 PM
Kobe Bryant, however, will be allowed to walk out to the concession stand with the ball, order a drink, walk back, then dribble and shoot.
While Kobe's at the concession stand, the defensive player on the court will get called for blocking.
Posted by ecohuman | October 19, 2009 1:39 PM