STANZ: Freedom of movement is dead

JStanz51

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Sep 24, 2013
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My column with Bill Fennelly's comments on freedom of movement after today's loss.

 
Outstanding stuff Jared. It's been driving me crazy watching it get worse as teams realize they can get away with it in both the men's and the women's games. Hell, the men's team isn't innocent of playing like that, either. They don't need to quite be the NBA but I think something like what we saw in the NBA in the mid-late 2000's opening the game up a lot would be great for the game.
 
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Completely agree! The way WBB is currently officiated makes it unwatchable when officials refuse to call obvious fouls. Texas literally commits 7, or more, fouls on every single defensive possession. Freedom of movement has been completely abandoned. I retired from officiating HSBB a number of years ago, and at that time the NFHS was imploring officials to clean up the games - meaning call MORE fouls. The state of things has nearly devolved into AAU standards, where almost anything goes. The worst example I was told about was a tib/fib fracture where both bones were visibly protruding through the skin. But officials refused to stop the game while the other team was in possession.

Watching what happened to Lexi today tells me we're getting ever closer to chaos.
 
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My column with Bill Fennelly's comments on freedom of movement after today's loss.


This is right, particularly the part about teams completely relying on it to compete. Our team does it as much as anyone, it's terrible for the game and awful to watch. You get these ridiculous 52 to 51 games. Texas Tech is another, Purdue too. Really our entire conference has gone this way, It sucks.
 
This is right, particularly the part about teams completely relying on it to compete. Our team does it as much as anyone, it's terrible for the game and awful to watch. You get these ridiculous 52 to 51 games. Texas Tech is another, Purdue too. Really our entire conference has gone this way, It sucks.
West Virginia has been doing it for years. If you do it enough you basically can just assume officials won't call it and they always fold and let you get away with it. I always wonder how bad it would look for a crew to just call everything and have a team with 4 guys fouled out in the first half. Maybe that's what it will take.
 
My column with Bill Fennelly's comments on freedom of movement after today's loss.

The rule book was written with the intent to keep the game civil. The contact that occurs in both women's/men's game is not with in the spirit of the rule book. I understand this is entertainment, but what I'm seeing is not entertaining.
I believe the media has to keep putting the issue out there. Players need to be protected! We expect good entertainment and by enforcing the rules, should bring fun for all-players and fans.
 
The rule book was written with the intent to keep the game civil. The contact that occurs in both women's/men's game is not with in the spirit of the rule book. I understand this is entertainment, but what I'm seeing is not entertaining.
I believe the media has to keep putting the issue out there. Players need to be protected! We expect good entertainment and by enforcing the rules, should bring fun for all-players and fans.
It’s not just contact. If I dribbled like they do now when I was in high school, it would be a carry every time. Harmon was able to make 3 steps or so with every dribble. She would palm the the ball, carry it forward thank them drive it down. He hand would be behind and underneath it as she ran forward. The ball is supposed to make a V. Hers make a trapezoid shape.
 
I am going to have to watch the game back again, but live I wanted to get very angry with the defense on Ryan but every time I would run it back or they would it was pretty fair between missed calls on them and push offs on her. We just put so much pressure on her to handle the ball against elite athleticism.

Didn’t agree with officiating overall obviously the Donarski thing unacceptable, but really focused on Ryan dribbling up court. Will be interesting if my mind in changed in rewatch.
 
I’m all for what results in less foul calls throughout the game and letting the players determine the outcome. We get beat by Baylor and Texas because they have better athletes, I didn’t have an issue with the way it was called today. We were out-matched.
 
I’m all for what results in less foul calls throughout the game and letting the players determine the outcome. We get beat by Baylor and Texas because they have better athletes, I didn’t have an issue with the way it was called today. We were out-matched.
Hmm. Didn’t watch huh?

Less fouls would have resulted in hardly any fouls called against ISU as they were a lot less physical and ended up with more fouls Called against them which was unimaginable if you actually watched it.
I won’t even debate the more athletic team.
 
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Hmm. Didn’t watch huh?

Less fouls would have resulted in hardly any fouls called against ISU as they were a lot less physical and ended up with more fouls Called against them which was unimaginable if you actually watched it.
I won’t even debate the more athletic team.
I disagree with many posters on this board about this topic, it is what it is. I’ve watched almost every ISU game since 2012.
 
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Great article, although I definitely don't think I'd limit it to a Big 12 problem. I watched a ton of basketball over the weekend and it's literally all over the place and not fun at all to watch when nothing is called. Also, I think they should just move the 3 point line back up. Not sure what that was ever about.

I'm not and never will be an Iowa fan, but there games are so much more enjoyable to watch than a Big 12 game. Sure, you can laugh and make fun that they don't play any defense, but watching players make shots is fun and they do it as well as just about anyone in the country
 
I disagree with many posters on this board about this topic, it is what it is. I’ve watched almost every ISU game since 2012.
So you saw Gaston on two occasions saddle up and ride on top of Ash for two offensive rebounds with no call? Then Lexi thrown to the ground like a rag doll with no call? But are okay with the two touch fouls called against Kane against their big that were pushing all day?
 
So you saw Gaston on two occasions saddle up and ride on top of Ash for two offensive rebounds with no call? Then Lexi thrown to the ground like a rag doll with no call? But are okay with the two touch fouls called against Kane against their big that were pushing all day?
Ash being ran over by their Clydesdales while setting the inbound passes should have been at least 5-6 more than the one called.
 
I’m all for what results in less foul calls throughout the game and letting the players determine the outcome. We get beat by Baylor and Texas because they have better athletes, I didn’t have an issue with the way it was called today. We were out-matched.
Yes it was a great called game Texas 14 fouls ISU 21 fouls seems fair. If you have been watching all games since 2012 you must have had your eyes closed for all that time if you do not see how officials have let the game get out of control.
 
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