Preliminary Obituary

by realmccoy on Apr 29, 2008 10:43 AM CDT

Let me first say that I have always hated the NBA and loved the college basketball game. I hate the NBA for a host of reasons but I think these are the key drivers of my hatred:

1. Grown millionares seem to just go through the motions and lack the passion of the college kids.

2. Liberal rule interpretations on key basketball fundamentals.

3. Always seemed like the games were fixed a la WWF and Vince McMahon. Heck, they had a referee on the take and their overall officiating is so bad that he did not even stick out on their officials evaluation! Let the fact that he was a top rated official sink in for a few minutes.

Now I have even a new reason to hate the NBA - they are killing the college game.

These NBA age limit that forces kids into the NCAA for the one and done year is ridiculous. First, they have no valid academic requirements and really cannot be classified as the student athlete. Secondly, when you fall in love with their talent, they stiff you in one year. In no other sport is the typical team commitment for a star player a single season. So in the end, NCAA basketball is dominated by a bunch of transient players who are at that university playing their personal waiting game.

The NCAA should act quickly and forcefully in dealing with this issue. They must force the NBA to use their developmental leagues to cater to these kids. Here are some suggestions:

1. Each scholarship extended by a school to a player must be subtracted from their allowable total scholarships for a minimum of 3 years. Let each coach know that if you go after the one year wonder, he will occupy the scholarship for 2 years without contributing to the team.

2. Utilize mid year academic progress rules or strict entrance requirements.

3. Tell the NBA you will not have your game ruined by their union rules.

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What if...

college basketball went to a similar set-up as college baseball. High school kids are allowed to be drafted and then decide if they want to go pro or go to college. If they choose to go to college they are then required to stay in school for 2 or 3 years before you can be drafted again (its 3 in baseball, but 2 might get more basketball guys to go to school). Seems like it would work out for both the NBA and college.

Thoughts??

'Til Gabriel blows his horn...

by mattyj on Apr 29, 2008 11:00 AM CDT 0 recs

"baseball" rule

Sounds good in theory, but I imagine that what will happen is that a lot of NBA teams would start making “promises” to the fringier prospects, a la the Monta Ellis/Louis Williams picks.

The Kevin Durants and Michael Beasleys of the world would NEVER make it to college to begin with. But not only that, the colleges would also lose out on the second-tier 5-star and top 4-star recruits, because they would most likely rather go to the pros, sitting and learning for two years rather than be forced to go to college for two guaranteed.

The primary reason that top high school baseball draft picks end up picking college over signing is a fight over money. The NBA picks, meanwhile, are salary capped, so kids are fighting more for guaranteed money (first round or second round guaranteed contracts). As long as you give them that, I think they’d opt for the pros.

by jc25 on Apr 29, 2008 11:31 AM CDT 0 recs

Good point

I think you’re right. It seems like everything in college basketball is going to be decided by one question: Is it better for the game to force guys to be in college who don’t want to be there or is it better to have teams full of guys who want to play college ball and are willing to committ for 2-3 years? Its great to see guys like Durant and Beasley, but overall would it be better to let those guys go and have more continuity on teams like in college football? I don’t know that I have the answer, but I know its a question college coaches have to answer when recruiting: 1-year 5/high 4 star guy or 3-year low 4/ 3 star guy?

'Til Gabriel blows his horn...

by mattyj on Apr 29, 2008 12:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

draft rule

I think it helps the college game. It’s great to be able to watch these guys for one year on a national level instead of being stuck on the bench or a crappy NBA team.

I’ll take the one year and the excitement of that year’s tournament over the alternative of letting them go straight to the NBA.

by Jason Mayer on Apr 29, 2008 3:42 PM CDT 0 recs

I'm pretty much the opposite

I’m more into the quality of basketball, and watching college basketball can really make me sick.

I’d still rather watch NBA players “going through motions” than college players that supposedly try hard.

And there’s no liberal rule interpretations in college? Give me a break.

If the NBA was really fixed, then why the hell would David Stern allow the “boring” San Antonio Spurs win championships when it could’ve been a more “fun” team to watch like the Suns? That’s ridiculous. It’s not that refs are fixing games, it’s that there are a lot of incompetent refs out there that make it seem that way.

Maybe it was just me, but the attention college bball got from Durant, Beasley, Rose, Love, etc. seemed to HELP college and the NCAA and not hurt them.

First, they have no valid academic requirements and really cannot be classified as the student athlete. Secondly, when you fall in love with their talent, they stiff you in one year.

Stop being so selfish. For the great players that you fall in love with, college is a stepping stone. If they don’t “stiff” you in the 1st year, they’ll do it in the 2nd year. Get over it. Why is a Longhorn fan bitching about this of all people? We lost Durant and improved because we have a great head coach. We lose Augustin, and I could see us improving even more next year. It’s cyclical.

by goingforthecorner on Apr 29, 2008 5:18 PM CDT 0 recs

NBA is tops

I have to agree with goingforthecorner. If you love basketball, the NBA is better. I love watching Texas basketball, but in I would much rather watch two random NBA teams play then two random NCAA teams play, even if you chose the NCAA teams from a select pool. Bottom line is that in the NBA the best teams have years of experience playing the game and playing with each other. Also the officiating is much worse in college basketball, especially this year. I know that basketball is hard to officiate, but sometimes I feel like college refs don’t even watch games, and I’m not saying this because I think that Texas gets screwed. I think we are often the beneficiary of terrible calls. And of course the Spurs are the prime example of the honesty of the NBA. The Spurs are my team, but there is no doubt that their advancement in the playoffs costs the NBA money.
Bottom line is that the top players and teams in the NBA are so incredible, I don’t see how anyone who claims to be a basketball fan can say they hate it.

by bduran on Apr 30, 2008 3:27 AM CDT 0 recs

I love me some Durant and TJ and all

But my favorite college players have always been more the career college guys. James Thomas, Brandon Mouton, Royal Ivey, Buckman, Klotz, Atcheley, and the Bod.

Every one of those guys had serious development from when they came in to when they left, and thats probably why I like the college game so much. So even if you take away the elite athletes, I think youd still get the career college guys in there. And while the bball may not be as flashy, I like it, its not the pros, its different.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Apr 30, 2008 8:32 AM CDT up 0 recs