Is WBB getting too physical

[Bball Girl]

The folks that I sit with at the Tech games (one of whom is a high school gbb coach) were talking about the amount of physical play that we've seen this year and whether that's a good thing or not. I've also heard various of the Big 12 coaches and many of our radio commentators (I've taken to listening to many of the other games on nights when Tech isn't playing).

1. Increase in the number of offensive players who initiate physical contact and draw fouls not during shooting...by leading with their arms, elbows, etc.

2. The increase in physical post play where they really let the big girls bump each other around

3. #1 and #2 being allowed while at the same time calling "touch" fouls and hand checking.

I have mixed feelings. Some of the physical play makes the game more interesting and more challenging...but some of it really begins to change the finese side that I've always enjoyed with wbb. But it does annoy me that they will let the players knock each other around like last night between Texas and Tech...there were times when it seemed like there were 3 or 4 bodies on the floor and I couldn't tell who started it...but the officials let it go. Then turned around and called a touch foul on the next possession.

During the NCAA's, they always seem to allow even more physical play, but I find it hard to believe that it can be more physical than some of the Big12 play we've seen already.

What do the rest of you think?

[SwoopesMVP]

It's obviously too physical with some of these teams/players. It's gotten out of control. Like I've said before, this isn't street ball. I don't see blacktop and chain nets, do you?

[swok34]

I think the Big XII is a very physical conference......as is the SEC, Big 10.....

would you rather watch the Pac-10 weinies?????not me. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

[RaiderPower1]

Different players have different preferences. I for one, when I play would rather there be physical play just because I play really tough defense on my man. When I coach the girls' league, I don't like seeing physical play because I have seen injuries there before. It just comes down to preferences and it will probably be 50% liking it and 50% disliking it. That's life for ya! http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

[ISUbballfan]

Someone ask Bill Fennelly that at one of his luncheon's. His opinion is that it is. The reason he had was that the more physical the women game gets the more it will be compared to the men's game. That the women shouldn't be compared againist the men because they aren't the same. I don't care for the physical rough games but then ISU plays the zone verse the man to man so it isn't as physical.

[RaiderPower1]

That's true ISUbballfan, ISU isn't the most physical of teams so I am not surprised that Bill F. thinks it is getting to physical. See...it proves what I said that different people are going to think different things. I bet if you asked Jody C. she would say no that it isn't get more physical because her teams generally like to play that way. Deb P. would say, hmmmmm...doesn't matter to me. Marsha and Ceal would probably tell you the same. Peggie G. would probably tell you that it isn't getting more physical along with Marion Washington. It just depends on every teams different styles of play. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/confused.gif

[Bob_Ballew]

I don't mind a little physical play. It is part of the game and has been for a long time. You certainly can't compare the men's game to the women's.

I like a game where the officials will "let em play", as long as it does not get out of hand. The refs can dictate and ruin a good game by not allowing either team to get into a rhythm. Injuries are someting that must be considered, and I would never want to see someone get hurt from physical play.

[metromaniac]

So RP1---What about Sherri?

[RaiderPower1]

Originally posted by metromaniac:
So RP1---What about Sherri?

I'd put her in the category with KMR...she'll take physical play if it helps but if doesn't help for her she won't like it. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

[cctigerfan]

The downfall of the game of basketball has been the rules makers and rules interpreters. As a former official now turned coach, I worked small college and lower level professional leagues. Some people tend to blame officials for the rough play, but before you do that understand that they are calling the game like the assignors want it to be called. That is the problem with men's basketball. The fans want all the hoopla, so the assignors tell the officials to let them play, the play gets out of hand, and the game goes to pot. I just hope women's basketball doesn't get that way. Personally, I don't watch the NBA, and I watch very little NCAA men's. NCAA Women's and High School hoops are about the only pure basketball we have left. Let's hope it stays that way.

[KSUron]

You said it cctigerfan! And welcome to the board.

[ISUbballfan]

At that same lunch Fennelly was ask about men's v/s women's basketball ref's because they thought the men seemed to have better refs. If the men's were paid more etc. He said that they are paid the same amount. The but they are having a hard time getting ref's for the women's game because they would rather ref men's divison II get paaid less and try to work there way up in the men's ranks. He said there was some talk of trying to get former top women basketball player to ref.

[dem]

Coach Fennelly said that in his opinion, the majority of WBB fans do not want to see the refs allow excessively physical play, and that they wanted to preserve that distinction from the men's game. He regretted that things seem to be moving in the direction of MORE physical play, rather than less. In a recent interview in the [now unfortunately defunct] Women's Basketball Journal, Coach John Wooden said almost exactly the same thing.

I can't speak as a player, but as a fan I don't much enjoy games where the players are allowed to manhandle each other for 40 minutes. It's one thing for a guard to play tight, aggressive, in-your-face defense where you relentlessly shadow your opponent all over the court, and as a result have lots of INCIDENTAL contact that doesn't provide an advantage. It's quite another to spend an entire game grabbing, pulling, hacking, pushing, mauling, and generally stopping just short of a mugging. If the refs allow it then you really can't fault the players and the coaches that do it, but it's not the type of thing I personally like to watch.

[cardinalclone]

I don't like physical play because it takes away from basketball skills. I'll use former Cyclone Stacy Frese as an example. She was slightly built, wasn't quick or a superior athlete, but basically made herself into a good college player because of hard work. She worked hour upon hour to become a great ball handler. A lot of opponents tried to beat the stuffing out of her whenever she handled the ball. Pounding on her seemed to be the lazy way out.
Why not put in some hard work trying to stop Stacy. If you don't want her to handle the ball, why not get into a defensive stance and move your feet and try to stop her. If you don't want her to get the ball, work hard at denying the ball. Of course to do those things, a defender would need to work hard at conditioning. Maybe I'm old school, but I like to watch a good ball handler who can also pass the ball well. I admire a good defensive player who can frustrate an opponent without fouling. Grabbing and bumping is just a shortcut to good defense.
I really believe that the increasing popularity of women's basketball is because it isn't as physical as the men's game. That's why I have season tickets for the Cyclone women's team, and go to just a few men's games.