"Freedom of Movement" has ruined college basketball.

[jfuchs91]

When the NCAA implemented these new freedom of movement rules, the end goal was to raise scoring totals with the hope that it'd make the game more "watchable."

Scoring totals are certainly up, but the game has become more unwatchable than ever. The incessant calling of fouls has halted any flow to games, and playing defense has become disincentivized.

Games have devolved into free throw contests as foul calls are at record highs. Yesterday's Gonzaga-Washington game had 60 total fouls and 74 free throw attempts in yet another example of how out of hand these new rules have gotten.

Instead of promoting better offense, "freedom of movement" has simply made the game uglier with more stoppages and star players having to sit on the bench with foul trouble. If the NCAA thought these foul rules would make the game more appealing to casual fans, they made a grave miscalculation. Even diehard fans of college ball have lamented what it's done to the game.

The astronomical foul rates are teetering on the brink of ruining college basketball for me, as I find myself watching fewer games than ever.

 

[traitor71]

Maybe we should find a way to take advantage of the rules then, and to not shoot 66% at the line when we get there. It's not the rule changes, it's the fact that we haven't been able to adapt as of yet.

 

[UConnSwag11]

The game was vile. No flow at all

 

[UConn990411]

It hasn't made it more unwatchable, but it hasn't made it a better product either. The problem is that no contact is allowed on the perimeter, but a lot is still allowed in the paint. They need to do something (implement defensive 3 seconds?) to open up the interior.

Also, every other program seems to have adjusted to the new rules faster than UConn. The changes are simple - figure them out already.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Maybe we should find a way to take advantage of the rules then, and to not shoot 66% at the line when we get there. It's not the rule changes, it's the fact that we haven't been able to adapt as of yet.

He said in general. Not just this called game

 

[jfuchs91]

Maybe we should find a way to take advantage of the rules then, and to not shoot 66% at the line when we get there. It's not the rule changes, it's the fact that we haven't been able to adapt as of yet.

I'm not even just talking about UConn games. Basketball is supposed to be a free flowing game with constant movement. Between four TV timeouts per half and the number of fouls called nowadays, most games have essentially zero flow. I've found myself struggling to get through non-UConn games this year as the product on the floor is just simply less entertaining.

Even in the games that we have won, the perimeter foul calls have been incredibly frustrating. Defense wins games, and by calling all slight contact on the perimeter a foul, it really takes away a team's ability to defend. We even benefited from LeVert picking up two early fouls yesterday, but fans watch games to see the best players on the floor, not parked on the bench with foul trouble.

The NCAA basically put a band-aid on a bigger scoring problem. My belief is that the 3-point line should be extended to create more room to operate inside the arc, and if you're going to call fouls like you are now, up the foul limit from five to six.

 

[champs99and04]

I disagree. We knew there was going to be an adjustment period. I don't think the rules have disincentivized defense at all. Great defense may now simply constitute something slightly different than before. If physicality on the perimeter is being discouraged then that places all the more importance on lateral quickness and positioning. If the NBA can figure it out, so can the college game.

I thought the UConn-Syracuse game today was very entertaining. Certainly, you'd like to see the fouls down, but honestly, at this point that falls on the UConn defense more than the officials.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I disagree. We knew there was going to be an adjustment period. I don't think the rules have disincentivized defense at all. Great defense may now simply constitute something slightly different than before. If physicality on the perimeter is being discouraged then that places all the more importance on lateral quickness and positioning. If the NBA can figure it out, so can the college game.

I thought the UConn-Syracuse game today was very entertaining. Certainly, you'd like to see the fouls down, but honestly, at this point that falls on the UConn defense more than the officials.

There were 55 fouls called in the Washington Texas game today. It was unwatchable. There we're 56 called in the Texas, Texas A&M game yesterday. Both were unwatchable as a neutral party, and I love college basketball. The game wasn't broken, these rules are breaking it.

 

[champs99and04]

There were 55 fouls called in the Washington Texas game today. It was unwatchable. There we're 56 called in the Texas, Texas A&M game yesterday. Both were unwatchable as a neutral party, and I love college basketball. The game wasn't broken, these rules are breaking it.

I'm not suggesting that anybody wants to see 55 fouls in a game or anything close to it, but when rules begin to change, naturally, it is going to take some time to adjust. They will reel it in somewhat as the season progresses, but for now they're setting a precedent that I don't think is harmful to the game in the long-run. If things are still like this in January, then you will be right, but sometimes to take two steps forward you have to take a step back first.

And for the record, I'm indifferent on the rule change. I loved college basketball last year and the year before that even as people were screaming about it being unwatchable. It can work this way, too, it's just that the natural inclination of the spectator is to direct their frustration towards the officials rather than the players. If they can both meet somewhere in the middle, we will see a great product.

 

[OkaForPrez]

@champs99and04 I would agree with the "it takes time to adjust" premise if the stricter scrutiny wasn't being applied so inconsistently. It's not simply that things are being called more tightly, the players look genuinely confused at what is and isn't a foul and quite frankly (nod to JC and @Chief00) so am I. The tighter whistle's on freedom of movement end up bleeding into all other aspects of the game. The increased foul trouble takes the best players and puts them on the bench.

Maybe everyone figures it out in the end but the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

They are turning it into the NBA.

 

[mauconnfan]

Crappy referees become crappier with these rules, it's that simple. Bodies will touch in basketball like it or not and somehow yesterday there were multiple times (Miller twice) where small non-impact calls were made off of basically nothing. It's not good for the game and the referees who aren't very good will not grasp this at all. Anticipatory whistles have been the norm as of late, and it's not working for our aggressive man defense at all.

 

[Rocktheworld]

They are turning it into the NBA.

Seriously? I would love to see college players be allowed the physicality in the paint that is allowed in the NBA.

 

[UConnSwag11]

@champs99and04 I would agree with the "it takes time to adjust" premise if the stricter scrutiny wasn't being applied so inconsistently. It's not simply that things are being called more tightly, the players look genuinely confused at what is and isn't a foul and quite frankly (nod to JC and @Chief00) so am I. The tighter whistle's on freedom of movement end up bleeding into all other aspects of the game. The increased foul trouble takes the best players and puts them on the bench.

Maybe everyone figures it out in the end but the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

Yeah. During the game you see Ollie go to the ref, hats not a foul when I think miller gets hacked. Then we "foul" them, and you can see ollies mouth go, oh that's a foul, that's a fouls, ok.

 

[willie99]

The original intent of not being allowed to foul was to prevent a team from " gaining or losing an advantage "

Now advantages are gained and lost by over the top officiating

From college basketball to the NFL, officiating is now as game changing as the players and coaches

 

[Rico444]

This happens every year new rules are implemented: the refs are extra aggressive with the whistle early on, fans complain, then by mid-January the teams adjust and everybody forgets it was ever an issue.

 

[businesslawyer]

I disagree. We knew there was going to be an adjustment period. I don't think the rules have disincentivized defense at all. Great defense may now simply constitute something slightly different than before. If physicality on the perimeter is being discouraged then that places all the more importance on lateral quickness and positioning. If the NBA can figure it out, so can the college game.

I thought the UConn-Syracuse game today was very entertaining. Certainly, you'd like to see the fouls down, but honestly, at this point that falls on the UConn defense more than the officials.

This. You can't judge this until midway through conference play. Players and coaches are seeing what they can get away with. If the refs stock to their guns, as we get into conference play they will adjust and be less physical.

 

[SaeHusky]

Teams like Duke have adjusted to playing zone defense at times. We are going to have to do the same. Its impossible to play man to man the whole game with these rules and not have the other team get more attempts than you at the line. The reason just about every team we have played has had more free throw attempts than us is that they play some Zone and we don't

 

[upstater]

This. You can't judge this until midway through conference play. Players and coaches are seeing what they can get away with. If the refs stock to their guns, as we get into conference play they will adjust and be less physical.

Last night it seemed to me that UConn wasn't very physical at all. The fouls came from merely touching the opponent. So I tend to agree with those who think this is a problem with playing man-to-man. Shonn Miller especially seemed to barely make contact on his fouls.

I also thought the fouls weren't called both ways as Gibbs was bumped on some jump shots with no call.

That being said, Syracuse got jobbed at least as bad as UConn did on some blocks. These refs were awful in seeing contact. I noticed that after a very clean block, Boeheim got right into the ear of some refs and sure enough, the very next trip down Brimah was called for a foul on a clean block. Bilas said the block was clean. That was all abut the refs getting an earful from Boeheim, and it brought Ollie up to complain for only the second time in the entire game.

This was not a good look for those refs.

I'm of the opinion that the constant willingness to call a foul is now becoming a habit for these guys. They are on their toes itching to blow the next whistle.

 

[James]

If adjustment period = refs calling bogus calls and putting teams in the double bonus with 10 minutes left , then yes it's an adjustment period . It's a joke what other sport does this ? Call a foul a foul , don't call a non foul a foul to make a point . What happened to verticality ? They are still calling fouls on players who are straight up

 

[mauconnfan]

If adjustment period = refs calling bogus calls and putting teams in the double bonus with 10 minutes left , then yes it's an adjustment period . It's a joke what other sport does this ? Call a foul a foul , don't call a non foul a foul to make a point . What happened to verticality ? They are still calling fouls on players who are straight up

This. I'm all for making guys work harder to move their feet but any good ref can see the difference in a guy who's making contact because he's working hard vs a guy who's lazy and leaning in or throwing his hand on a hip to gain advantage. Right now we've been the victim of some pitiful calls by the refs, last night included.

 

[corduroyg]

Lol so you guys cant get away with hand checking and mugging guys for 40 minutes anymore, what a shame.

40 minute 55-51 rock fights are what made college basketball unwatchable. The aaron crafts of the world who would literally commit 10 fouls before the 1st tv timeout and get away with it are what made college basketball unwatchable. Bogus charge calls where an offensive player makes a great move and drives to the basket and makes a layup only to have it wiped out cuz a defender stood still under the basket is what made college basketball unwatchable.

You started the game hand checking gbinije and didnt get away with it. And as you saw you couldnt guard him without doing that.

 

[mauconnfan]

Lol so you guys cant get away with hand checking and mugging guys for 40 minutes anymore, what a shame.

40 minute 55-51 rock fights are what made college basketball unwatchable. The aaron crafts of the world who would literally commit 10 fouls before the 1st tv timeout and get away with it are what made college basketball unwatchable. Bogus charge calls where an offensive player makes a great move and drives to the basket and makes a layup only to have it wiped out cuz a defender stood still under the basket is what made college basketball unwatchable.

You started the game hand checking gbinije and didnt get away with it. And as you saw you couldnt guard him without doing that.

Wow someone showed up after how many years? Impressive while we were winning NC's didnt hear from you and your piece of crap fans. Welcome back Helms champ and now GFY.

Sit back in your 2-3 and play your NCAA Championship game in the Bahama's because that was it my friend. Enjoy being just another Cuse team destined for 1st or 2nd round failure. Must be fun!

 

[upstater]

Wow someone showed up after how many years? Impressive while we were winning NC's didnt hear from you and your piece of crap fans. Welcome back Helms champ and now GFY.

LOL, Syracuse has never won a championship without an ineligible player in the lineup. No one knows why the NCAA didn't strip that 2003 win from them. A complete joke.

 

[Rico444]

Lol so you guys cant get away with hand checking and mugging guys for 40 minutes anymore, what a shame.

40 minute 55-51 rock fights are what made college basketball unwatchable. The aaron crafts of the world who would literally commit 10 fouls before the 1st tv timeout and get away with it are what made college basketball unwatchable. Bogus charge calls where an offensive player makes a great move and drives to the basket and makes a layup only to have it wiped out cuz a defender stood still under the basket is what made college basketball unwatchable.

You started the game hand checking gbinije and didnt get away with it. And as you saw you couldnt guard him without doing that.

Congrats on the win! When do the t-shirts go on sale?