Spending recent time in the stands of a couple sporting events and listening to many different people not know the rules of different sports has made me realize the desperate need to educate people on the important rules and educate involved in watching different sports. I will try and cover in a running series of blogs. I will simply address things as I spot them in the stands of different events. Seeing as how there is not much more football to watch in person and the basketball season is just about to start the majority of occurrences will likely be from basketball, but there are a number of things which can be applied to many different sports across the way. Also I know the rules and edict of golf like the back of my hand so I will have to throw a few helpful hints in when I get down to Colorado, California, and Arizona to play over the next couple months.
We will start off with a couple football items.
1) When your team is on offense shut up! Yes it is exciting when your player makes a run for 30 yards, but if you are still celebrating so loud no one can hear the snap count of the next play you are hurting your own team. (Snap count: for each play the offense decides on a predetermined number of huts or a certain word which will let them know when to start the play. This way they only have to hear the quarterback and can keep their eyes on the defense. Also makes the defense have to react to the snap of the ball.)
2) Seems to me to be more common at schools which have not had good teams in the recent future, therefore causing them to not have any faith in their team. If your team is down at half by less than 30 do not leave. At least not in college in the pros you are probably safe, but think about how that will impact the players. If they don't think you have faith in them and thus leave does that inspire confidence not just in the rest of that game but the next few? I didn't think so. It may be painful for you to watch but how do you think the players who put their hearts souls and bodies on the line feel when no matter what they do the other team is pounding their brains out? Stay and show some support! you can resume drinking in 45 min it won't kill you!
Basketball-
1) Don't cheer for your players when they are shooting free throws. If your girlfriend doesn't understand this and is continually yelling for them to try hard and make it in the otherwise silent gym shut her up! (blew my mind when I saw this at a game about a week ago. I understood that the girl didn't know the edict but for the guy to sit there and let her keep making a fool of herself not a good move buddy! First of all everyone in the stands is not going to be fond of her at the end of the game if the loss is in single digits, secondly you don't look like a very caring boyfriend to keep her from that embarrassment.
2) Parents sit in the parent section if you don't want to stand during the whole game! I had a couple, they were elderly, sat right in front of me. Now it is important to explain I was in the section of students who stood during every second of running clock, and shouted our displeasure at every call now matter how correct it was. I noticed the problem right away, and knelt down to warn them about the rowdiness of the fans in this section and that they may be happier watching from another part of the gym. They said they were happy here, and were sure they could handle it. Halfway through the first half they started tapping the students in front of them on the shoulders and asking them to sit down so they could see. The students wanting to be friendly said this was how they supported this team, and if they sat down they also would not be able to see. (the 10 rows in front of them where all standing) The husband and wife got all upset and stormed out of the gym telling everyone that the student section and "kicked" them out of the game! Frustrating to watch!
On this same topic parents it is probably not a good idea to take anyone under the age of 17 into the student section. There is an abnormal amount of swearing and it is likely more than one student has snuck a flask or two into the gym.
3) When your player makes a block and their hands only get ball, but their momentum causes their body to smash into the player sending them flying into the first couple rows of seats; that is not a clean block! I am tired of people yelling for calls such as this you are only making yourself and your fans look ignorant to the rules.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
same topic
Take my post about media timeouts and make that double for college football. makes watching the games so much less exciting on T.V. and in person.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Coach of the Year?
I was recently on the Coach of the year voting website to as you can probably guess based on my allegiance and the school I attend to vote for Rob Akey who it is tough to argue with as doing great job this season. Even if the schedule hasn't been very difficult we have taken a huge first step, and I know Akey winning would give University of Idaho some national attention, which would great for our program.
The current standings are as follows:
1) Nick Saben- Alabama
2) Mack Brown- Texas
3) Kirk Ferentz- Iowa
4) Paul Johnson- Georgia Tech
5) Paul Rhoads- Iowa State
6) Rich Rodriguez- Michigan
7) Rob Akey- Idaho
8) Pete Carroll- Southern California
9) Brian Kelly- Cincinnati
10) Mike Leach- Texas Tech
11) Joe Paterno- Penn State
12) Steve Starkisian- Washington
13) Glen Chizik- Auburn
14) Randy Shannon- Miami (Florida)
15) Mark Richt- Georgia
Now bearing in mind my opinion may have a slight amount of bias in it, I for the most part agree with these rankings. Saben and Brown currently have undefeated teams, impossible to argue they aren't doing two of the best jobs in all of college football. However if that is what this voting is going to be based on, where is Urban Meyer? Are we seriously going to give all the credit to Tebow. I absolutely hate Florida for their domination within college football recently, but I would say you have to put to head man in Florida on this list.
How in the world did Paul Rhoads get on this list his team has four losses, and really isn't going any place spectacular. What happened here? Also I think it is great the state of Michigan is supporting their head guy, but you are still only 5-5, for the history behind your program this is really still a disgraceful season, and with the talent on your team not one of the top coaching jobs in America. Pete Carroll that high? Now I know he has shaped this program into a perennial power, but we can't give him a pass on this season, just because of the building of the program he has done. Freshman quarterback okay, we will give him some room because of that small feature. In my opinion he has not done a great job this season though.
How about some coaches that have been left of this list that should at least be mentioned? Since we just mentioned Pete Carroll, what about Chip Kelly, they guy who just absolutely thrashed Carroll's team last week, only loss to Boise State who is looking pretty tough so far.
I will have more to say on this topic as we get closer and closer to the end of the season.
The current standings are as follows:
1) Nick Saben- Alabama
2) Mack Brown- Texas
3) Kirk Ferentz- Iowa
4) Paul Johnson- Georgia Tech
5) Paul Rhoads- Iowa State
6) Rich Rodriguez- Michigan
7) Rob Akey- Idaho
8) Pete Carroll- Southern California
9) Brian Kelly- Cincinnati
10) Mike Leach- Texas Tech
11) Joe Paterno- Penn State
12) Steve Starkisian- Washington
13) Glen Chizik- Auburn
14) Randy Shannon- Miami (Florida)
15) Mark Richt- Georgia
Now bearing in mind my opinion may have a slight amount of bias in it, I for the most part agree with these rankings. Saben and Brown currently have undefeated teams, impossible to argue they aren't doing two of the best jobs in all of college football. However if that is what this voting is going to be based on, where is Urban Meyer? Are we seriously going to give all the credit to Tebow. I absolutely hate Florida for their domination within college football recently, but I would say you have to put to head man in Florida on this list.
How in the world did Paul Rhoads get on this list his team has four losses, and really isn't going any place spectacular. What happened here? Also I think it is great the state of Michigan is supporting their head guy, but you are still only 5-5, for the history behind your program this is really still a disgraceful season, and with the talent on your team not one of the top coaching jobs in America. Pete Carroll that high? Now I know he has shaped this program into a perennial power, but we can't give him a pass on this season, just because of the building of the program he has done. Freshman quarterback okay, we will give him some room because of that small feature. In my opinion he has not done a great job this season though.
How about some coaches that have been left of this list that should at least be mentioned? Since we just mentioned Pete Carroll, what about Chip Kelly, they guy who just absolutely thrashed Carroll's team last week, only loss to Boise State who is looking pretty tough so far.
I will have more to say on this topic as we get closer and closer to the end of the season.
Media and college sports
As I have said before I am currently a student at the University of Idaho, therefore I will start this blog by saying last night I went to the Vandals preseason exhibition game. I know these are always games the bigger team should win by 30, which we came close to doing. I think they are a great way to get fans involved test out transfer or freshman students and see who is going to play well with who. In other words this game is basically for the fans!
Why then do we still have the media timeouts. Why is there media timeouts in college sports at all!? I must say I am tired of going to college sporting events and having one team get on a roll start making 3's and getting stops only to have the ball go out of bounds and thus a media timeout. I understand the need in the professional sports area where the game is all about marketing, and making money. However I don't think it is at all correct to have media timeouts in the middle of college games. All this does is take away from built up momentum for one team or another. It also gets the fans of the home team out of the game because there are stretches where nothing is going on even though neither team wanted or needed to call a timeout.
College sports like no other area of sports the fans are crazy, they will not sit down or shut up even if their team is down by 20 with 6 minutes to go. They will not go quietly, they are going to take the other team down as much as they can, yelling on every free throw chanting defense every time down the floor.
By putting media timeouts into the college game away from the people who really matter in college sports, the fans. Those people who bleed their teams colors, and that isn't a joke the people who when they cut themselves their blood as a tinge of blue in it because they have painted their entire bodies for every game in the last two months!
Other people will argue that by using media timeouts the athletes themselves are being taken advantage of, and this may or may not be true. In my opinion by putting the athletes on TV you are giving them exposure, and thus the college arena becomes similar to tryouts for the professional game it their future. I don't believe this is or should be the spirit of the game however it is hard for me to argue that college athletes are being taken advantage of.
My argument has to do with the pace and intensity of the game. When the athletes are out there playing hard constantly the fans get into the game there is less interruption for the players, it also makes depth and endurance more key factors. There is no need for media timeouts the coaches get enough normal timeouts as it is, if they feel their players need a break make them call the timeout, and get things back to what they need. In my opinion college basketball is hurting itself by having as many timeouts as they do.
Why then do we still have the media timeouts. Why is there media timeouts in college sports at all!? I must say I am tired of going to college sporting events and having one team get on a roll start making 3's and getting stops only to have the ball go out of bounds and thus a media timeout. I understand the need in the professional sports area where the game is all about marketing, and making money. However I don't think it is at all correct to have media timeouts in the middle of college games. All this does is take away from built up momentum for one team or another. It also gets the fans of the home team out of the game because there are stretches where nothing is going on even though neither team wanted or needed to call a timeout.
College sports like no other area of sports the fans are crazy, they will not sit down or shut up even if their team is down by 20 with 6 minutes to go. They will not go quietly, they are going to take the other team down as much as they can, yelling on every free throw chanting defense every time down the floor.
By putting media timeouts into the college game away from the people who really matter in college sports, the fans. Those people who bleed their teams colors, and that isn't a joke the people who when they cut themselves their blood as a tinge of blue in it because they have painted their entire bodies for every game in the last two months!
Other people will argue that by using media timeouts the athletes themselves are being taken advantage of, and this may or may not be true. In my opinion by putting the athletes on TV you are giving them exposure, and thus the college arena becomes similar to tryouts for the professional game it their future. I don't believe this is or should be the spirit of the game however it is hard for me to argue that college athletes are being taken advantage of.
My argument has to do with the pace and intensity of the game. When the athletes are out there playing hard constantly the fans get into the game there is less interruption for the players, it also makes depth and endurance more key factors. There is no need for media timeouts the coaches get enough normal timeouts as it is, if they feel their players need a break make them call the timeout, and get things back to what they need. In my opinion college basketball is hurting itself by having as many timeouts as they do.
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