The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-02-13
There ''Oughta
Be 4 Rule

Each year, a group of men, empowered to do so,
adopt rule changes in basketball. One year they widen
the foul lane; another they decreed if a player makes
good on his first foul shot, he gets a bonus. And there
are others.
However, one thing this group Of men has failed
to do is adopt a rule which would ban stalling- tactic.
which sometimes creates a ridiculous situation, if not
q downright boring one.
Such was the case last week when Jacksonville
State met Oglethorpe University of Atlanta. At half
time, the score read 90. In that game, underdog Jack
sonville held on to the ball, without taking a shot, until
four minutes remained before intermisSion.
At that point, Oglethorpe managed to get the
ball, only because a referee had called a foul against
Jacksonville.
the half, was a field goal attempted by Jacksonville. 1t
was missed.
Jacksonville resumed its tactics in the second
half but finally started firing away and took a slim
lead over Oglethorpe. With six minutes remaining, the
favored Oglethorpe quintet took a I'LL lead and went
on to win, 30-17.
Most people may argue that jacksonville was
within It's rights in playing . sailing game because
that tactic probably was the only one which may have
Melted the team . victory. According to present cage
rules, jacksonville definitely was in the right.
However, this probably will go down in the books
as the dullest college basketball game ever played.
Basketball, as it is normally played, creates sus-
tanned interest among players and fans. It's designed
to be a fast game and as a result, many times a team
far in arrears, stages a rally which catapaults 1t to
victory. In other games, the lead changes hands or the
score is tied so frequently that everyone in the gym
is caught UP in the excitement. That's real basketball.
What this little piece is leading up to, is the strong
suggestion that a rule should be adopted that would
kill off such dull performances as staged last week.
The pros have a 24second rule which means as
soon as a team gets possession of the ball, that team
must attempt a shot within "a seconds unless some
thing ~interferes like a foul, turnover, etc.
Such a rule covering basketball, all the way down
70 the amateur ranks, would increase the tempo OF
the came and prevent 1t from becoming Just a ho-hum
affair.
The idea certainly isn't radical nor new. In fact,
a time rule is in effect for football. 1t a GRID team
fails to get off a play within a required PERIOD OF
time, a ~fiveyard penalty is incurred by the offensive
eleven.
Since the rules committee seems bent on chang
Ing rules every year, why not this one?
While on the subject of rules, why not adopt a
regulation which would end tied football games? :,
The football rules committee last year adopted
a new conversion regulation which Its chairman SAID
would help cut down on tied football games. The rule
gave a team two points for a successful pass or run
after touchdown. Yet, it didn't eliminate tied games.
A tied game is all right but just about every other
sport has provisions for breaking ties. In basketball,
YOU have the extra period; in baseball, you have extra
innings; in golf, you have extra holes; the same is true
in tennis and other sports.
Again the pros provide the example for such a
rule. In the championship game, the New York Giants
and Baltimore Colts played a sudden death" quarter
to determine a winner. For gripping excitement, the
game was almost unmatched.
II Sudden death" periods were played throughout
The football ranks, there would be many, many pUlsat-
ing games. Also, there at least would be a winner and
n Ioser.-LVF