Post#15 » by kam_soluusar » Fri Mar 6, 2009 8:32 am
Okay, I will talk about this because I believe I have a bit of expertise on this subject.
Firstly, centres are the most screwed players in Basketball. They get hit all the time, and are told to "suck it up" as they are the biggest out on the court, hits on a big man aren't as obvious as say someone of Nate Robinsons size. Basically this means that a Centre gets screwed offensively, (slight bump they flop, charge is called. The centre gets slammed in offense, arms hacked, no call.
This is where flopping comes in. You do the right thing, get in front of the man and play D, (Not like guards who swipe at the ball behind the back off the dribble, because they got blown away off the first step, no call.) and get hit in the chest. It's simple physics from there, you run into a paper wall, you'll go through it. Run into a brick wall, you stop short. So players go down to try and get the call, or otherwise it's usually a no call, or a foul on the defender, as they didn't have "proper" position.
I won't even go into situations where they offence initiates the contact, (centre jumps straight up in his "cylinder" which extends from the floor to the ceiling in a straight line.) and the defence is given the foul. It seems that the offence can use their arm to shield/push a player off, but that you can't make solid body contact in the post, otherwise it's a charge.
In the NBA, I believe that a lot of this has to do with the changes over the last decade in the game. it has become quicker, and players seem to have become smaller in many ways. As long as players continue to flop, and get away with it, the more it will happen. What is hard to judge, is when a player is taking a legitimate hit, and when they are flopping. and again, if it's what you have to do to get the call, then you do it. Perhaps Yao should badly miss a few jump hooks, (because players hang off his arm, no call.) even go as far to cop a few fines for being very vocally critical of the reffing, file a formal complaint with the NBA, complain so more, cop another fine, and see if he has made his point. Alternatively, he should Slam the crap out of anyone who drives on him, cop a few Flagrant graded fouls, cop a minor suspension, and vow to continue doing so, until the great David Stern seriously looks into the issue. I don't think Stern would be too happy, if Yao shelved a few of the leagues stars for a month or two.
Gone are the days of having a team enforcer, (Charles Oakley) someone who will take a few cheap shots like that.
I say I am qualified (of sorts) to talk about this, because Blocking shots is something I do really well. And a large amount of being a succesful shot blocker is knowing when to swat, or just alter the shot enough to miss. This is why Olajuwon was the greatest ever, not every Blocked shot needs to be a fly swat, you just need to make the player think it might be, then half your job is done for you.
"I don't think Michael had to retire for us to get the spotlight, because when you win, it commands attention."Hakeem Olajuwon
