I’m surprised there is no thread on this yet. My apologies if I’ve overlooked it.
I’m not a big basketball fan, but I get that March Madness is very exciting and people get very passionate about it. I read yesterday about the “big controversy” in the Seton Hall vs. Arkansas game. I read that SH received a “Flagrant Foul” on a play near the end of the game that cos them the game. I watched the clip, and could not figure out what all the fuss was. Comments online made mention many times that it was a totally wrong call, unfair and obviously the determining factor in SH’s loss. Many insisted that the Arkansas player just tripped over his own feet, when the clip clearly shows that the SH player’s foot made contact with the Arkansas player’s foot, causing the trip.
Okay, I really don’t get the problem here. The defender made no attempt to play the ball. He took both hands and shoved the Arkansas player in the back in order to make him face plant. He also tripped the player as well (might have been unintentional, can’t tell). How is this NOT a “flagrant foul”?
Here is the clip with commentary by a referee official:
I’m no rules expert, but I think what basketball fans are angry about is that it feels heavy-handed. Everyone knows that he was trying to foul him. As they say, let them play.
Yeah, I saw those types of comments. So it’s okay to break the rules if the game is important, or if it’s towards the end? I’ve seen fouls that looked like incidental contact to me, where it does seem heavy handed. This looked like a blatant ploy to keep the guy from scoring and furthering their lead. It’s a big game for them, too.
Well, it definitely was an attempt to keep him from scoring. That’s the whole point of the game! lol
I didn’t watch the game so I don’t know how the refs “called” it. I’m guessing that the flagrant foul felt to those who question it that the refs had called it loose up until then and so this felt like overreach.
My team had the unfortunate memorable play of the tournament- Vandy player mistakenly thinking Vandy was down a point with seconds to go instead of up a point fouled the opposing player. Led to a loss. Heartbreaking, but the mean and hateful reactions of sports reporters and those whose brackets were hurt was just horrible.
I’m not a big basketball fan but usually enjoy March madness. This year I’m loving the Charles Barkley/Samuel L. Jackson/Spike Lee commercials. They are very sharp.
My two teams, Wisconsin (my alma mater and my son’s school) and Oregon (where we live and attend games now) are both in! It’s fun, stressful and making me crazy all in equal measure. On Wisconsin! Go Ducks!
From an article I sent my son and his GF (both UNC grads):
“Duke losing early in the NCAA tournament isn’t technically a national holiday, but it feels like it. Try telling these UNC fans that Christmas is better than this: (several photos of celebrating UNC fans) The faces! So many good faces!”
Yeah, the headlines were ugly. The WSJ had a more positive article. That particular player is a little bit fragile (emotionally) anyway, so this was not a good thing. The team and the real fans have all rallied behind him, though. Also- we wouldn’t have even been IN the game without his 22 points to shoot us back into contention (before his mistake).
It was unfortunate that Vandy was out of time-outs so the coach could clearly make sure the players knew what the situation was and what to do. The Vandy player saw the coach point at the Northwestern player and thought that meant to foul him. The coach was just trying to tell him to guard that player, but how was the Vandy kid to know that in the heat of the moment.
Well, the time outs were sorely needed earlier, so no fault on the coach for that one. The player should have known we were ahead and what the coach was telling him. No excuse there, but he made a mistake. Mistakes happen and he’s taking responsibility, but it’s hard…
