An NBA Rule Absurity
I recently read an article written by the great Chuck Klosterman, which can be found here, about the most absurd rule in sports. The Half Court Rule in the NBA. I can’t say that I completely disagree with Chuck, in actuality I completely agree with him, this is the most absurd rule in sports. During the play-offs this year, while watching my Mavericks win the title, I realized how absurd, but potentially necessary this rule is.
For those of you who don’t know this rule works as follows: Within the last two minutes of regulation or OT, any team that calls a time-out in the back court will receive possession of the ball at mid-court. There is no other rule in the sports universe that allows such an advantage.
The following are my own handcrafted thoughts about the rule discussed by Chuck, who is wholly a better writer and philosopher than I.
When it comes to all other sports, this philosophy is patently ridiculous. Hell has a greater chance of freezing before the NFL would allow a team, in the final minutes, to begin from the 50 yard-line after a touchback, or the MLB allowing a player to get an automatic double during the 9th.
The question that must be answered is: What is the point of the rule?
A second questions we must examine: Do other sports have a ridiculous rules?
This is the point of the article where we will attempt to flex our philosophical muscles. I will take my best shot at answering the first question for you the reader, as to not tax your brain too much (it’s better for all involved if its my brain that explodes).
My first proposition for consideration as to the creation of this rule is to build excitement among the fans watching in the arena and at home. These last second shots are what true basketball fans live and die by, we are on the edge of our seat or standing two inches away from from our 60” LED LCD TV, causing our left eye to twitch uncontrollably. This rule causes our hearts to race, sending a few unlucky(unhealthy) fans to the hospital for heart failure. But surely back in 1967 the NBA didn’t have a fortune teller reading the future of the Association, explaining that such a rule will be necessary to increase excitement to keep the fans interested (The rule first appeared in 1967).
Continued on the next page
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