Rule Change NCAA

A rule the NCAA should change is having the referees be able to check the instant replay monitor whenever they want.  In this years Round of 64 in the NCAA tournament SMU played UCLA.  UCLA won off of an air balled three pointer that was called as goal tending.  They called goal tending with 10.7 seconds left in the game and it gave UCLA a 60-59 lead.  The refs could have went to the monitor and easily saw that there was no goal tending on the play but you cannot go the monitor on a goal tending call.  Despite having the ability to review almost anything else pertaining to close calls during a basketball game, were unable to go the monitors to look at this play and make a determination themselves.  Here’s what should have happened: After the goal tend call on the floor, the refs should have been able to go to the monitor, see that the two replays that CBS aired were inconclusive and ruled that the call on the floor stood.  But that’s not what happened, of course. The confusion after the call and the brief look refs took at whether it was a two-pointer or three-pointer, combined with the absurdity of the refs not being allowed to review the goal tend led to SMU having to rush their final possession. Whether it was a goal tend or not, SMU got robbed and Moreira, the player who made the play, was left in tears, blaming the loss on himself.

NCAA Connection

Without College Basketball the NCAA wouldn't be as popular or as wealthy.  March Madness alone makes the NCAA over one billion dollars and that money covers expenses for all of other non-popular and sports that aren't televised.  NCAA basketball is one of the top watched sports and easily gets the most money, even women's basketball.  In 1995, when the UConn's women's team won the first of its nine national championships, that all changed.  Those championships have not only boosted Huskies pride, they've helped to draw billions of dollars in public funds and alumni donations to upgrade UConn's academic image and the school's facilities. Indeed, there are multiple examples of colleges previously unknown for their basketball programs that have prospered financially after making a deep run into the March Madness that surrounds the NCAA basketball tournament.  The same day the triumphant '95 Lady Huskies visited the state legislature, Connecticut lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to pump $1 billion into "UConn 2000," a campus-improvement project that has since followed the initial billion with another $1.3 billion.  The NCAA also thrives off college basketball by the Cinderella teams making long runs in the tournament and making money off of their gear.  Universities like Butler in Indiana, Florida Gulf Coast and Gonzaga in Washington state, all saw a rise in student application numbers following previous tournament runs.  After Butler reached the national championship game in 2010, its student applications rose about 40 percent, according to a university spokesman. Applications at Florida Gulf Coast increased by nearly 40 percent after that school reached the Sweet 16 in 2013, and applications at Gonzaga rose nearly 12 percent from fall of 1998 to fall of 1999 after the team reached the Elite Eight.  The NCAA makes almost all of its money and popularity off college basketball.  They make money off TV ads, selling gear, and ticket sales.  The NCAA thrives off of college basketball.

Trail Blazers vs. Rockets

On February 6, 1995 the Portland Trail Blazers took on the Houston Rockets at Portland Memorial Coliseum.  A Trail Blazers fan started yelling at Rockets guard Vernon Maxwell after his wife's miscarriage.  Maxwell ran a dozen rows into the stands and punched the fan, Steve George right in the face.  After the incident Maxwell was suspended 10 games and fined $20,000. Everyone's stories with this one seemed to be different and there is no lasting video footage available, but this much we know is true: Vernon Maxwell charged up into the stands during the third quarter of a game in Portland and punched a fan named Steve George in the face. George said it was because he made fun of Maxwell for having five points; Maxwell claimed it was because George was making fun of Maxwell's wife's recent miscarriage. Whatever the reason, it was the first time a player had charged into the stands to fight a fan, and carried with it a 10-game suspension.  This incident could have been stopped by having more security around the stands, but there wasn't.  There is a low chance this will happen again because the security in the stadiums are a lot higher.  This was an unnecessary action by Maxwell and shouldn't be done by a professional athlete.

Rights of Fans

The rights of a fan is to be respectful and support there team.  I think a fan is required to attend the game and respect themselves, their team, and fellow spectators.  There are too many times when fans go to the games, get drunk and act crazy.  For instance, the Hillsborough event when drunk Liverpool fans overcrowded the section behind the goal known as Leppings Lane.  The section was severely overpopulated and people in the front rows were crushed up against the fence.  As a result of the Hillsborough disaster 96 fans were killed and about 766 were injured.  Another event similar to this could happen if fans get out of control.  This shows how fans need to show respect for themselves and others.  It's hard for this to happen in certain sporting events especially because of how big the stadiums are.  It's also difficult for an event like Hillsborough to happen again because most stadiums don't have standing room and you can only get in with a ticket, and once the stadium is sold out, no more fans will be allowed in.  I think fans are allowed to have fun at sporting events but they need to control themselves.

Basketball Announcers

Chris Broussard is known for his obnoxious comments all over ESPN.  Broussard always has to get in every story and blow it out of proportion.  In April 2013, Jason Collins revealed he was openly gay, which made him the first openly gay athlete in a major American sport.  Support came in from celebrities online, and the overall reaction on Twitter was overwhelmingly positive for Collins. Collins later took to Twitter himself to thank fans for the "truly inspirational" show of support.
Broussard, however, took a different view, saying on Outside the Lines that homosexuality is "an open rebellion to God." Here's video of some of Broussard's comments:     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42bwxwrpvYg  This goes to show how Broussard can't keep himself under control on the air.  Broussard is definitely my least favorite sports analysts on ESPN.  The only thing he seems to talk about is the New York Knicks and whatever recent controversial news is going on.  My all-time favorite basketball analyst would be Dick Vitale, Vitale always makes the games exciting with his exciting comments, like "Trifecta!" or "Nothing but nylon baby!"  Vitale always makes college basketball games exciting especially the Duke vs. UNC games.  He is always active with fans and getting everyone up on their feet.  Vitale is one of the greatest announcers of all time and makes the games entertaining to watch.

Basketball Media

The NBA and College Basketball are very popular especially in the postseason.  The networks that broadcast March Madness are TBS, CBS, TNT, and TruTV.  In 2010, the NCAA and CBS reached a 14-year agreement worth $10.8 billion dollars to receive joint broadcasting rights for March Madness.  The agreement with the CBS Corporation which runs through 2024, allows all tournament games to be broadcast on national television.  All of the first four games will air on TruTV.  A featured second or third round game in each time window will be broadcast exclusively on CBS, while all other games will be shown either on TBS, TNT or TruTV. Sweet 16 (regional semifinal) games would be broadcast on CBS and TBS, while all games from the Elite Eight (regional final) onwards would be shown on CBS exclusively until 2016, when the CBS/TBS sharing of the Elite Eight and Final Four rounds begin.  The CBS/Turner coverage formally begins with The Selection Show, the official unveiling of the teams participating in the tournament, which follows CBS's coverage of the final game on Selection Sunday. Since 2013, however, CBS began using the March Madness presentation during coverage of conference championship games being broadcast by CBS, although still branded as NCAA on CBS telecasts. During the tournament itself, TruTV broadcasts pre-game coverage, Infiniti NCAA Tip-Off, while TBS and TruTV also air the post-game show Inside March Madness presented by Buick.  By broadcasting The Selection Show opens up more popularity to main tournament and gives the network more views and a better chance to advertise their own shows.  The NBA's popularity and viewers have gone up and down throughout the years.  The NBA Nielsen ratings have risen and fallen over the decades. The National Basketball Association achieved a rapid rise and fall in television ratings from the 1997-1998 season, when ratings for the NBA Finals achieved a record high, to the 2002-2003 season, when ratings for the NBA Finals hit a record low. Blame for this rise and fall has been pinned on the destructive NBA lockout which occurred right after the 1998 season. The lockout wiped out thirty-two games of the 1998-1999 season and caused fan apathy. Other blame has been put on the retirement of Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan, also on backlash against the "hip-hop" culture of the league and as well as heavy competition from prime time programming such as American Idol, the CSI Shows, and Dancing with the Stars.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association_Nielsen_ratings

Should Basketball Player's be Role Models?

In my opinion NBA athletes are not forced to be role models, it is up to them to make that decision.  Some athletes aren't good role models as it is, so forcing them to be something they aren't is not a good thing.  There are some athletes that are good role models without being forced into it.  I think Lebron does a good job of being a good role model for younger kids and athletes.  Along with being a great athlete Lebron does plenty of charity work and helps out kids in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.  NBA athletes aren't always good role models, Charles Barkley even stated in a Nike Commercial in 1993 that he does not want to be a role model and his only job is to "Cause havoc on the court." Barkley wanted to let parents know that it isn't his job to be a role model for their kids, it is the parents job.  Also some NBA players are known for crime, bad attitudes, and drug problems.  Many people don't know but Michael Jordan had a huge gambling addiction that the media would hide so it wouldn't ruin his image as a role model.  So lastly, athletes are not required to be role models, it is not their job, they are paid to perform athletically and if they want to be known a a good role model they can but it is not mandatory.