Examining NBA Terminology

Dr. James NaismithOn the TunneySide of Sports May 30, 2022 #902 Up next… Examining NBA Terminology

After further review… Of course, I’ve been watching the National Basketball Association playoffs these days, but I find myself confused with the game that Dr. James Naismith created in 1891. Much has changed – we no longer use peach baskets to throw the ball into. And those “basketballs” were much different from the ones we use now, 29 1/2 inches in circumference, which of course today’s players can grip with one hand!

“Above the rim” — Today’s game is played above that “peach basket” which is now 10 feet from the floor. Players today, many of whom are easily above 6-6 and others over 7-feet tall, can dunk the ball as they hang onto that peach basket. Dunking the ball was never legal in my day or even in Lew Alcindor’s (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) days in college as it is permissible in today’s game – at all levels.

“On the floor” — Observing that in almost every transition (that is the terminology for what used to be called the fast break) one or more players end up on the floor. It seems to happen all too often – mostly under the basket – as those 10 players make physical contact during every play of trying to get the ball in that hoop. One former player and Hall of Famer said, “In the NBA ya gotta knock somebody down.” And they do! I’ve heard Lombardi say that many times: but that was football, not basketball.

“Cutting players” — This is to mean the style of play (not releasing them from the team). As teams use the “pick and roll” to screen off a defender that defender grabs the offensive player preventing him from separating himself from his opponent. Grabbing your opponent seems to happen away from the action of the ball. Those three officials are often screened out because of the size of the players.

“Running with the ball” — This is more commonly called “traveling.” In the NBA it is seldom called as a violation. It is understandable since these over-large players have a difficult time gathering themselves while moving at such rapid speeds. Taking three or four steps with the ball gains a great advantage over his opponent

“Don’t foul the 3-point shooter” — It too often results in a 4-point play.

Space does not permit me to cover all the difficulties occurring in today’s game but suffice it to say that whatever happens on the NBA court tends to be followed by college and school-boy games – good or bad. While NBA players may not realize it, their importance to the future of basketball is with them!

Will you log in your impression of today’s NBA game?

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Jim’s Bobblehead and books examining the philosophy and value of sports can be found in the many books he has written.

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

Posted in Sports, Tunney Side of Sports Columns | Tagged | 1 Comment

Modeling Healthy Behaviors to Children

On the TunneySide of Sports May 23, 2022 #901 Up next… Modeling Healthy Behaviors to Children

After further review… Recently I dug into some of my past TunneySides to see what has changed, what has not, and where we might need to revisit. This post – ‘Importance of Parental Involvement’ – from 10 years ago this month details the importance of how parents model healthy behaviors to their children. Playing sports is good for children both physically and socially.

Importance of Parental Involvement originally posted on May 27, 2012

While we have no say in who our parents are, we hope they become role models for us. In today’s society with broken and/or dysfunctional homes, we hope and pray that we get lucky enough to have parents/guardians who will provide us with a positive environment.

Some of today’s sports stars did make it to the top without the guidance of solid parenthood.

As I watched and listened to Robert Griffin III in his acceptance of the Heisman Trophy and his selection as the second pick in the NFL draft, the influence of his parents stood out.

You may also recall the Pro Football Hall of Fame speech by Shannon Sharpe who, without the guidance of their parents, gave his brother, Sterling Sharpe, credit for helping his (Shannon’s) success.

As an educator, I am often asked how we can correct or improve today’s schools. Of course, we need dedicated, committed teachers and better salaries along with consistent standards of behavior, but my No. 1 answer always has been parental involvement.

By that, I not only mean how one’s children are doing in class but an awareness of their daily lives and activities, including texting, Facebook, and all elements of social media. This is not to suggest a parole-officer-type relationship, but a partnership. Trust is a vital factor.

Speaking to corporate groups about what I call “customer care,” I use the phrase “customers don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”. This holds true in the development of children as well.

When did a child ever ask a parent what their SAT, GPA, or IQ scores were?

What children want to know and feel is “Mom, Dad do you love me, do you care about me?” Of course, parents do, but how they show it is what counts.

The role model tag is not restricted to adults. Peer role models, as in the case of the Sharpe brothers, can and do carry much weight. Selecting a team captain should not be based solely on the superior athlete, but one who is an example of a character with a willingness to do the right thing.

Will you follow the example that “Excellence is good, exemplary is better”?

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Jim’s Bobblehead and books examining the philosophy and value of sports can be found in the many books he has written.

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

Posted in NFL, Sports, Tunney Side of Sports Columns | Leave a comment

Missing Don Shula

griese and shulaOn the TunneySide of Sports May 16, 2022 #900 Up next… Missing Don Shula

After further review… Don Shula was arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history. He was also one of my very closest friends for many decades.

A Tribute to Don Shula

Recently I was reminded of a conversation that took place between former Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese during one of their monthly lunches where they would get together, eat, tell bad jokes, reminisce, and watch the horses at Gulfstream Park.

During this lunch, they started talking about a play in their first Super Bowl together, a loss against Dallas, where Griese was under such defensive pressure he ran backward to elude it. And backward. Something Coach Shula was wont to refer to as ‘minus-29 yards.

And this is where I come into the conversation. As it was recounted to me, Griese pulled out a letter from me dated August 17, 2004. I officiated that game and also did the coin toss. I confirmed that Griese was chased by three Cowboys on that play while Shula always insisted that it was just one.

Famously, my friend poked fun at me by saying “You know Tunney was voted the second-best of 200-and-something officials, right? All the others tied for first.”

He was my friend and colleague for over 30 years. I miss him every single day.

How will you honor the people who left such an impact on your life and those of others?

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Jim’s Bobblehead and books examining the philosophy and value of sports can be found in the many books he has written.

Shop here.

To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com  or email jim@jimtunney.com.

Posted in NFL, Sports, Tunney Side of Sports Columns | Tagged | Leave a comment