GET OUTTA MY WAY--IT'S APRIL FOOLS' DAY !!

Basketball Rules

Charging fouls are too prevalent, and inhibit the smooth flow of the game. They penalize the
player who drives to the basket--reducing point totals. It’s not fair for a player to make a strong move to the net only to have it ruined by someone who jumps in front--like a street bum hopping in front of a car for a payoff--it’s demeaning.


And how is the driver/shooter supposed to avoid contact? The rule should be modified so that once the player with the ball en route to the basket leaves his feet you cannot get a charge call for defenders who are not already in place. If a defender is set in the path of the driver before he takes off it could be an offensive foul if contact occurs while the driver is ascending, and a no-call if contact occurs while the driver is descending. But defenders who pop out in front of the basket while the driver is in the air deserve to be mowed down like bowling pins.



What’s a guy supposed to do when he’s flying in the air and some hotshot moron steps onto his landing strip? A collision is unavoidable, and it’s the defender’s fault. It isn’t good athleticism to hamstring great leapers.


Addendum 4/6/13


Undercutting the Game

I’m not going to say “I told you so”, but the bad charging call by an NCAA official in the closing seconds of tonight’s basketball game between Syracuse and Michigan likely cost Syracuse a berth in the championship game. These charging fouls are having way too much influence on the outcomes of big games! The whole spectacle of defenders “taking the charge” and dramatically flopping about is a perversion of good sportsmanship! Hey, if you can’t take the heat of the game inside the lane, you can just stick to the perimeter!



Many years ago, it took a Final Four travesty display by North Carolina’s team--of stalling the game once they got ahead--to compel the insertion of the shot clock. Hopefully there will be a reform of the charge call now, too.

TEAM NICKNAME IDEAS

Here is a list of potential team nicknames I've come up with in my spare time. It's alphabetical--mostly cities, some states and regions. Feel free to use them in your hometown.

TEAM NICKNAMES
Aberdeen Barnstormers, Burdensome, Abracadabra
Akron Squadron, Acrobats, Acorns, Acrid
Albany Invaders, Banes
Albuquerque Altimeters, Armadillos, Turkeys
Anaheim Anacondas, Emeralds
Anchorage Anger, Aurora, Roarers, Courageous, Anchovies
Arlington Aardvarks, Accordions, Ardor, Harlequins, All-In-Ones
Asheville Phoenix, Duster Uppers
Atlanta Atlas, Ad Libbers, Antidote, Altimeters, Attitude, Elevators, Atlantians
Atlantic City High Rollers, Albatross, Atlas, Boardwalkers
Austin Power, Bats, Tin Men, Plenty

Baltimore Battalion, Bald Eagles, Tenors, Torreadors, Big Score, Baritones
Bangor Aurora Borealis, Bangers
Barre Chords, Berets
Baton Rouge Twirling Dervishes, Battering Rams
Billings Paid In Full
Biloxie Billy Clubs, Foxy
Birmingham Jackhammers, Battering Rams, Bird Baths, Porcine Dynasty
Boise Noisy, Joy Spree, Boisterous
Boston Tea Tossers, Bistros, Best Sellers, Bounty Hunters, Bosses, Bustier Busters
Boulder Tossers
Bowling Green Pin Strikers
Buffalo Blizzard, Big Herd, Baffling Barristers, Beefcake
Burlington Burly Bears, Burlesque
Butte Beautes, Brutes, Beauties, Buglers

California Caliente, Caldron
Calgary Kaleidoscope
Charleston Charleston, Tango
Charlotte Web, Charlatans, Charaders
Charlottesville Charlatans, Chanteuses
Chattanooga Choo Choos, Chatterboxes
Cheyenne Extroverts
Chicago Supercolliders, Chivalry, Chickadees, Chic, Go Getters
Cincinnati Synapses, Invincible, Slammers, Sine qua Nons, Sensationals
Cleveland Cliffhangers, Cloudbursts, Class Acts, Cliff Climbers, Leapers, Ringleaders
Columbus Landlubbers
Compton Copters
Concord Conquerors, Convoy, Conifers, Accordions,
Corpus Christi Cormorants

Dakota Decoders, Nova, Code Breakers
Dartmouth Bullseye
Dallas Malice, Dahlias, Vortex, Delight, Dazzlers, Dalmations
DC Go Go, Shredders, Policy, Diplomacy, Statesmen, Agenda, Nexus
DelMarVa Avocets, Dalmations, Marvels, Marvelous
Denver Moguls, Adrenaline, Dynamic
Des Plains Boss De Plane
Detroit Rhythm, Destroyers
Dover Dovetailers, Rovers, Plovers
Dumfries Dunbfounders
Dubuque Debutantes, Ubiquitous
Duluth Truth

Edmonton Edge, Eddy, Eddies
El Paso Elegance, Elvises, Pastels
Eugene Genies

Fairbanks Tellers, Snowbanks
Fargo Farmers, Detectives
Florence Nightingales, Florals
Fort Worth Mirth, Fortuitous, Forte, Enforcers
Fort Wayne Johns, Fortuitous, Forte
Freehold Freedom Fighters, Stranglehold
Fresno Frenzy, Frescoes

Garfield Gargoyle
Georgia Gorgeous, Gorgers, Peachy Keens, Gargoyles
Gothem Golem
Green Bay Grief Strickeners, Green Rays
Greenwich Mean Streak

Halifax Machines
Harlem Harbingers, Harlequins, Jazz
Hartford Hard Liners, Heart Breakers, HeartThrob
Haverford Havoc Wreakers
Helena Hook & Ladder
Harpers Ferry Harpsichords
Honolulu Bon Bons, Lunatics, Holiday, Hullaballoos, Honey Bees, Hip Huggers
Houston Who's Who

Indianapolis Invaders, Indubitable, Bonaparte Sleepwalkers
Iowa Primary, Eye Openers, Corn Stalkers

Jackson Five, Action
Jacksonville Jackpots, Jackhammers, Jackrabbits, Jack-Booted Thugs
Jersey Egress, Egrets,

Kansas City Twisters, Can Cans, Sassies
KC Oz
Kearn(e)y Carnival, Carnations

Las Vegas Dice, Aces, Vegans, Lounge Lizards, Flash, Lhasa Apsas, Glitz
LA Freeway, Glitz, Elegance
Little Rock Big Rollers
Lexington Elixir, Stretch Runnerts
Los Angeles Scene, Lhasa Apsas, "A" List, Bodacious
Louisville Lip Loops
Lynchburg Lynchpins

Macon Magnets
Madison Maximum, Dollies
Maine Domain
Manhattan Essence, Mad Hatters
Manitoba Minotaurs
Martha's Vineyard Designer Corkscrews
Massachusetts Mish Mashers, Masqueradors
Maryland Marionettes, Marigolds
Memphis Philosopher Kings, Emphasis, Tempo
Miami Might, Maelstrom, Coral Glories
Milwaukee Talkies, Milkmen
Minneapolis Maulers, Miniskirts, Squall, Man Hunt
Mobile Homes, Shields
Modesto Destroyers, Devastators, Mad Dogs
Montreal Monsters, Full Monty, For One and One For All

Nags Head Swell
Nantucket Gannets
Narragansett Gannets, Sonnets, Epic Sunsets, Dynamic
Nashville Elvises, Warblers
Nebraska Ascots
New Orleans Mardi, Jazz Jammers
New York Corks, Fashion, Cork Poppers, Intrigue
Niagara Falls Barrel Jumpers, Exhilaration
Norfolk Navigators
North Dakota Nova, Supernova
Northern Virginia Supernova, Virtuosos

Oakland Omen, Ogres, Okra, Auklet, There, Oaks
Oklahoma City Octave Jumpers, Locomotives
Orlando Orchestrators, Obliterators
Oswego Swagger
Ottawa Automatons

Philadelphia Freedom, Flavor, Phalaropes, Bell Ringers
Phoenix Fiends, Phoenix, Phoebes, Femme Fatales, Risers, Phalanx
Piedmont Pied Pipers
Pierre Fresh, Pirouetters
Pittsburgh Tar Babies, Hard Hats, Pastels, Posterior Kickers
Portland Portenders, Dock Sopranos
Powhatan Powerhouse

Quebec Caribou

Raleigh Rally
Reno Keno
Richmond Thunder
Rochester Bustiers, Rock Stars

Sacramento Soccer Moms
Saint Louis Sensationals, Sabertooths, Arch
Salt Lake City Taste Buds
San Andreas Fault Finders
San Antonio Sandstorms, Forget-Me-Nots
San Francisco Sirens, Romance, Frantic, Wiz Kids, Frescoes
San Diego Sanderlings, Sand Dollars, Sandpipers, Cinderellas, Serendipitous
Savannah Savants, Whites
Seattle Sea Breeze, Seafarers, Rattlers, Sirens
Shreveport Banshees
Silicon Valley Cyberboppers
Sioux City Somersaulters, Sunbeams
SoBe Its
SoHo Lofts
Spokane Exclamation
Springfield (VA) Ramps
Stamford Stompers

Tacoma Tachymeters, Berenices
Tallahassee Lassies
Tampa Lamprey, Vamps, Temper, Tantrum, Rampage
Teaneck Brunch Stranglers
Texas Vortex, Jet Setters, Extraordinaires, Vixen
Toledo Leaders
Toronto Torrent, Tarantulas, Tremendous, Ruddy Turnstones, Tormenters,
Trenton Trendsetters, Tremendous
Tuscon Saguaros, Sonnets, Tunes, Irony, Ironic
Tulsa Ultimate, Ultimas, Tusslers

Vancouver Vamps, Beaufort, Wood Carvers
Virginia Geniuses, Vireos, Avocets

Warrenton Warlords, Warlocks, Warblers
Washington Warblers, Will Imposers, Policy, Diplomacy, Statesmen, Flourish, Nexus
Waterloo Loons, Walruses, Lulus, Water Lilies, Lollipop Lickers, Waterloos
Wichita Wings, Wit Patrol, Wishbones
Wilmington Willets, Waders
Winnipeg Wigwams, Whimbrels

Team combos
Dallas Malice + Dahlias = Dahlmals
Fort Worth Fortuitous + Mirth = FunLucks
Georgia Gorgers + Georgeous = Hot 'n' Heavies
Indianapolis Napoleons + No Naps = Bonaparte Sleepwalkers
Minneapolis Maulers + Minis(kirts) = MiniMalls
New York Corks + Fashion = GlamBallers
Pierre Fresh + Pirouetters = Fresh Legs
San Diego Sand Dollars + Cinderellas = SlipStars