That's a Big Difference and Stupid Changes

There wasn't much on the news other then more of the garbage that I talked about last night.  And with nothing that my wife and I are both interested in I turned on college basketball.  Yes, she hates it but I really enjoy it.  So since she picked up her book even before I switched it I guess I'm ok.  It is in this game that I got tonight's two part complaint.


The first part is something that is in more sports then just basketball.  This isn't something in the game, it is something that seems to fascinate the announcers more then anything else.  And don't get me wrong, this is prevalent in other sports.  You might find it hard to believe but it is something that has come up in the NFL games that I've watched almost as much as college basketball.  I'm talking about the announcers fascination with a height difference of one or two inches.  They talk as if that is something huge!  Simply put, these people are playing at the level that they are for a reason.  I would say that for the most part any difference of less then six inches won't really effect the game.  I'm a short guy (about 5' 6") which means that I was almost always playing against people taller then me.  I can honestly say that, for the most part, I could cover someone three or four inches taller without any issue.  But wait you say, you just said six inches is the magic number!  Well I also said that they were playing at the level they were for a reason, they are good, I was below average at best.  I don't think that a college or professional player really notices much when the difference is less then 6 inches.  So why the huge fascination by the media?  Pretty simple if you ask me, they are paid to talk.  They search and search for something for that one instance when something like height may have played a small factor, then talk about it for the rest of the game.  Just annoying if you ask me.

And the second part of tonight's rant is even more annoying.  I'm talking about rule changes that are just plain stupid!  What brought this about was actually watching the basketball game.  When I was a kid there was something called a carry or palm.  That's when you put your hand under the ball while it is in contact with the ball.  I watched a guard bring the ball up the court and saw him carry it several times.  I'm talking about the ball touching his hand and he takes three or four steps before he continues the dribbling motion.  And this was right in front of the referee!  I'm sorry but some of the rule changes in sports are actually making the game less of a challenge and makes the mediocre players appear to be better.  How is that good for the fans?  Personally, I don't think it is much good.  Again, this isn't limited to just college basketball.  I just don't have an example from another at this point.

Give me some examples of stupid comparisons or idiotic rule changes that have changed the game for the worse.  And don't limit it to college basketball or pro football, those are just the ones that I follow.