There are always people coming up with ways to improve the game of basketball, which make it no different than many of aspects of life.
Remember the last time you washed dishes by hand?
Okay, remember when there were only three TV channels to choose from and not every pro baseball and basketball game was even on TV? Or when the gas station attendant came out and filled your tank in sub-zero weather… okay, not all changes are for the best.
I am proposing what I think is a real difference-maker for high school basketball in Ohio. I think we should start using the red, white and blue basketball like they did in the old ABA of the late 1960s-70s.
I think I still have one of those around here some place – at least I think I do.
What kind of difference can an red, white and blue basketball make to the game? Well, there will be many my friend.
If nothing else it will improve the color pallet of the game. The game as it is is too black and white in my opinion. Let’s have more color more green from Clear Fork, purple from Lexington and red from Shelby and less black and white from everybody concerned.
However, I do think the red, white and blue ball can bring back an important vibe to the game and that is picking up the pace of play. Those ABA games of a bye gone era often had both teams going over 120 points over 48 minutes.
Now, translated to 32 minutes of a high school game that would be both teams that would be 80 points for both sides. I can’t remember the last time that happened in a high school game in the greater Mansfield area.
Heck, I would be happy with just two teams with at least 70 points, which rarely happens any more.
I would be happy if they emerged from the forty point range, really.
Yes, I know, you could accomplish that by having a shot clock mandated in Ohio like it is in other states, but, come on, a red, white and blue ball is more fun and less costly.No need for shots clocks to be installed in every gym or getting somebody to run the stupid thing. Just give the kids the red, while and blue ball.
It might invoke some other things associated with the ABA too. Like afros for instance, I don’t mind big hair.
When I first saw current Mansfield St. Peter’s coach Pat Durham in the late 1970s, he had one. And if there is a guy around here that is more of a trend-setter than the 70-year-old Durham, I haven’t met him.
I would also be a proponent for high school pep bands playing disco music. During a timeout during the final stages of an upset bid the band breaks out “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees. I think you know what I mean. I wouldn’t have John Travolta introducing the starting line ups though, he seems to have trouble with names.
Those ABA franchises used to have to have girls in short skirts, we already have those, and guys being blown out of the cannons. I will volunteer for that as a long as that pace of play picks up.
After years of toil and sweat behind radio station microphones, longtime broadcaster, Jeff Swank joined the new generation of sports followers on the web.
Swank launched his internet radio station with nothing more than some wire, a box with some knobs and switches, and an itch to do much more than just scratch the surface of everything sports.
Richland Source is proud to introduce Jeff as a writer focused on high school sports. He will contribute a weekly column and analysis of a featured game of the week from one of our area high schools.
In addition to his work at Richland Source, Jeff provides complete high school sports coverage for over 70 Ohio schools at his web site, http://www.swankonsports.net76.net/.