TV Timeouts Are Changing the game

[Porked Tongue]

I'm not so sure that conditioning and playing up tempo is as advantageous as it used to be.  There has been an increase in tv timeouts and "extra" timeouts in recent years.  On top of that, I think the timeouts are actually longer.  To add, I imagine half time is longer for the bigger games.

I know there has been some talk on how the last minute of games has averaged around 10 minutes in the NCAA tournament and that just adds to my thought.

[Danny J]

Yep and I was going to create a thread talking about the same thing. Starting with the second game I am going to, if I don't forget, time all the timeouts from start to finish including halftime and compare to games from the mid 90's.

The amount of timeouts is absolutely ridiculous.

[Breems]

Definitely. Fatigue was an issue for a few teams we played this year, but there's a ridiculous amount of downtime in basketball these days. They're starting to feel like football games.

I think the main advantage with an up-tempo style now is to simply disrupt the flow of slower teams.

[Arky]

Agree but you can still out quick teams.

[The_Bionic_Pig]

I think it needs to be 3 timeouts per half to offset the tv timeouts!!

[Danny J]

I think it needs to be 3 timeouts per half to offset the tv timeouts!!

I agree. I would also eliminate the 1 and 1. They also need to restart the 10 second backcourt clock where it was when a timeout was called. So if it is at 8 and the team with ball calls timeout then restart it at 8 when ball is inbounded.

[Porked Tongue]

I think it needs to be 3 timeouts per half to offset the tv timeouts!!

The :30 timeouts are a problem.  Plus now that "use it or lose it" additional one.  They are 30 seconds in name only.  By the time everyone sashays over to the bench and strolls back out they milk it to a time length that would rival real timeouts just a decade ago.  Same with the "full" timeouts.  They are about twice as long as a minute.

Baseball has this issue.  Need a little more hustle.

[hogman99]

I think it needs to be 3 timeouts per half to offset the tv timeouts!!

Each team gets 5 timeouts a game. One of them has to be used in the first half or it is lost.  Your option gives each team 6 total timeouts.

[Danny J]

Each team gets 5 timeouts a game. One of them has to be used in the first half or it is lost.  Your option gives each team 6 total timeouts.

Each team gets a total of 18 timeouts per game.....that is way way too many. Count the 10 team timeouts plus the 8 media timeouts not to mention the half time plus all the stoppages now to check the monitor and it has become absurd. Seems like about a minute and a half of action then a timeout for one reason or another. There is no flow to most games any longer. It is a constant start and stop and then if the game is called tight it is even worse.

[jdlew]

I'm not so sure that conditioning and playing up tempo is as advantageous as it used to be.  There has been an increase in tv timeouts and "extra" timeouts in recent years.  On top of that, I think the timeouts are actually longer.  To add, I imagine half time is longer for the bigger games.

I know there has been some talk on how the last minute of games has averaged around 10 minutes in the NCAA tournament and that just adds to my thought.

also another reason MA system does not work very well now.... is because everyone can handle the ball better....even the big men handle the ball better...

[Dr. Starcs]

Is the "use it or lose it" really a rule? 

I had no clue about that.

[Danny J]

Is the "use it or lose it" really a rule? 

I had no clue about that.

Yes....

[acey33]

Each team gets a total of 18 timeouts per game.....that is way way too many. Count the 10 team timeouts plus the 8 media timeouts not to mention the half time plus all the stoppages now to check the monitor and it has become absurd. Seems like about a minute and a half of action then a timeout for one reason or another. There is no flow to most games any longer. It is a constant start and stop and then if the game is called tight it is even worse.

Great example of this happening was last nights game

[azhog10]

I'm not so sure that conditioning and playing up tempo is as advantageous as it used to be.  There has been an increase in tv timeouts and "extra" timeouts in recent years.  On top of that, I think the timeouts are actually longer.  To add, I imagine half time is longer for the bigger games.

I know there has been some talk on how the last minute of games has averaged around 10 minutes in the NCAA tournament and that just adds to my thought.

PT what extra timeouts have been added? Since the mid 200's and maybe even before there was always been media timeouts every 4 minutes. The coaches still only get 5 timeouts. I didn't notice any "extra" timeouts this year any more than years passed. Just curious what "extra" timeouts you are talking about. I also think if you are going to keep the media timeouts at every 4 minutes then you have to either lower the coaches timeouts or lower the shot clock. I also think that NAIA and D3 or maybe it's just NAIA are ever 5 minutes instead of every 4.

[hogsanity]

If you wanted to see the effect all the times out have, go back to the 98 NCAAT game where the Hogs played Utah. That was the 1st game I really remember all the timeouts having a real impact on the Hogs.  Then of course there was a long break while they decided if Utah had any 20 second timeouts left.  It killed the Hogs momentum.

I watched the Hogs/LSU the last game in Barnhill, recently on espn classic. In the 2nd half, LSU was down to one timeout with like 13 mins left.  From the 13 minute mark to the 5 minute mark there was not one break, not one timeout, not one tv stoppage, and the Hogs just ran them ragged.

[Danny J]

Great example of this happening was last nights game

And it will continue to get worse. I often make the analogy to government. Once they start to try to make everything "better" is often times when things get worse. What do they say about the road to hell being paved with something..............

[JayBell]

I know there has been some talk on how the last minute of games has averaged around 10 minutes in the NCAA tournament and that just adds to my thought.

Is that it?  In some infographic that I was looking at, many of the games took 14-18 minutes to get through the final minute.  And I think that was back in the Sweet 16.  I'm sure some of the games since then took longer.

On top of the TV timeouts, the replay system has been horrible.  Really, a 6-minute break to see who touched a ball out of bounds?  I like what my dad suggested about how they should have a time limit on reviews.  Two minutes would probably work best.  If you can't determine it in two minutes then just go with what was called.

[JayBell]

Half-court offenses and defenses are so important with all of the breaks.  They made a big huge deal last night about Calipari going to the zone defense that helped Kentucky get back in it.

[Inhogswetrust]

And it will continue to get worse. I often make the analogy to government. Once they start to try to make everything "better" is often times when things get worse. What do they say about the road to hell being paved with something..............

Good intentions..........................

[EastexHawg]

I agree the timeouts are making games drag on forever, but if you really want to speed up games take away the ability of the team that is trailing to stop the clock and play catch-up by fouling.  Pass a rule that once a team is in the bonus if they are fouled in the last two minutes they get the option of either taking two foul shots OR one shot and the ball out of bounds. 

One of the great flaws in the game of basketball is that the team trailing can use violating the rules of play...i.e., intentionally fouling...to benefit its ability to mount a comeback.

It is ridiculous that the last two minutes of a basketball game can take 20-25 minutes to play because of all the timeouts and the fouls.

[The_Iceman]

They will never reduce the amount of timeouts. Why?

Answer: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[azhog10]

They will never reduce the amount of timeouts. Why?

Answer: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I dont' totally agree with this. I assume the money you are talking about would be for advertisement right? If you limit the number of timeouts, then you would have less commercials, which means you just up the price of advertising during your marque games. They would find a way to make their money if that's really the concern.