Over time, things tend to change.
For example, in my early years running InsideHoops.com I was usually only able to juggle two, maybe three supermodel girlsfriends at the same time.
But now, with more experience, I have a regular rotation of 28 supermodels competing for my free time.
As for reality, one thing that hasn’t changed is the ability of basketball players to successfully hit free throws. Which makes sense. But it’s still interesting to consider.
The New York Times (John Branch) reports:
Since the mid-1960s, college men’s players have made about 69 percent of free throws, the unguarded 15-foot, 1-point shot awarded after a foul. In 1965, the rate was 69 percent. This season, as teams scramble for bids to the N.C.A.A. tournament, it was 68.8. It has dropped as low as 67.1 but never topped 70. In the National Basketball Association, the average has been roughly 75 percent for more than 50 years. Players in college women’s basketball and the W.N.B.A. reached similar plateaus — about equal to the men — and stuck there. The general expectation in sports is that performance improves over time. Future athletes will surely be faster, throw farther, jump higher. But free-throw shooting represents a stubbornly peculiar athletic endeavor. As a group, players have not gotten better. Nor have they become worse.
This could continue forever.
The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they signed forward/center Drew Gooden for the remainder of the season. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
The Detroit Pistons released the following statement from Allen Iverson following today’s practice.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed free agent forward/center Joe Smith to a contract, Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry announced today. Per league rules, terms of the contract were not released.
The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports (via blog): “You know what, I had two offensive fouls tonight, three last night, two at the Minnesota game … and you can go on,” Yao Ming said. “Every time a defender player is on the ground, even if he just wants to sit down and have a rest, it’s my offensive foul. That’s unfair. “Why? If I’m on the defensive side and I’m in the same position, the foul is on us. They can’t call it two ways. When I try to post up and they have a head on my shoulder and lean on me and lean on my elbow and try to push me out and have the knee and have the two hands, and no call. I know I have 300 pounds. But the same way people push me, maybe it doesn’t affect much, but I have to really, really limit my strength to push back. “I guess I don’t need to worry about a flopper the next game. I don’t think Shaq is that type of player.”
Philadelphia 76ers center Samuel Dalembert is having a strange season. He’s rebounding well (8.7 rpg) and blocking shots nicely (1.8 bpg) in just 24.7 minutes per game. And shooting nicely at 49.5%.