2024-25 College Basketball Thread

My alma mater beat Georgia Tech today. Whisky Tango Foxtrot?

 

North Florida actually looked very good while Georgia Tech looked awful. Ospreys might be a under the radar kind of team to track.

 

Obscure Question Dept.: Did they remove some uniform number restriction this year? I'm seeing more 6s through 9s.

 

Yes I believe they did.

 

Last year I think. But it is everywhere this season. The old man in me hates it.

 

What number restriction?

 

I’m happy to see the 6s to 9s. I think you only saw a few teams do it last year because the rule change was new, but there are definitely more this season.

It’s asinine it was ever a rule to begin with, especially considering players wore those numbers back in the 50s and prior.

 

ESPN needs to bring back their 24 hour tip-off marathon, which would have started tonight and concluded with the Tip-Off Classic tomorrow night.

 

The reasoning:

• No digits over 5 so officials could signal uniform numbers using their hands.
• Single digits 1 and 2 were not allowed to avoid possible confusion between player numbers and numbers of free throws being shot.

 

Fifty years ago, and I don't know how widespread this was or when the rule was changed, but all the high schools in our league in the San Francisco Bay Area had odd-numbered home uniforms and even-numbered roadies, and all two digits ending in 0 through 5. Guards were typically assigned the 10s and 20s, forwards 30s and 40s and centers in the 50s. That allowed teams to carry 15 dressed players.

A player would wear 10 on the road and 11 at home, for example.

So there was no confusion at the scorer's table if 55 got the foul, because the opposing center couldn't have the same number. However, I did get caught as an announcer some times when I'd do home and away games and have to change my play by play charts to account for the difference.

 

I don’t think it was a rule, but HS teams and a number of college teams did the even-odd number thing when well into the ‘80s. Akeem Olajuwon’s Houston Cougars were among them.

 

The game is so much different today. You have 6-9 kids who play point or off guard. Even in high school. The bigs who can't chew gum and walk will get slapped with a 50-number.