I’m someone who sometimes thinks “outside the box,” to use that timeworn cliché.
For example, as a state representative I’ve submitted bills reflecting new ideas. Some made it through. Many did not. It’s not easy to pass a law—nor should it be. And there is a natural, inherent resistance to new ideas.
Christopher Columbus: “The world is round.”
Naysayer: “You’re nuts.”
And so it goes.
I recently re-submitted a bill proposing that we take a measly $1 million from a swelling $1.2 billion Education Trust Fund and establish a modest incentive grant program establishing a formula to reward schools which improve standardized math test scores.
Reward achievement? Yikes!
Sadly, “competition” is an anathema to too many folks in the education establishment. But when the Soviets launched the first man-made satellite to start the space race, it turned into a contest that brought out the best in America. We won that race and put men on the moon using teamwork and 1960s technology.
(Also, look up “Manhattan Project,” which involved a different race against both Hitler and Stalin which we also thankfully won.)
Sport provides a fabulous interscholastic model for promoting excellence. Bring on math teams and math meets. That, of course, means winners, losers, and life lessons that too many youngsters who don’t play sports are shielded from—thus delaying their emotional development.
And so it goes.
Which brings us to basketball’s three-point shot. Naysaying traditionalists were appalled when the gimmick came in with the ABA in 1967. And then the NBA in 1979. And then college basketball. And then high school basketball. But the three-pointer really changed basketball for the better.
Hooray for the “trey!”
But can we get too much of a good thing? Can there be too many treys?
Ben Golliver and Artur Galocha wrote about this for the Washington Post:
“The defending champion Boston Celtics launched 61 attempts from behind the arc on opening night, and Celtics star Jayson Tatum put up 18 by himself against the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 30. When Kevin Durant was a rookie in 2007-08, his Seattle SuperSonics shot just 11.5 three-pointers per game; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is averaging more than that by himself this season. NBA teams are taking 37 three-pointers per game, which is on pace to set a record and more than double the league’s average in 2014-15. Players continue pushing the boundaries, hoisting off-the-dribble threes, step-back threes, one-legged threes, transition threes, early-shot-clock threes and deep threes from the center-court logo. Teams are commonly fielding lineups with five players who are encouraged to shoot from the outside, including seven-foot centers. Within this whirlwind, it can feel like anything goes.”
And that’s okay, IMHO. Just let the players play and the coaches coach. Let them think “outside the box,” or in this case, “beyond the arc.”
Which inspired an idea.
Mike Moffett: “Let’s have a four-point shot!”
Naysayer: “You’re nuts.”
But if three-point treys turned out to be good for Hoop-World, then why not four-point “quad shots?”
Here’s how it would work. Just use the existing three-point arc but in the final two minutes of a game, a three-pointer would count for four points. A team that is down by 10-12 points could bang a couple quad shots and get right back into a game. And it would be so fun to watch.
Now I understand this exciting idea will take time to implement. It took 20 years for the three-pointer to go from the ABA to all of basketball. So, let’s start with the NBA summer league. Or the NBA G-League.
Or the WNBA. Yes! Truly unleash Caitlin Clark!
It will take time. Like some of my bills which eventually became law on the second or third tries. Persistence trumps naysaying.
As Christopher Columbus proved in 1492. Take THAT, naysayers!
Happy Thanksgiving!
