in basketball, if a player shoots the ball and it's an airball.. does the person who catches it get a rebound?

I think that would be a "pass", albeit not a good one.

I just assumed that the mouth-gaurd I wore in football was to protect my teeth, but it's not. They absorb impact and therefore stop concussions.

What the hell is the rubber rectangle on top of a pitchers mound used for?

And what the hell is a balk or baulk? It's something a pitcher does but that's all I know.

That's the place that the pitcher must stay in contact with at all times while pitching to a batter.

Balks are a little more complicated...

Simply put, once you start your pitching motion towards home plate, you aren't allowed to stop it. If you do, it is a balk and any runners on get to advance one base.

It's there so that pitchers can't act like they are throwing home, keep the ball, then pick someone off base.

In reality, it can get more complicated. You can start to pitch, for example, and throw to a base as long as your leg that you picked up hasn't gone forward.

The rule is strict too. There have been instances of pitchers who have started to pitch and get knocked over by a gust of wind, and get called for a balk.

Here is the official rule for what a pitcher can and cannot do:

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/of.../pitcher_8.jsp

haha i love it!!!

I think it is a bastardization of Schooner, the boat. During the migration, a trail of Conestoga wagons looked like ships on land.

At least for FSU and a couple of teams it is for making plays, touchdowns, sacks, good tackles, good receptions.

Before 1889 Oklahoma was the Indian Terratory. That year, open settlement was allowed. Supposedly, a lot of peopel didn't want to wait for the hour alloted to go in with the huge crowds waiting, so they went in early. Since they went in too soon, they became "Sooners".

no, it's not a pass.. it counts as a shot.. but does a guy get a rebound is what I wanna know

What's the infield fly rule? I've heard it explained once or twice but never understood.
On a somewhat related note, what happened when a fair ball bounced over the wall before the ground rule double was introduced?

When there are runners on base with one or no outs, and a fly ball is hit in the infield, the batter is automatically called out, regardless of whether or not the ball is caught. This is done so the runners won't be easily thrown out if they try to tag up and they infielder lets the ball drop for a double play. It's really more simple than it sounds.

I'm pretty sure it was still a live ball for the ground rule double thing.

Per the official NBA rules, a rebound is defined as "Gather in and gain control of a missed shot" I personally had always assumed catching an airball would be considered a steal, but the way they define rebounds in the rules makes me think maybe it is a rebound.
I couldn't find any clear answer in the official rules on NBA.com though.

i know the answer and will do so if no one figures it out or knows


whats a hoosier

I love watching/playing football but have no clue on the names, and purposes, of each position.

well... that is gonna take A LONG TIME to explain.... but i will be brief...


OFFENSE

Quarterback... this is the "leader" of the offense, he is the guy that takes the snap and either hands it of or passes it... (Michael Vick, Brett Favre, Dan Marino, etc)

Running Back - the ball carrier, whenever he gets the ball he runs with it, sometimes he catches balls too... and blocks (Ricky Williams, Clinton Portis, Barry Sanders, etc)

Fullback - other running back, but he is used primarily to block for the running back... (Sam Gash, Lorenzo Neal, Rob Konrad, etc)

Offensive Line - These are the blockers the big boys, you have the Center, who snaps the ball to the QB, then the Guards which line up on each side of the center, then two Tackles, which line up on each side of the Guards... they just block.... (Kyle Turley, Larry Brown, Kevin Mawae, etc)

Tight End - Lines up on either side of the tackles and he is used mostly to block but also is used in the passing game as a reciever (Jeremy Shockey, Tony Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe, etc)

Wide Reciever - the fast guys that line up outside and catch the ball... (Jerry Rice, Randy moss, Marvin Harrison, Terrel Owens, Mark Duper, Mark Clayton (sorry had to put that), etc)

DEFENSE

Defensive Tackle - the biggest guys on defense, used predominantly to stop the run they line up usually in the gaps between the center and guards, sometimes they sack the QB too... (Warren Sapp, Tim Bowens, Gilbert Brown, etc)

Defensive End - the are also on the defensive front, but line up outside of the tackles, they contain everything inside, prevent runs from going outside, and try to sack the QB (Jason Taylor, Simeon Rice, Michael Strahan, etc)

Linebackers - they take on the fullback, fill the gaps to prevent a big run, key on the tight ends or running backs going out for a pass, and basically make the tackle they are the generals of the defense... (Zach Thomas, Ray Lewis, Takeo Spikes, etc)

Defensive Backs - Consists of Safetys (they roam around the field watch the QB's eyes and try to make the interceptions, they are also the last line of defense against the run (Ed Reed, Brock Marion, Ronnie Lott, etc) Cornerbacks - line up against the WR and basically just cover them, the fastest of the Defensive backs... (Sam Madison, Troy Vincent, Charles Woodson, etc)

Special Teams - Punter he punts the ball away... uh.. thats all...(scott Player, Mark Royals, Reggie Roby, etc)
Kicker - he kicks the ball off, or makes field goals and extra points.... (Gary Anderson, Sebastian Janikowski, Olindo Mare, etc)

Okay, my question isn't terminology, but more of a VH1 "Where are they now?" kind of deals. I saw the Yanks got Javier V. today and it got me thinking about El Duque. Does anyone remember this guy from just a couple of years ago??

So what ever happened to Orlando Hernandez??

"el duque" didnt play at all last year, He's with the Montreal Expos, he tore his rotator cuff, during spring training, and was out for the year....

I dont think he will recover well from that... it could mean his career... but we'll see

My sister went to UVA and she told me that a Wahoo is a type of fish that can drink two or three times its own weight...not unlike students in Charlottesville, is the idea.
Also, a little bit of trivia...you know Dr. Seuss's "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"? All the little Hoos in Hooville? Dr. Seuss actually lived on a hill right near the UVA campus in Charlottesville, and the name for the characters the Hoos and the town Hooville refer to the unofficial Wahoo mascot of UVA.

Here's a good Question:

Where did the tradition start of cutting the net after a team wins the NCAA College Basketball Finals?

No clue on the net cutting....

However I have an observation. Why do the announcers try to make these bowl games seem significant? Sure, I know its their job. But we as common sports fans (excluding those who are alums) know that these games simply don't mean dick. It's hilarious how story/game lines are created and they make it feel like it's the matchup for the ages. Okay, maybe this post was more to vent. Or was it a bump?

I still want to know the answer to the net cutting....

I consider myself a very knowledge kinda guy with sports, but could someone explain how one wins a set in tennis? I get the scoring and individual game winning, but I don't get how they decide the set scores. Like sometimes its 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 or its 7-6, 3-6, 6-2.

This crap has always perplexed me and an explanation would be grand.

the 6-4, 7-6.... those are the number of sets that you win. In tennis (im not quite sure how exactly it goes) but the scores in a set are 15, 30, 45 and set. (i think)... but anyways when you win a set then you get a point. and those numbers are the points

sorry if the explanation is so vague...

1. Players serve for an entire game, and switch every other game. Game scoring is "Love", 15, 30, and 40, then you win the game. If the score is 40-40 it is called "duece". If the score is duece, a player must win by two (in a sense), so they need to win a serve/volley to take it to "advantage [player]", and then win another, before the other player wins a serve/volley and takes it back to duece.

2. A set is won by reaching six games, and you must win by two (sort of). If the score is 6-6, then a tiebraker game is played. The serves in this game goes 1-2-2-2-2-2-and so forth until someone reaches six points, and again you must win by two. That is why you will see a score of 7-6 (10-8) meaning that the winner of that set won the tiebraker 10-8. If it is the fifth set, there are no tiebrakers games, the match continues until a player wins by two games.

3. A match is won by winning 3 sets (males) or 2 sets (females). If a player wins the match in 4 sets, you could potentially see a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 which would mean that the eventually winner lost the second match. The eventual winner's score in each set is always listed first.

So to sum up, if a player wins in 5 sets, with the third and fifth set going to tiebrakers, you could potentially end up with a score of 6-3, 0-6, 6-7 (15-13), 6-3, 9-7.

Game, set and match.

Ps. "Love" comes from the French for egg "l'ouef", which looks like a zero.

ok tennis is played to 6 but you must win by to


to win a set you out score your oppent that gets you a point


if the game is tied at six they play sudden death

Watching Christmas basketball sparked this one that I've always been curious about...

Why in the hell do they tag hands after every single free throw. Seriously, has anyone ever noticed this? If the guy makes the gimmie they all give 5's. And even if the freebie is missed they all tag. What's the deal with this? When did it start??

What does bonus & 2x bonus mean?

Bonus/Double bonus:
Normally, if a player is fouled, he only gets to shoot freethrows if he was shooting while he was fouled. However, starting with your seventh team foul of a half, your opponent gets a one-and-one on ANY foul. Starting with the tenth, he gets an automatic two freethrows.
Sometimes, when a team is behind 5+ points with a minute left, and their opponent isn't in the bonus, they have to start fouling just to get them in the bonus so they can make them take freethrows.
I hope that was coherent....

It's just teammates saying "Good shot" or "Nice try, you'll get the next one".

Ok I've got one, since its gonna be a free agent bonanza in the NFL this offseason (Manning, C Woodson, Champ Bailey, TO etc).

What does it mean exactly when a team puts a "franchise tag" on one of their players ?

Basically, a team can negotiate with that player, and any team trying to sign them has to give up their top draft pick to do so, and the original team can match any offer.

I'm pretty sure that's it.

You are correct. A team can offer a franchise player a contract. If that players goes to that team, that team must also give the team a draft pick for that player. Kinda like a trade, but not really.

It's actually the team's next two first round draft picks. I have the unfortunate experience of being a Carolina Panthers fan and watching our team sign Sean Gilbert away from the Redskins for the highest contract ever given to a defensive player, AND losing our first rounders for the next two years.

Thank you Dom Capers you ignorant fool.

so did anyone figure out why they cut the damn net after winning the NCAA final four?

To keep it as a memento of their great victory ?

Like cricketers pulling out and keeping the stumps after a big win.

I don't know :/

I have a question.

Lets say PlayerX is a really good football player from Texas ;) and will likely be the 1st pick in the draft.

But, PlayerX doesnt want to go to the team that has the first pick for personal reasons (lets say he grew up a cowboys fans or something).

why cant playerx go straight to the cowboys?

Because when a team drafts a player they own his rights and the player becomes a commodity of that team (?).

Besides, if PlayerX is the 1st overall pick, mostly likely he will be offered a large contract, and I think most college players will pick money and pro football regardless of whatever team they play for.

But if draftees could chose what team they play for, do you think anybody would join the Bengals (this year excluded) or the Cardinals ?

I got a question now :]

In baseball how does the whole pinch runner/hitter thing work ? I mean when can you swap a player for a pinch hitter/runner ? And how often can you do it ?

lets say playerx doesnt go to the draft and instead would like to sign with his favorite team. can this happen?

It doesn't matter. All eligible players in the NFL and NBA must go through the drafts of those leagues. If a player goes undrafted, they become free agents, and can go where they want.

The draft is a safety measure against a team with money gaining all the talent. Otherwise, the best teams can sign whomever they wish, and keep winning.

This used to happen in baseball. The Yankees used to sign every amatuer player they could, and in this way kept building their team.

The baseball draft is different then the others. Most players have to go through the process, except college seniors, who are allowed to sign with whomever they wish during a period before the draft, or go into the draft.

Anytime when there is no action. You can pinch hit/run for anyone at any time. However, once a player is taken out of the game, they can't go back in.

so in effect, eli manning could forgo the draft and sign with the dallas cowboys?

No, that was my point.

If he went through the draft and wasn't taken, he could. The college senior thing is baseball only.

no, I meant if he doesnt enter the draft (i know that he prolly has, but lets say he didnt)