Watch college basketball: 10 keys to expert viewing

The popularity of college basketball is at an all time high. The game offers many strategies and plots that the average fan does not detect. Through the eyes of a successful college coach, learn how to look smartly at college basketball this season.

1. Do your homework: Print an information page from the ESPN website about each team and review it. Study each team’s record from last season, current record, schedule, leading scorer, rebounder, and playmaker. Take into account the respective background and training records. Extensive information is available in many magazines in advance of the season.

2. Study the coaches: Personalities come out in coaches and their players during games. How long have they been head coaches? How successful have they been? Ask for clothing styles. Do they wear traditional costumes or dress down casually with a sweater or turtleneck? Do they sit or stand during the game? Are they calm or crazy on the sidelines? Do the players emulate the personality of their coach on the pitch? Watch how they treat the officers, especially early in the game. Trainers will fight for territory early on and throughout the game. What are the terms of the coaches contract? Notice the difference between a new, energetic coach and an established coach. How does a manager react in the last year of his contract under the bright lights? If the athletic director is sitting right behind the dugout, that’s usually not a good sign for the coach!

3. Watch the players: Players wear emotions on their sleeves during games. Watch for facial expressions, frustration, elation, body language, and determination. Look at the length of their shorts, headbands, and hairstyles. This will tell you a lot about who they are. Tattoos are common these days and the variety is incredible. Determine who is the captain and show leadership on the pitch. Who are the rookies and which players have experience? How do they get in and out of the game? Players covet playing time. Do they show emotion when they hit the bench or during timeouts?

4. Don’t look at the ball: This skill separates the novice fan from the expert fan. If you’ve never done this, give it a try. You will find that it is much more difficult than you think. Most of the real action happens away from the ball. Train yourself not to look at the ball, but focus on the other eight players. Where does the ball go next? A well-informed fan can anticipate the next move on the court by looking away from the ball. Who are they putting selections for? What play are you running and why? Do they want to get the ball inside to the big guys and do they succeed?

5. Be the Coach – Being a student of the game will make you the coach. You can train from your Lazy Boy chair! Make strategy a part of your viewing enjoyment. Know the time and score at all times. Decide when you would call a timeout, what you would yell at the referees, when you would substitute players, and how you would use your coaching staff and bench. Is your best player getting enough shots? Why or why not? If your opponent’s best player is killing you, what adjustments will you make to slow him down or stop him? Will you play man-to-man or zone defense? How about a box and a junk fender? At the end of the half or game, what play will you run to get a safe basket? At the end of the game choose your best defense or best offensive strategy to win the game. Good luck, you’ll need it! CHALLENGE-Pretend for one night that you are the head coach. Take possession of the game and the result. Become the coach before, during and after the game. Imagine the emotions and excitement that are a real part of training. Experience the pre-game jitters and anxiety, the game-time sweat and roller coaster of emotions, and the post-game highs and lows. Remember, you will take credit for the loss and give your players credit for the win. By losing, he has to answer to the media, his administration, alumni, fans, and his wife. A daunting task, don’t you think? Give it a try and you will have a tremendous appreciation for all coaches and players who practice competitive athletics at this level.

6. Analyze timeouts and the bench: These are emotionally charged situations. During timeouts, notice the player’s attention or lack of interest. Is the head coach or an assistant coach speaking? Are you training or venting your frustration? When players exit the game, do the head or assistant coaches help them, or do the coaches even acknowledge them? Do they sit next to the coaches or on the bench? Are they satisfied with returning to the bench? Watch how your teammates react to them.

7. Feel the passion: Get on the ground, on the bench and in the locker room at half time. There is a lifetime of emotions poured into a single game. Television can never do justice to what actually happens during a game. Feel the passion!

8. Be a Free Kick Coach: Discuss the various styles of free kicks. What styles are more efficient? Most players have a routine before shooting. For fun, run a few miles at a fast pace, then try to shoot a free kick in front of a hostile arena filled with 15,000 fans chanting for you to miss. It’s not as easy as you thought, huh?

9. Style of Play: There are hundreds of ways to play basketball. Each coach is comfortable with a specific style. These can be conservative, run and gun, or any combination. Playing styles often reflect the personality and background of the coach. Defensively, some managers leave players behind to protect their goal, while others send five players to the offensive backboards. Some use zones while most coaches play man to man. Some coaches push full court or half court and some don’t push at all. Some play with only 7 players, while other coaches use all 12. Some shoot the ball quickly on the shot clock (35 seconds), while others milk the clock for a good shot. As you watch the games, determine which style leads to consistent success. What are the common threads between teams that consistently come out on top? You may be surprised!

10. Most importantly, don’t forget the sweets! Remember that you are not the owner of the outcome of the game. Putting food on the table and maintaining your retirement home won’t be determined by whether your team wins or loses. Watch the games for their high entertainment value and soak up the excitement they create. Enjoy and come back tomorrow night for more action.

Article Summary: Millions of people are drawn to college basketball on TV. A small percentage of people actually know how to watch the game with all its passion, drama, and strategy. This article will give you a chance to become an expert fan and office expert. These guidelines will help you add fun and experience to the art of watching your next game.