Rick Reilly’s rules for rushing the court
Every so often, Rick Reilly comes up with something good. Here are his rules for rushing the court:
This has got to stop. Therefore, here are the Ironclad and Unbreakable Rushing-the-Court Rules. From now on, you can NOT rush the court if …
• You’ve won an NCAA title in the past 20 years.
• You’ve been in the Final Four in the past five years.
• The team you just beat is not in the top three.
• Or is ranked within 15 rungs of you. (Somebody do the math for Wake.)
• Or is really a football school. This includes Florida, Texas and Ohio State. Get over it.
• You’ve beaten this same team in the past five years.
• You won the stupid game by more than 10 points. There is no such thing as a PRTC (Premeditated Rush The Court.)
• You’re a university and you just beat a college.
• Coach K comes to your coach’s clinic.
• You have a dead-mortal-lock lottery pick on your team.
• Your team has appeared in a recent “One Shining Moment.”
I think RTC has become something that fans want to do at least once in their college career, so they make up an excuse to do it. That’s understandable, I guess. And I’d rather fans be too exuberant at times (NCAA) than asleep in the stands (NBA).
Here are a few random thoughts:
- I don’t like the 20-Year Rule. Really — Arkansas (1994) and UNLV (1990) aren’t allowed to rush the court if they beat a #1 team on their home court? Let’s make it the 10-Year Rule.
- I buy the Final Four, Top Three and 15 Rung rules, though I’d make it a 10 Rung Rule. If you’re ranked 12th in the country and just beat the #1 team at home, I get it.
- I don’t like the “really a football school” rule. A top three team is a top three team. Period.
- I buy the Repeat Rule, but not the 10-point rule, especially if the home team is a big underdog. PRTC is fine with me.
- The last four? Meh. Lots of teams appear in “One Shining Moment” — it doesn’t mean that they didn’t just get a huge win at home.
So what do you think of Reilly’s rules? (He does offer up a few exceptions.)
Photo from fOTOGLIF
Follow the Scores Report editors on Twitter @TheScoresReport. You can also follow TSR editor Gerardo Orlando @clevelandteams and @bullzeyedotcom, and you can follow TSR editor Anthony Stalter @AnthonyStalter.
Improve your game today!
You've got to brush up on your game to get the girl! Find your hookups with this online dating guide.
Rick Reilly makes a very valid point. If teams rush the court too often then what’s the point? It is not longer special. I like your modifications I think that the rule of thumb is a student should only rush the court once in his/her college career. period.
Check out http://bit.ly/cqlmUZ as many sports folk discuss Maryland/Duke
Hey Rick,
About five years ago, you actually wrote an article about me. I am the Tucson High School guy who got injured by the crowd rushing the court after a big win against an across-town rival.
I have since graduated from Stanford, albeit without having the opportunity to play volleyball. I am now traveling around the U.S. and South America before I actually have to start working and paying the bills!
My parents and I disagree about crowds rushing the court. They are strictly against it. They believe that rushing endangers the players, the court staff, and the fans themselves.
I agree with you, to a certain extent. I agree that the number of crowds rushing the court has increased in recent years, and that is unhealthy. It is ridiculous the number of times in a season that Stanford students rush the court after a basketball game. But I agree with you that the fans should feel involved in the game, and should, on the very, VERY rare circumstances, be allowed to rush the court.
I would revise your rules for rushing the court, however. I would add that no fan should endanger another member of the fan base, court staff, or players.
Great to see you’re doing well. I still love to read your articles.
Joe Kay
Tucson, Arizona
The recent storming of the field from Minnesota after they beat Iowa last weekend gas brought this issue up at Big Ten schools as well. Some media are saying it’s poor form by the Gophers to rush the field while others are saying it’s an important rivalry win for a rebuilding program. There’s been a good debate at TC Huddle. I found your article searching for more opinions on the issue.
Thought you might want to check it out. It’s enjoyable if nothing else: http://www.tchuddle.com/2011/10/the-importance-of-the-iowa-win/