To Foul or Not to Foul

Let me get on my soapbox for a while and rant about a trend I dislike.

Intentionally fouling when up by 3 under 10 seconds. Now just to preface I understand it is 100% the most strategic play and almost always resorts in victory so please do not think I am just some idiot who does not understand the game. I am strictly speaking from and entertainment point of view.

Is there anything more exciting than a buzzer beater? I love seeing the madness of a point guard running up the floor as time is running out trying to decide if he is going to pull up and shoot or look for an open teammate. Now it seems that we have been robbed of this joy by the intentional foul.

Think about it for a second there is no other sport that rewards a team for fouling in the clutch. Imagine if this rule worked in football. Imagine this scenario from the Super Bowl. Big Ben leading the Steelers down the field down by 7 in the last minute. Right before the snap the entire Cardinals defensive line jumps offside. The refs then tell the Steelers they have to kick a field goal because the Cardinals jumped offside! There would be massive uproar because the odds of the Steelers recovering an onside kick and then scoring would be slim to none, and yet when this same strategy happens in basketball everyone applauds the great strategy.

I have been burned by not fouling multiple times in my life most recently when Xavier was on the verge of knocking off #1 seed Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tourney in 2007. Xavier missed a free throw with 5 seconds left and Ron Lewis went down and buried a 3 to tie the game and send it to overtime. Was I upset? Yes. But I know I remember that game 100 times more vividly than if Xavier had fouled and won.

So while I know I am in the minority and am going against simple basketball logic but please coaches stop intentionally fouling up 3 int he last seconds. I would much rather see a memorable finish than a boring free throw ending.