Turns Out The NBA Is Going To Change The Intentional Foul Rule Thus Disposing Of The 'Hack A Shaq'

YardBarker-  On Thursday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver appeared on the NBA to Z podcast and spoke about this controversial rule. According to a report on the podcast’s content, Silver indicated that the rule is being looked at for reform.

“Even for those who had not wanted to make the change, we’re being forced to that position just based on these sophisticated coaches understandably using every tactic available to them,” Silver said. “It’s just not the way we want to see the game played.”

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What?!? Who would have ever thought this day would come? Implementing a rule change due to one of the most aesthetically unpleasing strategies that sports has ever seen? What was wrong with Adam Silver's previous course of action which was to do nothing and hope it would magically fix itself. I liked that philosophy. Hell, I have used that philosophy many times. Is turning a blind eye to criticism and maintaining status quo no longer a viable solution? I thought that was the only benefit -other than the paycheck- of being commissioner of a professional sports association. Instead we have to trivialize one of the most fundamental skills required of a basketball player? 

Sure, the free throw was created as a reward for a player getting fouled in the flow of the game and not as a way to intentionally slow the game to a grinding halt. Sure, the viewing audience would be happier watching actual possessions instead of the world's greatest athletes slowly walking up and down the floor for what seems like hours at a time. But how are these coaches supposed to display their sophistication if they can't have a bunch of bench players repeatedly grab onto a poor shooting big man and make him earn his points at the line? What new act of brilliance can they possibly conjure up to replace the 8% of the time that the 'Hack a Shaq' actually achieved it's desired goal? If the players would just make their foul shots we wouldn't have to worry about this. Fucking DeAndre Jordan, Andre Drummond, and Dwight Howard with their big clumsy hands and complete lack of depth perception. So selfish of them to suck so bad at taking a set footed 15 foot jump shot that Adam Silver has to rewrite the rule book. No other sport would ever succumb to public pressure to make their games more enjoyable. That's why hockey still has two line passes, football still lets players clutch and grab, and baseball still thinks it's too good for instant replay.  I can't believe that Adam Silver is destroying the very foundation the sport of basketball was built on just to appease a few (all) fans. 

"DeAndre, how do you feel about Adam Silver deciding to change the rules regarding intentional fouls?"