To continue on last week’s column, I am producing the second and final part of a very interesting interview made to the worldwide famous basketball coach/motivator John Wooden, where the latter put forth his views on referees. One should however remember that Wooden, in this interview, is discussing the American, notably the NCAA college game, basketball scene.

What about the coaching box today?

I think it is absolutely terrible. I think coaches should stay on the bench as long as the ball is in play. I have become more convinced than ever that our main problems are neither the rules nor the interpretation of the rules. Most of the serious problems seem to be the result of the administration of the rules by the referees and the lack of proper teaching of the rules by coaches. Too many of us do not teach our players to abide by the rules but look for ways to beat or get around the rules. In other words, we teach evasion of the rules and look for the technicalities that permit us to beat a rule rather than attempting to teach and live up to the spirit of the rule.

You were a basketball coach for 40 years and only had two technical fouls. How did you manage that?

Because I never called referees names and you never heard me use a word of profanity. In fact I tried my utmost to never got personal. If I remember correctly, the worst thing I ever said to a referee, and I would not like somebody to say it to me if I were refereeing, was, “Call them the same on both ends.” Or I might say, “Don’t be a homer.” To be quite honest with you, although two technical fouls were called on me, one really was not called on me. The referee thought that I said something that somebody behind me said.

Did the referees factor into your thinking when you prepared for games?

During my career we played every school in the Big 10 conference. We could not get many of them to come out west (USA) so we had to go there. And when we played in the Big 10, for example, I would tell my players, “Now, they call them different in the Big 10.” You may disagree with that, but I firmly believe it.

It does not matter to referees which team is the home team?

You think the home crowd does not affect the referees? I think they do. Not in every case. I will not name names, but there were referees that I did not like when we played on the road, but I did not mind them at home.

So from where you sat, there were referees who could be influenced?

Absolutely, just like there are weak coaches and weak teachers and weakness in every profession. I think the boisterous and noisy home fans and certain conditions where the stadium has them right on top of you have an effect. There is no question in my mind that there are very difficult places to referee in primarily because the crowd is right on top of you and they are roaring. It makes a very difficult situation. There is no doubt in my mind that there are some referees who would be affected. However I am not saying all referees do.

Malta not taking part in the 2007 European qualifiers

The FIBA Europe Executive Committee, the European members of the FIBA Central Board and the Competitions Commission met exactly a week ago in Munich, Germany.

One of the topics on the agenda was the upcoming draws for the qualifying round of EuroBasket Men and EuroBasket Women which will take place on 11th February in Madrid, Spain. The countries who have applied to take part in these qualifiers were seeded in view of next month’s draws.

The Maltese male national team squad took part in the last two editions of the European qualifiers (2003 and 2005) whilst the local female national made its debut in this competition in the last edition.

Malta had taken part in Division B, as FIBA divides the participating countries in two divisions with countries then ending relegated/promoted between divisions.

Official international reports have shown that Malta will not be taking part as the following information shows.

The seeding which will be used is the following:

Seed 1: Holland, Ireland, Austria Seed 2: Slovakia, Switzerland, Georgia Seed 3: Belarus, Finland, Cyprus Seed 4: Iceland, Romania, Albania Seed 5: England, Luxembourg

Games will be played in September 2006. The group winners and the best second-placed team will qualify to the play-offs, which will be crossover home and away games. The two winners will earn promotion to Division A.

On the other hand the seeding for the women qualifiers Division B is the following (the nine applicant countries will be divided into one group of five teams and one group of four teams):

Seed 1: Ireland, Portugal Seed 2: Norway, Bosnia Seed 3: Holland, Estonia Seed 4: Iceland, Luxembourg Seed 5: England

Games will also be played on in September 2006.

The top two teams in each group will qualify to the play-offs, which will be crossover home and away games. The two winners will earn promotion to Division A.

The reason for Malta’s non-participation is not known as there was no official communication but there could be many possibilities. There was definitely a local study/analysis on the past participation and in my opinion the reasons might possibly be that the two national team squads are passing through a period of transition and thus need some time to reach their full potential in order to face such tough competion (I am a true believer that you could only improve if you encounter superior opponents and be at the top of your form and possibilities) apart from the constant problem of finances as participation in such competitions effectively drain a big chunk from the MBA’s coffers.

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