Another bad habit that needs to go

Over the years, we've witnessed a few not-so-good habits in various sports. Some are (almost) gone through rule changes and, yes, even common decency.

It used to be that, while at bat, major league baseball players had this thing about scratching their nether regions repeatedly. Why that was is anybody's guess, but it was definitely not cool. Hey, kids were watching their heroes and still will copy everything they do. Nobody wanted to see a 5 year old stepping up to the plate in tee ball only to grab his crotch before taking his swing. Thankfully, for whatever reason, the pros don't act like they've got itching powder in their cups or a bad case of the crabs anymore. This is a good thing.

Another had to do with the tobacco chewers. Sure, grown men should be able to partake if they wish -- within limits. In any major league stadium that features natural grass, no problem. They can spit away. Once the ground crew turns on the sprinklers or hoses to water the lawn, it all gets absorbed. But this should NOT be allowed on artificial turf. Somebody's got to clean those nasty stains up. And would you really want to see that same 5 year old with a cheek or gumful of Skoal? Dad might be proud of his boy, but methinks he'd have some serious 'splainin to do if Mom found out.

In football, they're trying their best to do away with helmet-to-helmet contact. Given the recent revelations regarding concussions and the serious, sometimes tragic, events in later life they can lead to -- the powers that be had to do something. So they've instituted penalties and fines. Actually, there was always a better way. Cut the top off the helmets. If some guy wants to lower his head and deliver a hit to an opponent's face mask or side of his helmet -- have at it. Guess who's going to come out on the short end of THAT collision? It could be argued that the only purpose the top of the helmet ever served was as a battering ram. Bare those scalps to the open air and all the cheap shots will STOP.

Soccer is slowing coming to grips with their obvious "flopping" problem. You know, when guys hit the turf feigning agony or even unconsciousness, even if replays clearly show they were never touched by an opponent. The futbol folks might give such a faker a yellow card as a warning, maybe even the dreaded red card that removes him from the game. But such a charlatan will likely live to flop again in a future game. This is easily fixable. Forget the wimpy yellow/red cards. Put one of those invisible fence dog collar zappers in the same place major leaguers used to scratch so much. When a faker is exposed as such -- have a league official activate it by remote control and give him a 30 second burst. At least then the writhing in agony would be for real and justice would have been served. It would only take one example, and all this nonsense would stop as well. Another problem solved.

The latest bad habit that needs to go involves hoops. We see this all the time from preps to pros, and it's wrong. This is when a guy/gal is at the free throw line. After attempting a charity toss, make it or miss it, they always have to slap a little skin with their other four teammates. It's stupid.

First of all, any half way decent player is SUPPOSED to make the majority of their free throws. It's like a golfer holing a two foot putt, or a hockey goalie stopping a shot that came from 30 feet away. This is business as usual and hardly cause for celebration.

And you won't see the golfer or goalie doing high fives with their caddie or teammates if they miss that putt or whiff on a shot they should have blocked.

Yet in basketball, even missing a free throw has evidently come to mean it's mandatory the four other players on the court congratulate the failed shooter. How dumb is that? Sure, words of encouragement would be appropriate. "Hey, Maurice/Moriah, stay cool and hit the next one. We got your back".

And well they should. Teammates looking out for each other is what it's all about to be successful.

But all this nonsense about gathering at the free throw line to congratulate somebody whether they made or missed a shot really needs to go.

I mean, what's next? People going wild after a 6 foot 8 guy with a running head start dunks the ball? Hmm. Maybe a bad example, because it happens all the time, and announcers and teammates alike will react like they've just witnessed a miracle. But it's no more a spectacular feat than a place kicker converting an extra point. It's a rarity when it ISN'T successful.

This celebration stuff over the mundane is getting out of control.