Columnist Steve Carp: Bayno, Rebels not exactly clapping over enforcement of palming rule

Steve Carp

Friday, Dec. 11, 1998 | 10:16 a.m.

Maybe Bill Bayno chose to ignore the memo. Or maybe he forgot about it.

Bet you he's paying attention now.

The UNLV coach is up in arms about the enforcement of a rule for palming the basketball. The technical term is "discontinuation of dribble" but the referees have been instructed to call it when players carry the ball.

The Rebels have been hit with a rash of calls in their first seven games and sophomore Greedy Daniels has been the culprit on virtually every occasion.

But UNLV, and every school for that matter, was warned way back in the spring when the NCAA's basketball rules committee decided to make palming a point of emphasis for the refs this year, along with calling rough play away from the ball.

So it wasn't like the zebras decided out of the blue to start calling guys for palming. The fact is virtually every player carries the ball, just like football offensive linemen hold on just about every play.

The question is, how consistently do you call it?

Bobby Dibler, the supervisor of officials for the Western Athletic Conference, said he has instructed his refs to call the obvious palm and not nitpick. At the same time, he wants some consistency. If you call it in the first two minutes, you better call it in the final two minutes. Conversely, if you haven't called it the first 38 minutes, don't start calling it in the last two.

"The thing I want called is when the action of the dribble stops and the offensive guy has the advantage," Dibler said. "I haven't had a lot of feedback (on the palming call) but I do ask the guys how they're doing with it. Are they OK with the interpretation of it?"

If Dibler wants some feedback, he can listen to Bayno and Daniels.

"I don't know what purpose it serves," Bayno said. "It's totally subjective."

Daniels said: "I know the difference between a palm and a (regular) dribble. It's the way I've always dribbled. I think it's more me holding the ball than putting a palm to it."

Exactly, Dibler said.

"When the hand's on top of the ball and there's no continuous motion, that's a discontinuation," he said. "A rule is a rule. We didn't do a good job calling it in the past and I think we'll have some inconsistency along the way because of the nonconference games, where you have different crews from different conferences.

"But I've told our guys, 'Let's not decide the game on something we haven't called the entire game.' There's nothing worse than the element of surprise."

Bruins in black

The uproar over UCLA's alternate third uniform, which is predominantly black, has caused coach Steve Lavin to backpedal a little. However, Lavin said the Bruins will continue to wear the new gear on select occasions.

"For years, the kids always wanted to wear them," he said. "It's a tradeout for doing what properly represents the program -- going to class, the way you conduct yourselves on the road, those sorts of things."

UCLA wore the black uniforms last month in the Puerto Rico Shootout against Maryland and many UCLA fans recoiled in horror at the sight of the new-look Bruins. Even legendary coach John Wooden was taken aback, expressing his displeasure over the break from tradition where UCLA wears its powder blue and gold jerseys.

But Lavin said he talked to Wooden, and Wooden said he was quoted out of context.

"He called Monday to apologize and said he didn't have a real problem with them," Lavin said. "We were both getting a big laugh out of it.

"To me, it's not a slap at the tradition of the program. I would never disrespect the UCLA tradition."

Lavin said the Bruins will wear the black uniforms three or four times this year, but never in Pauley Pavilion.

"It'll be on the road at out-of-the-way places like Pullman (Wash.)," he said of when UCLA will wear black. "Pauley will be Pauley. I promise there'll be no fireworks, no laser shows at Pauley. You won't see a painted court like MTV's Rock 'N' Jock game."

Keeping busy

With the NBA's lockout ongoing and no end in sight, the scouts who normally would be canvassing college arenas throughout the country find themselves with company.

A lot of NBA coaches are showing up to get first-hand looks at guys they'll someday be working with. Milwaukee's George Karl, New Jersey's John Calipari, Denver's Mike D'Antoni, Sacramento's Rick Adelman, Minnesota's Flip Saunders and Phoenix's Danny Ainge all have made appearances at UNLV's first seven games, and there'll be a few NBA types at Pauley Pavilion Saturday when the Rebels face UCLA.

The question is, could this be a waste of time? There are rumors that there may not be a draft next June if the lockout leads to a cancellation of the season. And while that is unlikely, the coaches are taking advantage of the down time to check out the talent.

Besides, there's only so much golf a guy can play.

The Fraud Five

The way things are going, the list may have to be expanded to a Fraud 25, as there are more than enough candidates to go around. For now, it stays at a quintet that deserves its rightful place at the top.

1. Massachusetts (1-4) -- It's not a good time to be a former John Calipari assistant.

2. Temple (4-4) -- Maybe the Owls need to start practice at 5:30 p.m. instead of 5:30 a.m.

3. Xavier (5-4) -- These Mouseketeers may wind up in court, too, if they keep it up.

4. Washington (4-3) -- UConn defeat triggers avalanche of L's.

5. New Mexico (6-0) -- Kenny Thomas or no Kenny Thomas, you can't be down 15 to Texas-Pan American at home. Or anywhere for that matter.

Hoop du jour

You've heard of the Sports Illustrated cover jinx? Welcome to the RPI hex. Ohio U., because it beat Syracuse, vaulted to the top of the Ratings Percentage Index rankings on Monday. Tuesday, OU was beaten by Cleveland State, which was ranked 190th in the RPI, 64-61. Bye-bye, Bobcats. ... That was a good move by Arizona coach Lute Olson to suspend forward Eugene Edgerson after his cheap-shot on BYU's Bret Jepsen with an elbow to the head Nov. 28. The refs missed it but Olson didn't. Edgerson sat out the Wyoming game and will be back for Monday's game with UC Irvine. ... There were 15 teams still undefeated as of Wednesday and there are 15 teams that have yet to win a game.