Slippery Floor? Slippery Shoes?

[Saxifrage]

Has anyone else noticed the number of times the players during the game bend their legs up and reach behind them to wipe the soles of their shoes with their hands? Rivers has always done it, and I'd ascribe it to a nervous habit on his part, but I've noticed it this year among a surprising number of Hoyas.

Is it the shoes? That's happened to Georgetown before.

Or is it the floors? The Providence game made me think it's more common on courts that have hockey ice underneath, but that's speculation.

Or is Rivers' unconscious influence on the team?

[HometownHoya]

Its just to get the dust off of your shoes so that you don't slip...Players on all levels do it

[RBHoya]

There might be something to the ice rink theory, but I kind of think it's just a habit for players to do to keep their body and mind somewhat busy in-between plays. Kind of like fixing your batting gloves in between pitches.

EDIT: And it IS to get the dust of your shoes, but guys do it much more than they need to out of habit, not out of excess dust.

[Saxifrage]

Feb 25, 2008 1:37:25 GMT -5 HometownHoya said:

Its just to get the dust off of your shoes so that you don't slip...Players on all levels do it

Sure, but watch the Hoyas this year--they're doing it a lot more often this year. More dust on the floors than there used to be?

[HometownHoya]

Feb 25, 2008 1:44:45 GMT -5 Saxifrage said:

[
Sure, but watch the Hoyas this year--they're doing it a lot more often this year. More dust on the floors than there used to be?

Maybe the floors at McDonough Gym are starting to get more dusty so the habits of cleaning them...maybe someone should start a discussion on new facilities

[hsaxa2010]

i've always assumed it was mostly habit, with the idea that it's to get the dust off the shoes. back during my elementary school days of basketball, i did it quite often for no reason whatsoever.

[Jack]

Anyone who grew up watching Larry Bird does it unconsciously.

[HoyasAreHungry]

i do it all the time when playing...but agreed it is about the dust. They also always have that sticky mat next to the scorers table that is supposed to remove the dust, etc. Watch the next time people are checking into games or right before the game

[TBird41]

Feb 25, 2008 9:23:01 GMT -5 Jack said:

Anyone who grew up watching Larry Bird does it unconsciously.

Sorry Jack, but I don't think that's the reason the current Hoyas do it, considering Bird retired in 1992, when the seniors on the team were only 7 or so.

[Jack]

I wasn't suggesting that Bird was the inspiration for the Hoyas, although Pat's dad and Larry became great friends as members of the original Dream Team (Harry and Larry). And maybe Doc had young Jeremiah watching a fair amount of NBA, including Bird.

[vcjack]

we have a superstitious team and one that picks up habits

we have JTIII's pregame rituals (yellow gatorade and all), Pat's hand shakes, Jeremiah's unecessary spin move, Roy's free throw motion, Roy not shaking hands at the start of the game, Roy wearing an undershirt, Roy throwing his tube sleave into the crowd, and watch them during the national anthem, they always have the same stance and motions.

[TrueHoyaBlue]

The spin move is actually a signal to begin a particular play. Wallace does, Sapp, Rivers and Wright have all done it.

[jgalt]

It definately just a habit that has been created from needing to do it a few times a game/practice.
But the idea of the ice under the floor is interesting but i think it may help reduce dust (if it does anything). the effect that ice under the floor would have is would be to create condensation that would clump the dust and make it less slippery (but not enough to create slippage due to water). However, i have witnessed a baskball court being placed on top of ice before (not at verizon, at the old caps center) and their are multiple layers of plastic or pvc barriers that are put down to prevent this

[williambraskyiii]

I thought this thread was going to be about that spot at the podium that was slippery last night on the Oscars broadcast. bzzzzzzzzzzz

[HoyasAreHungry]

There really is no more need to speculate about this! This is a completely ridiculous thread for anyone who has ever played basketball (competitively or not). No matter how many times the floor is wiped you pick up stuff on your shoes and wiping them with ur hands makes the soles grip better. Not a new phenomenon for any team

[ephoya04]

Agreed...you get MUCH better grip from your kicks when u run your hands over the bottom. I feel like we had a similar thread a while back about this very same topic that also completely devolved into nonsense.

[HoyaSox04]

Feb 25, 2008 13:20:30 GMT -5 ephoya04 said:

Agreed...you get MUCH better grip from your kicks when u run your hands over the bottom. I feel like we had a similar thread a while back about this very same topic that also completely devolved into nonsense.

And ephoya04 would know, trust me - every time i used to destroy him off the dribble in pick-up games at Yates, he would always use the "dusty soles" excuse. It never seemed to help his game much, though.

I think he learned it from the Tom Crean book of excuse making.

[PDRHoya99]

Feb 25, 2008 16:43:48 GMT -5 HoyaSox04 said:

I think he learned it from the Tom Crean book of excuse making.

So the moist dust can transmit the influenza virus?