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Agree with the fuss about the timeouts. Make the rule more simple and more elegant. Timeouts can only be called by a player if he is in bounds and in control of the ball. Timeouts can only be called from the bench if the ref can hear the call.
For Lute and co., that's just tough luck - as a practical matter on loud courts, the bench should be allowed to call a timeout in case the players can't be heard as long as the ball is in their possession and under their control. Which includes jump shots in action - how can a shot on goal be in play if it was not under control as a field goal attempt? The tautological truth of this sentence says more about the English language than it does about the rules of basketball. Arizona got unlucky.
The first rule change should be the possesion arrow. Talk about arbitrary and talk about simple and elegant solutions to avoiding penalizing good defense. Puhleeze. As much as I despise ACC snobs like Vitale and Packer, Dickie "that's delivery pizza Baby" V is right aobut the possesion arrow: It needs to go.
As to half-court violations, it's good where it stands now. As a a fan of the full-court press and zone defense, any change to the half-court rule would make casualties of both. But in case there is a change, one should be willing to introduce a sixth-man on the court as a place-kicker.
