The NCAA limits jersey numbers with a rule that makes sense until you think about it | Weird Rules

I, for one, am sick of numbers and how dang big they get. For that reason, I give endless thanks to the NCAA and their rule about basketball jersey numbers. By restricting numbers to digits you can count with five fingers, my life has been simplified and I am sleeping better. They didn't even waver when the NBA solved the issue! They just kept saying "Zero to five only." Sure, maybe they don't "remember" when this rule became into existence because it isn't a "big deal." But the important part is making sure players have limited options and therefore can't pick a number that would help them become an individual. Reuse, reduce, recycle numbers in college basketball.
Written and produced by Ryan Simmons and Will Buikema
Shot and edited by Joe Ali and Jiazhen Zhang
Animations and graphics by Philip Pasternak
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[@elimiller1200]

I respect the fact the video was 6 minutes and 9 seconds long

[@thesourpretzel]

Hard respect

[@eddieauer6775]

Oh hey

[@teeghee34]

Nice

[@pyrobryan]

My timer says 6 minutes 8 seconds. But I guess I can just "add one to".

[@lilbites0102]

pyrobryan lol😂😂😂

[@eggbug2244]

The number 69 is banned in the NBA. There was an instance in which Dennis Rodman wanted to wear it but they denied him

[@joshlitz4509]

It would be dennis rodman

[@AGuyNamedBrook]

This was when he became a Chicago Bull and his number 10 was retired prior to his arrival. He applied for 69 got rejected, then applied for 91 and got accepted.

[@MrShanester117]

Neil Johnson Football players definitely wear 69. Jared Allen for example

[@0b5qRa]

@@AGuyNamedBrook Nah. Since #10 is retired in Chicago, he wanted #01 but numbers starting with 0 is not allowed except 00. He settled for 91 because 9+1=10. So is 73(7+3=10) when he's in Lakers. He wanted 69 when he's in Dallas but not allowed. He settled for 70.

[@AGuyNamedBrook]

@@0b5qRa I actually went over that in a previous reply on this video. I did not know about the 01 part but I know he applied for 69 lol.

[@TetrisKing]

It might effect duke when they start retiring all the numbers.

[@noahchase9647]

Shane and north carolina, kansas, kentucky

[@GI_Jimbo]

Duke hasn't retired a single number since 2006. They don't have too many up there compared to a lot of schools. They only retire players who graduate, so the one and done era has slowed it down a lot.

[@LegitimateJuice]

Affect

[@Donald_the_Potholer]

One way to dodge that effect is to, after a kid's final game, change their "official" number to an illegal number. In most cases, that would involve changing either the ones digit *or* the tens digit, so that there is some resemblance to the original number, There are 3 special cases, however: 1. The numbers 01-05 are reserved for 1-5 respectively, likely for the first person to be retired under that number. To account for this reservation, the single digit numbers 6-9 are not available to these players (or to 0 or 00), being distributed by Case 2 below. 2. 6-9, (and by extension 06-09) would become available as a third option for players whose jersey digits summed to the respective (single-digit) number. (e.g. 51 becomes either 6 or 06 since 5+1=6) 3. Players whose numbers are a multiple of 11 (but not 0/00) may also elect to be retired under an illegal multiple of 11. Since only 5 players qualify for this rule and 2 of them also qualify for the "Sum of digits" rule, these numbers can be directly allocated: 66 could be allocated to (the first retired) 11, 77 to 22, 88 to 33, (but 33 would no longer qualify for 6 or 66) and 99 to 55; 44 would not be served under this rule but still remain in contention for 8 or 08. As for the remaining 12 numbers, (67, 68, 69, 76, 78, 79, 86, 87, 89, 96, 97, and 98,) these could be set as "Important Contributor" numbers. (i.e. persons who were never on the court but are of *great* importance to either the team or the University proper.) 09 could also be assigned to this group, given that only 45 and 54 would qualify for it.

[@wyattmoxley2291]

Shane lol

[@jarvindriftwood]

Change last name to "Threetimes" get number 23.

[@midnightexpress1711]

Jarvin Driftwood genius

[@JesusHasJordans]

200 iq

[@scatterthoughts]

you have 69 likes

[@zacheryrobinson1085]

Nice

[@steezy1795]

Or you can change the last name to Twotimes and make the number 34.5

[@RamatiKat]

Legally change your last name to: Add-Fourteen-To And pick 55.

[@eldinsaricmagee3114]

Genius

[@oz_jones]

Nice

[@seraphimfahmy3510]

easier to pick 23 and change your last name to "3x"

[@indiegum1694]

Of course Will wants a number 69 jersey, dude was cheering for Big Daddy 69 in that episode of The Worst about XFL

[@FALL-LAFF-7477]

He blessed for that one.

[@ashyourresidentenby5916]

XD YES

[@malgold88]

I think we were all cheering for Big Daddy 69.

[@tgt773]

I wish the nfl had someone like that, like could you imagine getting tackled by Big Daddy 69

[@ZakuIIX]

The lack of a college number 6,7,8, or 9 is giving me some serious Mandela effect

[@bobross1550]

Really? What basketball players did you think had those numbers in college?

[@ZakuIIX]

@@bobross1550 In the NBA iguodala is a pretty famous number 9. I'm pretty sure Brent Barry wore 17 and Ron Harper wore 9. Again NBA only though but I would imagine they would have chosen to don those numbers in college as well

[@aldiggty]

ZakuIIX They didn’t. Iggy wore 24, and Barry wore 31. Not sure about Ron

[@kalstonii]

Wasny jj reddick 17 at duke???

[@KarateSpencario01]

kalstonii he was 4

[@heyandy889]

"But 27's in there?" "No. ...Do you know the digits, and the order that they go in?" "Most of 'em" 💀😂😂😂

[@williamroberts2878]

And then he forgets what comes after 38 lol

[@johnc6158]

@MUFC ok

[@ABc-wf4ry]

@MUFC stop commenting this on every vid

[@rahellseddek8540]

4:16 “17???”

[@jamesdillon6467]

@@rahellseddek8540 just realized this😂

[@tropicalstorm24]

I could've sworn my MyPlayer in 2k16/17 wore #91 in college.

[@jalen3590]

2k don't care

[@ozanozenir2503]

1128AM 2k doesnt need fingers to count

[@swolemole69]

The refs grow fingers in 2k

[@calvin1508]

It's a game dumbass

[@bktootuff]

NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoN

[@bsjeffrey]

i think this discriminates against six fingered referees.

[@ramirorybczuk9100]

It actually makes a case for missing fingers referees

[@mcj88]

Dread Pirate Roberts' secondary career choice is _screwed_ then.

[@bigpapipapa256]

Agreed

[@adameves5970]

You mean four-fingered referees. A ref with six fingers would have no issue with this rule.

[@tiger5869]

Maybe if the ref has 6 fingers they should allow #6 and such for just that game

[@_MrMoney]

Speaker: And now presenting our starter line-up: At Foward, Andy Roberts, number 10 At Center, John Francis, number 21 At Point Guard, Steve Peters, number 24 At Power Foward, Ben Stevens, number 33 [Silence] [lights go off] ... ... *[Sirens and Airhorns intensifies]* Speaker: AND NOW, STANDING 6 FOOT 1 INCHES, AT SHOOTING GUARD: *"THE MAD LAD" WILL ADD-ONE-TO, NUMBER 68"*

[@WorldwideWyatt]

That's why Peppers wore 45 for UNC basketball, but 49 for the football team.

[@cheetogod5521]

Worldwide Wyatt the more we know

[@parkeradams5942]

Do a video on why football players have to wear certain numbers....you don't ever see wide receivers wearing 68, or lineman wearing 85

[@skibbidyrizz]

Parker Adams I second this

[@brianbadonde9251]

It's obvious why not, positions have certain number they have to use. It's not rocket science

[@skibbidyrizz]

Rev Hitit maybe to you, but it’s obviously not common knowledge.

[@Subdivision229]

Rev Hitit but not everyone are football fans that understand why.

[@brianbadonde9251]

@@skibbidyrizz All you have to do I look an NFL team, notice that a range of numbers is used for receivers and a range for OL etc and it's common sense at that point. But I guess some idiots need their hands held while they learn something

[@redtaileddolphin1875]

As someone studying ASL it’s worth mentioning that the numbers 6-9 are also easy with one hand and also quite distinct from the other 6 digits, and that’s what makes this row even more wild for me

[@redtaileddolphin1875]

@Kevin L ..... it’s hard work to learn 4 hand signs? they need a way to communicate numbers with one hand and it exists. that’s it. they already have to know to much extremely specific info to be a ref, I think 4 related hand signs would not be that much of a burden. if knowing the difference between a crow and a raven made being a sportscaster easier, I would indeed argue they should learn that info

[@alisimchi1076]

He’s thinking 27 from Mr. Splash Man!

[@DJLukk4]

Shot Clock Cheeeeeseeee

[@Sutidamuskun]

Number 27 to Number 21

[@DJLukk4]

Suti~Tooti HOU-STON

[@alexchavez1419]

LeBron James We’ve got a problem

[@scottzummers2812]

Ali Simchi W

[@timothybrown5999]

As someone who has announced b-ball games and sat at the scorers’ table this rule is helpful. We need to record which players committed fouls and if the crowd is noisy you can only go off the ref’s hand signals. If someone wore 99 this would be really awkaward

[@joshlitz4509]

@Hamed Khatiz still way easier to misunderstand

[@timothybrown5999]

Hamed Khatiz when you are sitting at a table, floor level, and a ref points in the same general area as the rest of the players it’s even more confusing. But when he motions which foul the team belonged to and puts up a 3 and a 5 then I know the foul is on Blue 35

[@DefaultProphet]

Just hold up 4 fingers sideways instead of vertical. Learned that watching Deadliest Catch.

[@muhilan8540]

There are hundreds of ways to express all 10 digits using only one hand. Start with the ASL way of expressing for example.

[@ItsYuhBoyyyy]

So just let them use 2 hands?

[@mcj88]

In the NHL #0 and #00 were specifically banned in the late-90s, and supposedly the reason for this was because rookie Buffalo Sabres goalie Martin Biron _crashed the NHL's computer system_ by wearing #00 during his 3-game stint in 1995-96. The NHL's denied that's the reason (though of course they would, that'd be embarrassing considering the NBA has no such problems with those numbers) but they've also admitted that they don't actually _know_ the real reason 0 & 00 are banned, because the minutes of that meeting are supposedly lost to the sands of time... (my point here is that you should do more NHL history videos because the NHL's history is filled with so much silliness it should be talked about & laughed at all the time by everyone.)

[@SimuLord]

Considering that the Roger Neilson episode was probably the best episode of Weird Rules, I agree.

[@Zer0Skateboard]

99 is also leaguewide retired

[@joeynascar]

the NCAA doesn't know how to count using sign language

[@BrendanKearnsMusic]

Yeah, but the NCAA would only be able to add numbers 7, 8, and maybe 6 [since it's commonly used in place of '3' for players] . 9 is currently used to signify 3 point shots (or 3 foul shots), so I'm okay with the rule since it reduces ambiguity in signaling.

[@DBB314]

BrendanKearnsMusic wtf are you talking about

[@LuisFernandoAraiza]

BrendanKearnsMusic I understand what you are saying but I feel like the scores table people are smart enough to know if they are using that sign for a 3 point shot or for a jersey number. If not. Then they should be fired.

[@boccci]

the way I was taught to do higher numbers as a ref is to turn my hand sideways, indicating a plus 5. A sideways two is seven, a sideways four is a nine, etc. etc.

[@dddiop]

@@LuisFernandoAraiza "You're saying the foul was committed by a 3 point shot? That just doesn't make any sense ref, but okay!"

[@chicagoakland]

George Mikan wore #99 for DePaul, but then again this was when basketball was played with peach baskets.

[@epic9217]

Legend has it that Will is still saying all the numbers he hasn’t seen in the NCAA

[@johnthompson5741]

I got to this exact part of the video when I read this I just died 😂😂

[@dddiop]

My HS told us about this rule when we were ordering our jerseys and said we couldn't do it, but I still just wrote down "#91" (Rodman) and ended up coming in, wore it all season with 0 complaints from refs or anything and it all went peachy.

[@etekweb]

I mean, the hand signal explanation makes sense to me. Then again I'm a programmer, so having bounds set up with that kind of practical logic is pretty common.

[@Gabriel64468]

It makes sense until you think about it. You would need all of 5 additional signs that the referees would need to learn. And that isn't even a new thing, there are languages in which this is normal - Chinese for example HAS one handed signs for single digit numbers.

[@sammyvc2672]

4:10 "Who made that foul?" *Holds Up 15* "it was number 17" "Wait 17?" This made me chuckle all the 4 times i rewatched it

[@Statsy10]

I feel like he just proved the point. 😂

[@pakkmann]

NFHS (high school) works under these same rules. Makes even more sense when you are dealing with many scorekeepers who are often volunteer students, parents, or staff. Unless you are involved in HS basketball, you'd be surprised how often there are communication issues between officials and the table. One final note - under NFHS rules, you can have 0 or 00, but not both on the same squad. cheers

[@slim8553]

Actually, you cant use the number 69 in the nba. Dennis Rodman already tried lol

[@willcarroll9762]

Furious Storm158 of course he did

[@SimuLord]

I just checked Basketball Reference and indeed, there has never been a player who wore number 69. The full list of unused NBA numbers: 58, 59, 64, 69, 74, 75, 78, 79, 82, 87, and 97. Every other number has been worn at least once by somebody.

[@fridaynightpizza7158]

@@SimuLord nobody has ever used 64? what, no nintendo fans in the nba?

[@crazyluigi6664]

@@SimuLord I remember 98 was used by Hamed Haddadi in his one year with Phoenix because he wanted to reference his home country there. (It related to phone codes there for some reason.) However, I wonder if anyone else ever wore 98 before him?

[@exwhyz7990]

@@SimuLord No one used a stack of numbers

[@kenzschueler]

I'm still waiting to see a player in either college or pro wear a 1/2 Jersey.

[@SadOceanicsFan]

Having worked the scores table before, I’ll say that this rule definitely helps but it’s really dependent on the refs for whether or not it’s necessary. The good refs will say the numbers as they flash them so you’ll see them go “one, five” when the foul is on number 15. But the bad refs will just briefly hold up their hands. And I worked an AAU game where a team had a 15, a 51, and a 6, and one of the refs wouldn’t mouth the number when he flashed it which honestly was a disaster if I didn’t see who the foul was on myself.

[@AaronOnTheTrails]

There was a slight edit to the rule once. Before 1999 the numbers 1 and 2 also weren't allowed. The reasoning was the official would signal for one or two free throws.

[@ProgShell]

“Do you know the numbers and the order they go in?” is such a brutal thing to say to someone.

[@Khan3r]

We just not gonna talk about the fact that they fs made this video 6:09 on purpose

[@AbsolXGuardian]

This also gets more hilarious when you realize that ASL let's you communicate 0-9 using one hand. So there's already a hand signal system that gets around this

[@lesbianomen]

just wait til they figure out how the ASL number system works

[@olgierdvoneverec4135]

Referees should just signal in binary, now they can count up to 1023.

[@michaelhall5429]

This was a very good and interesting video. Thank you.

[@ericveneto1593]

Are you saying it was "Pretty good"?

[@cman3310]

This actually came from a controversial ejection where a player wearing 15 was ejected but one of the fouls should have been attributed to #6. This happened twice in 1963.

[@atticusshadowmore3263]

They do ASL exists right? They have single handed signs for 1-99

[@gavinwhite3871]

Yeah, most of those signs have motion in them which would make them difficult. But 0-10 all have single hand signs that dont move

[@guppy719]

Sure and that would defeat the purpose by introducing a new system people aren't used to.

[@atticusshadowmore3263]

@@guppy719 Granted, but still, there is a very easy counting system out there most don't use

[@guppy719]

@@atticusshadowmore3263 Its not as easy as counting on your fingers which everybody recognizes.

[@pct87]

@@guppy719 driving isnt as easy as walking, but ppl learn that. Just cause u want to limit yourself, doesn’t mean all ppl do.

[@WileyKoyote]

Next to anything by Jon Bois, Weird Rules is my favorite SB Nation series. Good job dudes.

[@zym6687]

I used to ref HS ball and this never even occurred to me since we used ASL signs.

[@Ramboost007]

This is going to make a great question for Tom Scott's Lateral.

[@brakosjacob8019]

Wasn't expecting a Tom Scott reference over here. Mystery biscuits to you.

[@braylip]

Omg when I was in 7th grade I was QB #40 (5:09)

[@heyandy889]

Shout-out to #68 in your programs, starting at small forward, Will Add-One-To.

[@alsacrime4806]

Cf. Jon Bois, his topic choices, his unforced, brilliant humor. Jon Bois is quite good at what he does.

[@my0p1n10nst1nks]

As a basketball official I got to say this rule is one of the best ones. Two hand reporting is simpler when I can throw both numbers up at once. This also makes it less likely for an official scorekeeper to make any mistakes.

[@sagacious03]

Neat video! Thanks for uploading!

[@The_Drum_Bum]

“Player 24 Holding I’m itchy”

[@trevorcisneros6672]

Man gets banned from ncaa for having a jersey number of 69

[@roguishpaladin]

...but not for the reason you'd think.

[@olinjohnson5181]

These guys are awesome.

[@thewalrusdragon9579]

Makes sense that it came from an older era. Basketball is one of the few sports where fouls add up and can lead to ejection. So making sure the stat takers get the players number correct when a ref signals them can be pretty important. Sure with the technology we have now we could easily remove the number restrictions and probably never have an issue, but that wasn’t the case even 30 years ago.

[@LeoAr37]

This interaction was hilarious I lost it at 2:14

[@PassivesAbseits]

Everyone that ever watched or played a game of Highschool Basketball should know, that this rule exsist...

[@tommclarty17]

Which means the entire heterosexual community has been in the dark about this.

[@michaelgriggs7839]

I didn't know about this and i play basketball and i know a lot of people who don't know about this either. A lot of people don't pick those numbers anyway

[@Hogscraper]

​@@tommclarty17 Thanks for clearing up that the entire NBA is homosexual. I'm sure the hundreds of wives of NBA players are going to be shocked to hear this.

[@MrChinbaca]

Same rules don’t apply in high school g.. tf are you talking about

[@tommclarty17]

Hogscraper you’re welcome!

[@masoncassell7472]

I understand this, when I played high school basketball, depending on the league my highschool was in, we followed this rule.

[@dancing_odie]

The ending bit was beautiful

[@KazoogleKoogle]

I didn't believe this so I checked my college's basketball team numbers and yeah it holds up.

[@jmandawgfan2533]

I like how the video is 6 minutes, 9 seconds

[@ypcsquirrel]

Most people with iqs under 70 would

[@adam-ne2nx]

The pee wee analogy was spot on. I was a qb and my number was like 40 something because I was tall but I had a short lineman who was like 17

[@GaTech379]

Ryan and Will are the best

[@Psycho5275]

A couple years ago Euroleague changed the rules allowing numbers 0-99 under fifa rule changes 2014 ART 4.3.2

[@coldsnap5742]

It is APPARENTLY illegal to wear the number 69 in the NBA. When Dennis Rodman was traded to the Bulls, he asked commissioner David Stern if he could wear 69. Stern said no. So Rodman chose 91, because 10 had already been retired in honor of Bob Love, a great Bulls player from the 1970s, and 9 + 1 = 10. And before you ask about B.J. Armstrong, they didn't retire Love's number until the '90s.

[@rellbandoo6572]

3:13 LMFAOOOOO the head nods and sound effects are so funny to me, I’m not even sure why

[@jayoakes7874]

Great job!

[@andrewchapman2039]

What I want to see is a ref with polydactyly who allows the number six.

[@mfinn5146]

Gymnasiums can be very loud places. To avoid confusion and to avoid mistakes made by the scorer, limiting the jersey numbers to digits the ref can signal with one hand make complete sense.

[@darrengordon-hill]

Still odd you can have 1 and 11/2 and 22 etc but not 0 and 00

[@BrendanKearnsMusic]

@@darrengordon-hill I think it might be a software/technical limitation that would prevent 00 from showing up on the scoreboard.

[@adamcoe]

Yet somehow the NBA manages to do it in 18,000 seat arenas, how incredible

[@ForgotEnglish]

These guys have great chemistry

[@mikkot.4758]

Funny as well as informative!!!😁😁😁😎😎😎

[@JeffersonSteelflexx]

Do a video on why Raymond Felton is the undisputed goat

[@nathantagg2691]

*Holds up a 1 and a 5* "It was number 17"

[@The77Tairon]

I've played a school championship here in Brazil where things were made so much simplier: we were allowed to use any number, from 0 to 99 (I was the number 77 on my team), and when the referees were calling a foul, the signal made with the front of the hands (or the palms) meant the tens, while the signal made with the back of the hands meant the ones. So simple yet so clever.

[@The77Tairon]

Yes, the purpose of uniform numbers is to id players And I just described a perfect way to do that without having to limit the numbers they can use And your point is that the referees will take too long to do that? Really?

[@philevans6395]

They really covered it all of the fun facts I had lol

[@ericveneto1593]

Do a video on why hockey has no formal jersey number rules.

[@pjabrony8280]

So if Antonio Alfonseca became a NCAA referee, could they wear up to 66?

[@DaDualityofMan]

I mean he would have to referee every single game across the country.

[@jasong3652]

I remember watching a NCAA game when I was a kid when a player got a technical foul for an illegal jersey number

[@shdavidmiller]

Base 6 numbering system. Makes perfect sense to me.

[@StopChangingUsernamesYouTube]

"How foul is he?" **Holds up fingers** "THIS MANY!"

[@KofieWhy]

WE LIKE SPORTS AND WE DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS

[@DenverGiants]

From shooting hoops

[@FuckPolitcs]

@@DenverGiants Kofie!!

[@michaeldensmore6234]

To the super bowl

[@AHealthySnack]

They're just 2 guys and they're havin a good time

[@robertgollnick5183]

foot ball football football tennis hockey (golf)

[@aidanmiller5298]

As a waterpolo player with the number 36 I completely understand why this rule was put in place

[@juniorfibroso]

You should explain how NBA and FIBA use the signals when a player in "#17" make a foul.

[@michaelhall5429]

books about Sir Donald Bradman and then make a video about him please.

[@AlonsoRules]

Americans talking about cricket would make that one even better

[@michaelhall5429]

@@AlonsoRules it'd just be nice for them to see what a real statistical anomaly looked like. Jordan, Tiger, Brady and Federer are all great but literally no sportsman has stood out like the don did.

[@thebasketballhistorian3291]

"Do you know the numbers and the order that they go in?" "Most of them." lol

[@willdadon6590]

This video blew my mind

[@kyleinfante]

I have, but it was a team from Canada. And it was NAIA. Guess there's different rules for college basketball up there.

[@saintarkweather]

Basically they have Base-6 numbers

[@alexandertraeger6642]

I actually think this rule is quite reasonable. I did book while in High School and this rule mostly eliminated miscommunication

[@redfish337]

I think college basketball makes enough money they can teach their refs and the scorers table the 4 ASL signs for 6, 7, 8 and 9 before giving them the job. It's not that big of an imposition on high school either.

[@PAYD-UD]

If you have ever officiated a basketball game you appreciate this rule. Just makes it easier and avoids confusion.

[@pct87]

Yes, but then they couldn’t make these moderately funny jokes. Logic has no place here.

[@HVACSoldier]

I think other college associations are the same way. I seem to remember one university used even numbers for home games and odd numbers for away games.

[@nickrampe1636]

They have this rule at my high school

[@asd36f]

There was an Australian rules football player who wore #100 as a joke during a regular season game.

[@derpshire9899]

Same thing in my last basketball league for high school, before that though in my high school before that I wore number 8

[@tangtaster]

This is that one friend that just starts explaining things and you dont really care but you listen to the whole thing.

[@notahotshot]

"I understand the words." I'm not sure he does.

[@Kipple-wp7pd]

2:40 oh so NBA refs have 9 fingers on each hand??

[@04music98]

What

[@TheBHNetwork]

Kipple 1998 This comment makes no sense but 83 people liked it for some reason

[@Kipple-wp7pd]

@@TheBHNetwork he said has to be number 1-5 cause 5 fingers. NBA refs have 5 fingers too but no rule on the number. the fact it didn't make sense kinda says a lot about you.

[@ExpulsoPlayz]

In the NBA and non-NCAA bball organisations, the numbers are shown with both hands, while verbalising and switching the face of your hand to show a different number. E.g. for 32, you would show 3 fingers with the back of your hand, and then 2 finger with the palm towards the scorer

[@scatterthoughts]

they're an elite group

[@darthnixilis304]

NFHS (High School) also has this rule for the same reason. It's too make it less confusing for the scoring table while everything is going on. As a referee I'm happy it's there.

[@mdoerty13]

And at one time, years ago, we’re not odd and even numbers reserved for visitors and home teams, .

[@BigShaneGillis]

It’s because it’s much easier for the referees to signal the player in contention’s jersey number to the scores table with their fingers, gesturing the signal for clarity and verification.

[@Joe-ck3ju]

i knew this because of Kentucky Sports Radio. De'Aaron Fox as the thumbnail! Love it! #BBN

[@stop.juststop]

1992

[@Joe-ck3ju]

Haha, it doesnt bother me man. nice try tho. Duke beat em that year. Solid play, great shot. I applaud talent.

[@stop.juststop]

@@Joe-ck3ju 😂Good sport. Most of my family is UK fans including my father whose name is also Joe. I remember watching that game. We all went crazy when Laettner was allowed to stay in the game after that chest stomp. It was one of the best games I've seen to this day. Too bad y'all didn't win. Probably the most upsetting loss in the 90s other than Arizona in 97 which woulda made a 3peat after 98. The only thing I really miss about Kentucky these days is the Red River Gorge. Certainly don't miss the humidity and mosquitoes. You ever been to the Gorge?

[@Joe-ck3ju]

@@stop.juststop No sir i have not i am just south of louisville near bernheim forest. RRG is a drive and a half. And i took the the 98 loss worse than the 92 loss because i was more interested in GI joes and transformers than basketball.

[@luhardaway4474]

Are people really just figuring this out?

[@timjoyce5807]

It's so you can understand the hand signals easier. In high school officials use two hands and it can get very confusing when it's loud in the gym. Single hand hand signals are so much easier

[@ajcozzie]

An awesome weird rule you should look at is the rugby union offside rule around the ruck, the Italians found a way around the rule and abused it until it was changed, the rule was only changed Within the last few years so it is very recent

[@pineapplegamer6986]

Do a beef history on SB Nation vs Jon Bois

[@jordandavies4482]

Why don’t they... you know.... use both hands? The refs here in Australia do that

[@6thwilbury2331]

Jordan Davies They do now, and have been for at least a decade.

[@ballwizz23]

Because 6 and 15/51 would look the same. The same rule is used for high school bball. It's much clearer if one hand is used. No chance of confusion.

[@jordandavies4482]

Ballwiz 23 how would 6 and 15 look the same. 6 you hold up 5 fingers on one hand and 1 on the other. 15 you close one fist to represent 10, and hold 5 fingers on the other. If you get confused because of that, there is something secretly wrong with you

[@ballwizz23]

@@jordandavies4482 Close one fist and hold up five fingers on the other hand? You serious? Do that and people will think that means 50. Literally nobody would inherently understand that and it's just asking for bookkeeping errors. Especially at lower levels where the people keeping score and track of stats aren't professionals. Much easier to have this simple yet effective rule in place. - A basketball referee of 8 years

[@jordandavies4482]

Ballwiz 23 if it doesn’t work then why does all of Australia do it that way?

[@gustavosawka7620]

Well, I'm from Brazil and I've played basketball throughout my teenage years and at college (2010-2019), always participating in championships. We could use any number we wanted to but 1, 2 or 3 - as explained in the video - and the way the referee pointed out fouls was by using the back of the hand for dozens and the palm of the and for units. So, if you were number 27 for example, they would make a "2" with the back of the hand facing the table, and then a "7" with the palms facing the table, which was obviously possible since they had both hands to point out the number.

[@pennavedc]

I have to rewatch the older vids to remind myself what will looked like before covid...cause damn quarantine is really working for him 👌