JVG is not kidding around. He really wants the league to do away with fouling out.
Speaking to FanHouse’s Brett Pollakoff, Jeff Van Gundy let fly, saying that people deserved to see the best Cetlics players and the best Lakers players without fear of foul truble. He’s advocating at least an increase in the max number of fouls, if not a move away from fouling out in general. JVG has been beating this drum on ABC broadcasts for a while.
It certainly speaks to a lot of people’s concerns about the toughness of the league these days and the frustrating way officiating can control a game. But at the same time, you have to wonder if you can ever make people happy. After all, in the late 90’s when JVG’s coaching was in its heyday, people complained about the brutal, rough nature of the game. Moving back towards that in comparison to the free flowing style of modern day would probably hurt the product.
It would dramatically shift the kinds of players that are valued as well. Glen Davis’ contract would soar, while Amar’e Stoudemire’s would likely drop a touch. It’s a radical idea with radical consequences. It’s hard to see the league opting in to such an arrangement.