Yeah, and if that were the case, then no basketball player in the NBA could dribble the ball without looking to see where it hits the hardwood.
Bowen would have control over the basketball if he was dribbling it...He would not have control of where Amare Stoudamire puts his foot down.
Same as the basketball, he certainly can anticipate where the foot will come down.
You can anticipate where a basketball is coming down without looking at the hardwood because your hand controls it. Bowen did not guide Amare down onto his foot without looking down so you are not even making sense.
Look, this is fairly basic.
Once Amare jumped, let's just assume that Bowen sort of instinctively knew that he would have to come back down. Perhaps he knew where that might be, perhaps not, but he could easily assume it would be in the general area of where he went up. That Bowen's foot often finds itself in that general area may or may not lead to opponents twisting the ankle on his foot at times - maybe only every four or fifth time, would an opponent's foot come down where Bowen had his foot. But if he did it often enough, it would certainly look accidental when he managed to put it where it could do the most harm.
Since just about all other NBA defenders do not have the strange "luck" of Bowen in doing this, we probably can assume Bruce has something else on his mind by being under his opponent so often when they jump.
But most people would do what you do and give him the benefit of the doubt. Convenient.
I understand that JoMaL. What I am saying is it is not the same as dribbling a basketball. That was not a good analogy.
The last 2 times someone came down on Bowen's foot it is because he is trying to close out on them and gets too close. If you don't get close enough guys like Ray Allen drill shots. If you get too close you are bound to get yourself into trouble. I just don't see how Bowen could decide when to do it and when not to do. Or when he could 'get away' with it and not get away with. To me I don't see how you focus in on playing the game of basketball and at the same time know that. Does he have a dirty instinct?
I give him the benefit of the doubt because of who is complaining, replays, and the fact that if he was a real dirty player.... Why is he so selective who does it to? Why didn't he do it to Allen Iverson last series? Why didn't he do it to Dirk last year when they got eliminated? Why doesn't he do it to Kobe Bryant, Gilbert Arenas, Carmelo Anthony or Baron Davis? Those guys have success against him and have been shut down by him. He always guards the best scorers in the league night in and night out and only the whiners seem to complain. Things like this (calling someone dirty) stick in the NBA and when guys are frustrated it couldn't possibly be because they are not playing well...it is because he is 'cheap' or getting calls.
Does everyone seem to forget 10 or so years ago when John Stockton and Steve Kerr were doing moves like Manu, they were 'vet moves' and not 'dirty' (And it pains me to defend Manu right here just to put it out there). I've heard Marv Albert actually commend John Stockton for pulling a 'vet move' in the middle of a playoff game.
