How does fans calling out clock keeping working?

Submitted by uncle leo on December 8th, 2019 at 8:02 PM

So I am watching the MSU v Rutgers game tonight, and this has prompted a question I have had in my head for a LONG time.

When the opposing fans call out the fake shot clock, why in the holy hell does it seem to always work? The MSU fans keep calling out an early or late shot clock, and it either caused the Rutgers player to rush his shot or think he had more time.

This is not just a Rutgers being Rutgers thing. I see this happen with all sorts of teams in various environments.

How does a coach not call a time out and scream at his team to not listen to the F'ing fan base? They are clearly not telling the truth. Why would a player EVER think an opposing section would be telling the truth? 

I have vivid memories of Michigan going into Breslin and doing the same exact thing I am watching tonight. I just do not get it.

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Plankton

December 8th, 2019 at 8:10 PM ^

I imagine it’s like when your about to post something that you think will work, but then all of a sudden you feel rushed and it doesn’t go like you think. Maybe? 

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Tuebor

December 8th, 2019 at 8:20 PM ^

Probably a form of tunnel vision.  The players are so focused on playing that they cant decipher that the fans are working against them.

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MDot

December 8th, 2019 at 8:22 PM ^

It tends to happen at least once a game when MSU is at home...I attribute it to young, non-nba caliber players who look down @ ball and/or lock in to only the other players on the court w/o any awareness of clock/game situations. 

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jmblue

December 8th, 2019 at 8:50 PM ^

Serious answer : because fans chant it (accurately) for the home team also.  So 50% of the time a player hears it, it’s correct.  So if you have a defender in your face, don’t have a good view of the clock and hear that, it might fool you sometimes.

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CursedWolverine

December 8th, 2019 at 10:07 PM ^

My actual answer: it's not necessarily the players think the countdown is right, but it does signal that the end of the shot clock is close. So let's say you don't have the ability to check because you're being guarded closely. Even if the fans are 5 seconds early you know you need to shoot soon anyway. Better take a bad shot than no shot. 

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Blue-Ray

December 8th, 2019 at 11:01 PM ^

Exactly what happened to me in a game in high school. 

Teammate passed the ball in to me after a made basket. As I'm dribbling up the opposing team's fans side of the court, they start counting down. 5...4..3... and I quickly look back over my left shoulder at the scoreboard and somehow saw a 3 somewhere. 

I two-hand heaved the ball from about the timeline on the other side of the court. They start falling over laughing...only to see the ball squish in the rim. 

I look back at the clock expecting to hear a buzzer only to see there's like 8 seconds left. Haha I look at my coach and he just smirked ( luckily we were winning) and I gave him one of those Jordan in the zone shrugs. Lots of jokes during halftime about how we need use that that play more often since I was left wide open beyond half court. 

Funny memories. 

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stephenrjking

December 8th, 2019 at 11:49 PM ^

Combination. To start with, there is focus on an intense athletic task, which reduces one’s ability to critically process data (you know how sounds you hear in real life while sleeping show up in dreams and your mind just fits it to context? Your brain hears this stuff and you don’t have mental resources to devote to understanding it in proper context). In addition, players aren’t inclined to automatically disregard shot clock counts because in many cases their own bench calls out accurate shot clock counts on every possession. So you’re used to using the information, making it harder to disregard what fans are yelling at you. 

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J.

December 9th, 2019 at 12:24 AM ^

I just want to piggyback on this to implore everyone: if you're going to do this, count down a late shot clock.  It's much better for Michigan if the opponent takes a shot clock violation than if they rush a shot: the rushed shot might go in, or it might lead to an offensive rebound, or a Michigan foul getting rebound positioning, etc.

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