Basketball Quote by Skip Bayless
“When the NBA first resorted to it in 1979, I must admit I thought it was a circus rule, the equivalent of asking players to be shot out of cannons or swallow swords, something borrowed from the stepchild ABA with its red, white and blue basketballs. A 3-point line? The beautiful game of basketball didn't need a clown shot.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: NBA commentary, 1979, USA
The speaker criticizes the 3‑point line as a gimmick that undermines basketball’s purity.
In simple terms: Calls the 3‑point shot a circus trick.
Key Takeaway
Question tradition over novelty.
Themes
sports
tradition
innovation
rules
culture
Mood
skeptical
nostalgic
Type
critical
analytical
When to use this quote
- team strategy
- coaching decisions
- fan experience
- media analysis
Key Concepts
basketball
spectacle
commercialization
Questions to Reflect On
- Does the 3‑point line improve or dilute the game?
- How do rule changes affect sport identity?
A Different Perspective
Some argue the 3‑point shot adds excitement and strategic depth.
![“I failed, I think, seven [or] eight times before I finally got my first [championship]. It was just, you know, just about me growing up. Now that I'm an old, old veteran-age 29-I do things a lot differently. I don't go to the gentlemen's clubs anymore. I had to slow that down.” quote by Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08f/shaquille-o-neal-659_age_i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-be_2731.jpg)
