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Los Angeles Xtreme

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The Los Angeles Xtreme was a professional American football team based in Los Angeles, California . The team was a member of the original version of the XFL , begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC , a major television network in the United States. The team played its home games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the spring of 2001. They were in the XFL's Western Division with the San Francisco Demons , the Memphis Maniax , and the Las Vegas Outlaws . The team had the league's best passing offense and was nicknamed "L.A.X." as a pun on the IATA code for Los Angeles International Airport . They finished the season in 1st place with a 7–3 record and defeated the Chicago Enforcers in the Playoffs and the San Francisco Demons in the Million Dollar Game with a score of 38–6 to win the league's sole Championship.

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125-634: The LA Xtreme were the sole champions of the original XFL because NBC dropped the XFL concept after the first season due to dismal ratings. Shortly after this, McMahon announced that the league would be dissolved. However, the Xtreme's quarterback, Tommy Maddox , subsequently caught on with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League , later leading them into the playoffs in 2002 and winning

250-773: A Super Bowl ring in 2005 . Maddox also won the XFL's Most Valuable Player award. Jeremaine Copeland has achieved success in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes , the Calgary Stampeders , and the Toronto Argonauts winning two Grey Cup championships. In December 2018, a revival of the XFL announced its intention to return to Los Angeles. The new team was named the Los Angeles Wildcats , but would cease operations due to

375-438: A rebound , that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side fall into five playing positions . The tallest player is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player

500-493: A 134.3 passer rating, Maddox completed 21-for-29 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Hines Ward caught two of the touchdowns and Jay Riemersma one. Although Maddox passed for 336 yards the following game in a Week 2 (September 14) 41–20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs , Maddox regressed statistically, with 28-for-47 passing, one touchdown, three interceptions, four sacks, and a 62.0 rating. In Week 3 (September 21),

625-641: A 13–10 loss to the San Diego Chargers , Maddox completed one pass for one yard to linebacker Dave Wyman in a fake field goal attempt. On August 27, 1994, the Los Angeles Rams traded a fourth-round 1995 NFL draft pick to the Broncos and acquired Maddox, as the salary cap forced the Broncos to trade him. Initially, Maddox was the Rams' third-string quarterback behind Chris Miller and Chris Chandler . With

750-636: A 34–21 victory over the Cleveland Browns, in which Maddox completed 4 of 7 passes for 22 yards. As Roethlisberger was undergoing knee surgery, Maddox would next start on Week 11 (November 20) against the Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh lost to Baltimore 16–13 in overtime, and Maddox was 19-for-36 for 230 yards, a touchdown, an interception, and a lost fumble. Although Maddox led the game-tying touchdown drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Willie Parker , Maddox threw an interception to Terrell Suggs during

875-541: A 9–3 record and the 1991 John Hancock Bowl title with a 209-for-343 (60.9%) completion rate for 2,681 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. In his two years with UCLA, Maddox became the first Pac-10 player to pass 5,000 yards by sophomore year. In a Friday night news conference on January 31, 1992, Maddox announced his intention to declare for the 1992 NFL draft , reading from a prepared statement: "While I fully understand that another year or two at UCLA would be enjoyable and beneficial to my development, I feel that it

1000-404: A backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of

1125-495: A basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket. Shortly after, Senda Berenson , instructor of physical culture at

1250-496: A children's game called duck on a rock , as many had failed before it. Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break, in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he had not thought of it because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith ball", at which he laughed, saying that

1375-405: A dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball . A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession. The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For

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1500-459: A half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than

1625-688: A knee injury. In Week 6 (October 16), the Steelers lost Maddox's first start of the season to the Jacksonville Jaguars 23–17 as Maddox completed only 11 of 28 passes for 154 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions. In a press conference following the loss, coach Bill Cowher stated he regretted not substituting third-stringer Charlie Batch for Maddox and not having Jerome Bettis in for more running plays. Cowher would demote Maddox to third string behind Batch. Maddox's next game would be in Week 10 (November 13),

1750-504: A name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it." The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany , New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size of

1875-676: A potential game-winning drive. On November 17, 1997, Maddox became an insurance agent with Allstate based in Dallas . In 1999, NFL Films did a feature on Maddox. While in Dallas, Maddox continued practicing football regularly and was a volunteer coach with his alma mater L. D. Bell High School . After getting a phone call from the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League in 1999, Maddox sold his insurance office and joined

2000-441: A present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of five became standard. Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout

2125-619: A senior, he was team captain , and was named the Southwest Texas Offensive Player of the Year, District Most Valuable Player, and the Area Most Valuable Player. Maddox played two seasons (1990–1991) of college football as quarterback at UCLA . In 1990, Maddox completed 182 of 327 (55.7%) of his passes for 2,682 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. UCLA went 5–6 in 1990. The following season, Maddox led UCLA to

2250-501: A series of venues, including Catholic University , Georgetown and George Mason . The National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute . The National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee Institute . Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis for

2375-423: A standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms. A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in

2500-490: A teammate's field goal attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling

2625-591: A total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls , player substitutions, team possession arrow , and the shot clock . The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games

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2750-423: A touchdown and Steelers 7–0 edge at halftime. With 5:54 left in the fourth quarter, the Steelers ran down the clock the point where Maddox took a knee to seal the victory. Afterwards, the Steelers would lose five in a row and fall to 2–6 for the first half of the season. The five-game losing streak included a 33–13 loss in Week 5 (October 5) to rival Cleveland Browns , the team that Pittsburgh eliminated from

2875-557: A touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton , Alberta, operated between 1915 and 1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of 522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their tours from gate receipts. The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball

3000-621: A winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998 . The 1998–99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes . It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc Longley , Andrew Gaze , Shane Heal , Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming poster figures for

3125-489: Is 28 meters (92 feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters). Most courts have wood flooring , usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension. The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle. The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to

3250-408: Is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each end of the court), while preventing

3375-450: Is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play

3500-561: Is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from

3625-430: Is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds. There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling . Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble . Within

3750-453: Is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of the court where the points were scored. Games are played in four quarters of 10 ( FIBA ) or 12 minutes (NBA). College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to state. 15 minutes are allowed for

3875-576: Is the WNBA ( NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women . A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden (German; translates as Truthful Depictions of

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4000-470: Is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one. Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts , in

4125-622: Is time for me to stand on my feet as a man and take on the opportunities offered by the NFL." Maddox also announced his upcoming marriage and further explained: "Playing in the NFL has been a dream of mine since childhood, and it's a gut feeling that the time is now right." Maddox was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round (25th overall) of the 1992 NFL draft . Covering the draft for television, Joe Theismann commented that Maddox should have stayed at UCLA for another year. His selection by

4250-469: The 2004 Athens Olympics , the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina . It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy . The Redeem Team , won gold at the 2008 Olympics , and the B-Team, won gold at

4375-509: The 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics , 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics . Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited continents currently play in

4500-464: The AFC Championship game to eventual Super Bowl XXXVI champion New England Patriots . In Week 4, Maddox replaced Kordell Stewart at quarterback and led a come from behind win against the Cleveland Browns. With 2:02 left in regulation, Maddox ended a seven-play, 84-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress to tie the game. Steelers coach Bill Cowher officially named Maddox

4625-506: The All American Red Heads Team , which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team . The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures, several marquee players ( Lisa Leslie , Diana Taurasi , and Candace Parker among others) have helped

4750-484: The COVID-19 pandemic ; they would not return when the league was reactivated in 2023. Running backs (RB) Wide receivers (WR) Tight ends (TE) Defensive linemen (DL) Defensive backs (DB) Special teams Reserve Tommy Maddox Thomas Alfred Maddox (born September 2, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for nine seasons in

4875-705: The EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas . The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup . The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from continental championships. The main North American league

5000-610: The Grapevine High School baseball team that won the 5A Texas UIL State Championship in 2016 and was runner up in 2017. He was also an assistant coach for the Grapevine High School football team until 2017. Maddox has two children: Kacy (born 1994) and Colby (born 1999). He is a Christian . In 2003, Maddox founded the Tommy Maddox Foundation for disadvantaged children. Basketball Basketball

5125-417: The Jacksonville Jaguars 25–23. Maddox returned as starter in Week 14 (December 8), but the Steelers lost to the expansion team Houston Texans 24–6 as Maddox went down with six sacks and lost a fumble and had 30-for-57 passes for 325 yards and ended the game with a 55.1 quarterback rating . Aaron Glenn , Texans cornerback, returned two Maddox interceptions for 70 and 65 yards. Maddox, however, would lead

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5250-673: The National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from the prep ranks. The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University . The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at

5375-469: The National Football League (NFL), most notably with the Pittsburgh Steelers . He also played one season each for the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League (AFL) and the Los Angeles Xtreme of the XFL . In the XFL's only season, Maddox was the league's most valuable player (MVP) while leading the Xtreme to victory in the league's championship . Maddox played college football for

5500-794: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951 , when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in game-fixing and point shaving . Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament. Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During

5625-622: The Oakland Raiders . Maddox signed a contract with the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League but was waived in November 2006. On December 8, 2006, Maddox worked out for the Dallas Cowboys . In 2007, Maddox scored a 75 at a local qualifier for the 2007 U.S. Open of golf , four over par; three under par was the cutoff for qualification. Maddox was the assistant coach of

5750-741: The Original Celtics and two all-African American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto , Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949,

5875-556: The Soviet Union , Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics , only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team . In

6000-541: The UCLA Bruins and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1992 NFL draft with the 25th overall pick. His first four seasons with the Broncos, Los Angeles Rams , and New York Giants saw limited playing time and minimal success, resulting in him being out of the NFL by 1997. Maddox became an insurance agent before pursuing a professional comeback in the AFL and XFL between 2000 and 2001. His MVP season with

6125-400: The University of Chicago , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , the University of Minnesota , the U.S. Naval Academy , the University of Colorado and Yale University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of

6250-474: The University of Chicago , while Adolph Rupp , a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky . On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University of Minnesota . The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game. In 1901, colleges, including

6375-513: The 1994 season 4–12 and would move to St. Louis next season. Three days after the St. Louis Rams released him, Maddox signed as a free agent with the New York Giants on August 30, 1995, playing again under coach Dan Reeves. Maddox served as Dave Brown 's backup and played all 16 games as the placekick holder. In three games, Maddox replaced Brown as quarterback. Maddox replaced an injured Brown in

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6500-541: The 2016–17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations . The states of Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these communities. ⁣There

6625-651: The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield , Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to

6750-538: The Bills from playoff contention. Maddox completed 12-of-24 passes for 120 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. The Steelers became the first AFC team in NFL history to finish the regular season with a 15–1 record. In the playoffs , the Steelers would advance to the AFC championship and lose to eventual Super Bowl XXXIX champion New England Patriots . In October 2005, Maddox returned as starter after Roethlisberger suffered

6875-405: The Broncos did not sit well with Elway since the Broncos had greater needs at several other positions, which Elway felt should have been addressed with their first pick instead of using it on Maddox. However, Elway understood that Maddox had no control over the Broncos selection and was always professional in dealing with him, doing what he could to incorporate Maddox into the Broncos system. Maddox

7000-521: The Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. Thus, the sport quickly spread throughout America's schools, colleges and universities with uniform rules for both sexes. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball . These round balls from " association football " were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting

7125-479: The G League has 31 teams. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Italy , Latvia , Portugal , Romania and Switzerland . At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur , was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball

7250-514: The Giants' 24–17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first exhibition game of 1996, Maddox played during the second half. In that game, Maddox fumbled his first snap from the line of scrimmage, and the Jaguars recovered that fumble. Maddox would repeat this mistake twice but would lead the game-winning drive. Maddox started the second exhibition game of 1996, but the Giants lost that game 37–27 to

7375-630: The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played at YMCA in Kingston , Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University  – Naismith's alma mater – visited Queen's University . McGill won 9–7 in overtime;

7500-505: The Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at the Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. These rules, designed by Berenson, were published in 1899. In 1902 Berenson became the editor of A. G. Spalding 's first Women's Basketball Guide. The same year women of Mount Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College (coached by Clara Gregory Baer ), began playing basketball. By 1895,

7625-481: The NBA) for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are

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7750-404: The NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the " key ") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense. There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help

7875-673: The NBA. Top international players began coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč , Serbian Vlade Divac , Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis , Dutchman Rik Smits and German Detlef Schrempf . In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association 's first game was played on April 9, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao , Quezon City , Philippines. It

8000-502: The Rams in 1994, Maddox played in five games as placekick holder and played as quarterback in two of those games. In an 8–5 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Week 5 (October 2), Maddox was 7-for-15 in completed passes for 86 yards and 2 interceptions. In Week 12 (November 20), Maddox completed 3 out of 4 passes for one 55-yard drive to set up a field goal. This drive included a career-long 39-yard pass to Todd Kinchen . The Rams finished

8125-433: The Ravens.) Maddox played during the fourth quarter. In the game, Maddox completed one pass to Verron Haynes for no gain, and the Steelers relied mostly on running plays by Haynes, Jerome Bettis , and Hines Ward . This scheme allowed Pittsburgh to keep the ball for the last 7:45 of the game. Maddox would start the final game of the season on January 2, 2005 (Week 17) in a 29–24 win over the Buffalo Bills that eliminated

8250-462: The Savages : "Among other things, a game of skill is described in which balls must be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole. There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit." In December 1891, James Naismith , a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College ) in Springfield, Massachusetts ,

8375-446: The Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals at home, 17–10. On 21-of-34 passing, Maddox passed for 240 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Late in the second quarter, Maddox successfully completed a trick play called "Bengal", in which on field goal formation (fourth-and-three at the 50), Maddox took the snap on his knee and passed to Jerame Tuman , who advanced 23 yards to the Bengals' nine yard line. This trick play would lead to

8500-418: The Steelers tied against the Atlanta Falcons , 34–34, the first tied NFL game since 1997 . Maddox passed for 473 yards on 28-for-41 passing with four touchdowns and one interception. He was sacked once for three yards and rushed twice for seven yards. On the final play of overtime, Maddox completed a 50-yard pass to Plaxico Burress as time expired that ultimately came up one yard short of what would have been

8625-459: The Steelers to victories in the final three games of 2002. With 13 starts, Maddox led the Steelers into the playoffs as an aerial circus-type passing attack, with a 10–5–1 record in 2002. For the season, Maddox completed 234-of-377 passes (62.1%) for 2,836 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He was sacked 26 times for 148 yards, rushed 19 times for 43 yards, and committed eight fumbles (with three lost fumbles). Maddox's passer rating for 2002

8750-522: The Steelers would make the playoffs. Although Maddox broke the team record this season for most single-season completions, the Steelers offense ranked only 22nd league-wide. In the first round of the 2004 NFL draft , the Steelers drafted quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as the 11th overall pick. The pick of Roethlisberger indicated that Maddox might have earned the lowest salary ($ 750,000) among all starting NFL quarterbacks. Consequently, Maddox negotiated salary raises with Steelers owner Dan Rooney before

8875-483: The Steelers' final drive in regulation. This would be Maddox's final game of his career. The Steelers would win Super Bowl XL over the Seattle Seahawks in the postseason, but Maddox was among a handful of Steelers players, including linebacker James Harrison , who opted not to attend the ceremony at the White House honoring their Super Bowl championship. On March 3, 2006, the Steelers released Maddox for salary cap reasons. In September 2006, Maddox tried out for

9000-428: The United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled

9125-459: The United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition (drawing most of its talent from U.S. college basketball ). Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as

9250-450: The WNBA to break even this year." Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way

9375-407: The allotted game time, typically about two hours. Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. For both men's and women's teams,

9500-490: The basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in

9625-414: The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (570 g). In 3x3 , a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with

9750-516: The champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools. The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967. Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as

9875-419: The circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams). The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running). The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball

10000-439: The court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the ball went through. The act of checking the ball has the further advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound does not go as far. The size of

10125-608: The development of the game. The hall of fame has people who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association , emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan ,

10250-464: The draft. Maddox started the first two games of 2004: a Week 1 (September 12) victory over the Oakland Raiders , 24–21, and a Week 2 (September 19) 30–13, loss to the Baltimore Ravens . Against Oakland, Maddox was 13-of-22 (59.1%) in passing for 142 yards. Maddox left the game against Baltimore with an elbow sprain in the third quarter, and Roethlisberger took over as quarterback. Roethlisberger

10375-796: The ending of the game was replayed three times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top. In 1950 the first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup , was held in Argentina. Three years later, the first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup , was held in Chile. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in Montreal , Quebec, Canada with teams such as

10500-501: The expansion Baltimore Ravens . Maddox was 5-of-10 for 42 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and two fumbles. The Giants released Maddox on August 20, 1996. Maddox again joined coach Dan Reeves with the Atlanta Falcons but was released after training camp on August 18, 1997. In a preseason 35–31 loss to the Washington Redskins on August 16, Maddox completed only 4-of-11 passes for 35 yards and threw an interception during

10625-472: The first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five , which took

10750-854: The first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics ; charismatic center Wilt Chamberlain , who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters ; all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West ; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Shaquille O'Neal , Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone ; playmakers John Stockton , Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash ; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and Charles Barkley ; European stars Dirk Nowitzki , Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ; Latin American stars Manu Ginobili , more recent superstars, Allen Iverson , Kobe Bryant , Tim Duncan , LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo , etc.; and

10875-406: The first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were "dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009, article, NBA commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA. We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting

11000-425: The game had spread to colleges across the country, including Wellesley , Vassar , and Bryn Mawr . The first intercollegiate women's game was on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley , 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory. Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the executive committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee)

11125-463: The game reported: "Every time Denver moved the ball, Maddox would be pressured, sacked or simply dropped the ball." The following week, in a 16–13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks , Maddox threw his first touchdown pass professionally, connecting with wide receiver Mark Jackson . Under coach Wade Phillips , Maddox played all games in 1993 as the placekicker 's holder. On Week 14 (December 5), in

11250-567: The game-winning touchdown. Maddox left the Week 11 (November 17) game, a 31–23 loss to the Tennessee Titans , in an ambulance after being tripped by Lance Schulters . Kordell Stewart played the following game in Week 12 (November 24), a 29–21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals , while Maddox recovered from his injuries. Coach Bill Cowher chose to start Stewart the following game. Pittsburgh would win that Week 13 (December 1) game over

11375-489: The inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football , the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it

11500-446: The latter saw Maddox lead the league in passing yards and touchdowns, while being the only quarterback to start all 10 regular season games. Following his XFL success, Maddox signed with the Steelers the same year. He became the team's starting quarterback during the 2002 season, helping lead them to the playoffs and earning Comeback Player of the Year . Maddox lost his starting position to rookie Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, although he

11625-649: The league to start all 10 regular season games, led the league in passing yards, touchdowns, rushed for two touchdowns, and led the Xtreme to the Million Dollar Game , also known as the "Big Game At The End." The Xtreme defeated the San Francisco Demons with a score of 38–6. Maddox was named the XFL MVP in 2001. The XFL folded after its inaugural 2001 season. Maddox signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2001 as backup to Kordell Stewart . His first game action

11750-545: The league's popularity and level of competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98) , have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN . The new television deal ran from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came

11875-423: The mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the additional effect of allowing rebound shots. Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from

12000-489: The nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In

12125-402: The nearby Smith College , went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she started to organize games with her pupils, following adjusted rules. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played barely 11 months later, between the University of California and the Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at

12250-400: The new sport and the values it could teach, she instantly introduced the game as a class exercise and soon after teams were organized. The first women's collegiate basketball game was played on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played later that year between the University of California and

12375-454: The offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA,

12500-405: The opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with

12625-409: The previous season's playoffs . On 11-of-24 passing for 136 yards and a 29.2 passer rating, Maddox threw two interceptions and lost one fumble; Cleveland cornerback Daylon McCutcheon returned one interception 75 yards for a touchdown. At Mile High Stadium on Week 6 (October 12), Pittsburgh lost 17–14 to the Denver Broncos . This game was Maddox's first interception-free game since Week 1, but Maddox

12750-459: The score tied, an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a variety of shots – the layup , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense, they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect

12875-564: The score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play, and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game. The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament , was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams,

13000-511: The second half of the Week 7 (October 15) game against the Philadelphia Eagles . Although Maddox completed his first pass, Maddox finished 6-for-23 for 49 yards, three interceptions, and one sack in the 17–14 loss. In the Week 12 (November 19) game, again against the Eagles, Maddox took over for Brown, late in the fourth quarter. Maddox was sacked once for four yards and lost one fumble. In

13125-463: The sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981. Women began to play basketball in the fall of 1892 at Smith College through Senda Berenson , substitute director of the newly opened gymnasium and physical education teacher, after having modified the rules for women. Shortly after Berenson was hired at Smith, she visited Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by

13250-476: The starter on October 2, 2002. Maddox started his first NFL game since 1992 against the New Orleans Saints, which was a 32–29 loss. He went 22-for-38 passing, Maddox threw for 268 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He was sacked four times for 24 yards and lost a fumble. In Week 6 (October 13), Maddox won in his third start with the Steelers in a 34–7 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals . Maddox

13375-508: The team. With the Red Dogs, Maddox completed 284-of-490 passes for 3,800 yards, 64 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Maddox became the starting quarterback for the XFL team Los Angeles Xtreme during the first week of the season, despite the team using its first pick in the XFL Draft on quarterback Scott Milanovich . Maddox made an impact in his time in the XFL. He was the only quarterback of

13500-551: The three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird , Earvin "Magic" Johnson , and Michael Jordan . In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade ). As of the 2023–24 season,

13625-622: The void. In the years before World War I , the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA ) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years. James Naismith

13750-629: The week 11 (November 15) game after Elway left with a shoulder injury, and he led the Broncos to a 27–13 victory over the New York Giants . Maddox would start the following four games from weeks 12-to-15, all losses. In his debut start in the week 12 24–0 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders , Maddox went 18-of-26 (69.2%) for 207 yards and two interceptions (both by Terry McDaniel ), was sacked four times, and committed three fumbles (including one lost). Maddox only learned that he would start three hours before kickoff. The Los Angeles Times account of

13875-521: Was 16-for-25 for 216 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and two sacks. The Steelers played a Monday Night Football game on Week 7 with a 28–10 win over the Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Peyton Manning . Maddox passed 25-for-33 for 305 yards, three touchdowns and led the Steelers to touchdowns for the team's first three drives. Since an 0–2 start under Kordell Stewart, the Steelers had gone 4–1 under Maddox. In Week 10 (November 10),

14000-543: Was 85.2. Rallying the Steelers from a 24–7 deficit, Maddox delivered a comeback 36–33 win over the Browns at home, on 30-of-48 passing for 367 yards, and three touchdowns, in the wild card round before a 34–31 overtime loss at the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round . Maddox led the Steelers to a Week 1 (September 7) 34–15 victory in Heinz Field over rival Baltimore Ravens and rookie quarterback Kyle Boller . With

14125-403: Was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game. The baskets were originally nailed to

14250-607: Was created by the American Physical Education Association . These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11 officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37 women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship , complete with men's rules. The Edmonton Grads ,

14375-416: Was expected to succeed John Elway as starting quarterback. As a rookie, Maddox served under coach Dan Reeves . Maddox took his first snaps during the Week 6 (October 6) game against the Washington Redskins , completing 2-of-8 passes for 10 yards and one interception in the 34–3 loss. In that game, Maddox became the youngest NFL quarterback to complete a pass since Elmer Angsman in 1946. Maddox took over

14500-498: Was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics , although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final, played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union, in which

14625-587: Was founded as a "rebellion" of several teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979 , playing

14750-516: Was in Week 7 (October 29) in a 34–7 win over the Tennessee Titans , in which Maddox completed one 57-yard pass to Troy Edwards . In the final game of the season on Week 17 (January 6, 2002), Maddox completed 6-of-8 passes for 97 yards, a touchdown pass to Bobby Shaw , an interception, a sack, and an eight-yard rush. The 2001 Steelers finished 13–3 and first in the American Football Conference Central Division and lost

14875-477: Was instrumental in establishing college basketball . His colleague C. O. Beamis fielded the first college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva College . Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen . Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to

15000-453: Was named the new starting quarterback as Maddox would be sidelined until November. As starter, Roethlisberger would lead Pittsburgh to a franchise-record 13-game winning streak but would go down with a rib injury during the Week 16 (December 26) 20–7 win over Baltimore, the game that marked the 13th straight win. (Baltimore defensive end Terrell Suggs caused both injuries to Maddox and Roethlisberger that forced them to leave their games against

15125-469: Was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones , and

15250-424: Was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle , searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling

15375-506: Was part of the team that won Super Bowl XL . He was released by Pittsburgh after the championship, leading to his final professional retirement. Maddox is one of four players on the Xtreme's championship-winning team who were also on a Super Bowl -winning team. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana , Maddox graduated from L. D. Bell High School at Hurst, Texas in 1989. At L. D. Bell, Maddox lettered in football , basketball , and baseball . As

15500-489: Was sacked seven times for 56 yards. Alternating wins and losses in the second half of the season, the Steelers went 4–4 to finish 2003 with a 6–10 record. Maddox completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward with nearly one minute left in the Week 13 (November 30) game against the Cincinnati Bengals and put the Steelers up 20–17, but the Bengals would score a touchdown in the final minute to win 24–20 and dash any chance that

15625-402: Was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums , he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into

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