A possible solution for this rushing-the-court problem

The NCAA has to do something about crowds rushing the court before somebody gets hurt, particularly in places such as College Park.

I was overjoyed, of course, that Maryland defeated Duke on Wednesday night at the (Corporate name redacted because I hate corporate names) Center. But when students are storming the court like that, it really is dangerous for the visiting team.

It didn't help that the clock stopped with less than a second left to allow more students to gather at the edge of the course just before time expired.

I see no reason to ban rushing the court as long as it is reserved for big victories over a team ranked much more highly than your team. But I've seen students rush the court when the victory wasn't big enough.

Here's my compromise: Once the game clock goes to all zeros, the shot clock starts. No fans are allowed on the court until those 35 seconds have expired. That gives the visiting team time to quickly shake hands with the players and coaches on the other team and hustle to the dressing room before the mayhem begins.

If fans storm the court before the shot clock expires, the school is warned. The second time it happens, the home team forfeits that game.

The SEC has a system in place that fines schools when fans storm the court. Unless they pay the fine by increasing student fees, I doubt that this is going to change the behavior of students (didn't seem to stop South Carolina students after the Gamecocks upset Kentucky). But students who are proud and happy about the big win aren't going to want that victory to be forfeited.

No, you can't control what the students are going to do. But if there are rules with teeth in place, you can bet that places where there is a problem, such as Maryland, will take steps to make sure this doesn't happen again.

I'll say this for Duke: I've watch Carolina's games at Cameron Indoor Stadium the past four years and haven't seen the Cameron Crazies rush the court once. Wait. I guess there's a reason for that. :)

As for the profane chants at Maryland games? Those are, of course, over the top. And it should be pointed out that they also are yelled in unison. It's not one or two rogue fans. But I better not hear any Duke fans complaining about them.

If you've ever been to Cameron Indoor Stadium for a game, you know what I'm talking about.

I remember covering a Duke-Florida State game during the Charlie Ward era. Ward was about to make an  inbounds pass in front of me when a Duke student leaned over me and yelled something about two feet away from Ward.

I won't say exactly what was yelled, but he basically asked if Ward performed a certain sexual act on Seminoles football coach Bobby Bowden. And he was extremely direct with his query.

Ward didn't even flinch, to his credit.

But if he was in that mob scene in College Park, he probably would have. And he played college football!