I watched the Cleveland-Orlando basketball game last night. It was a seriously hard-fought game. LeBron nailed some clutch free throws to send it into overtime, and I fully expected him to make that last shot 5 feet outside the three-point arc to push the Cavs to victory. It wouldn’t have surprised me.
I don’t watch a lot of college and pro ball. It is a wholly different game than at the kids’ level, and it’s not just because the people are bigger and more athletic. Except perhaps the first five yards off the line of scrimmage in the National Football League, I can’t think of another sport where the coach actively teaches the players to break the rules and commit fouls. Professional wrestling doesn’t count.
Imagine what baseball would be like if a second basemen was allowed to trip the runner going to second six times. No manager would coach a pitcher to balk six times.
Hockey fans are free to weigh in: does the coach tell the players to deliberately board? Or is that just individuals looking for what they can get away with?
iggyantiochus on 
Dan
I admit that I am a purist. I miss the days when traveling, double-dribbling, and fouling were called. Growing up in Indiana in a town that was potentially the most basketball crazy in a basketball crazy state probably has something to do with that, along with my own penchant for liking to see things done the right way.
One other place in which I have seen coaches teach kids to play very aggressively, including purposely fouling, is in youth soccer.