04/24/24
October 03, 2012
Stop The Flop: The NBA officially adopts an anti-flopping policy, announcing a new rule that will fine repeat offenders this season.
posted by tron7 to basketball at 02:13 PM - 10 comments
In other news, Manu Ginobli of the San Antonio Spurs Blake Griffin of the Los Angles Clippers announced his retirement.
Somewhere, Vlade Divak is rolling around in his grave. Oh wait, Vlade isn't dead you say? Dammit!
posted by BornIcon at 04:17 PM on October 03, 2012
It will really be interesting to see how this rule is enforced. There's an awful lot left to referee judgment; how can a player who is falling down due to tripping over his own feet or slipping on a wet spot be called for a flop? You can bet it will happen before the season is a month old. If the rule does eliminate at least the most egregious flopping, then it's worth some over-application.
I'm falling down with joy over the possible elimination of the flop.
posted by Howard_T at 05:03 PM on October 03, 2012
Heh- the Manu Ginobli joke was made on my Facebook feed this morning. One of those ones that writes itself, I guess. :)
I'm with Howard_T: I'd love to see the flop go the way of the set shot, and see the refs make a concerted effort to call a tough but clean game without special treatment for stars.
I'd also like them to stop gambling on games, but... well, we can't have everything we want in life.
posted by hincandenza at 05:11 PM on October 03, 2012
It will really be interesting to see how this rule is enforced. There's an awful lot left to referee judgment; how can a player who is falling down due to tripping over his own feet or slipping on a wet spot be called for a flop? You can bet it will happen before the season is a month old.
The player gets fined; it doesn't get applied during the game. The refs really don't have anything to call.
Oh wait, Vlade isn't dead you say? Dammit!
Nah, they thought he died for a while at a Denny's in New Jersey, but it turns out he flopped to get out of the bill.
posted by dfleming at 05:22 PM on October 03, 2012
NBPA has filed a grievance, feeling the rules are too vague.
posted by yerfatma at 07:46 PM on October 03, 2012
I'm hoping that the fines are used for only those flops that are nearly indisputable. Just having the threat of a fine is going suppress a vast majority of the flopping. There are certainly going to be some players that take the risk of the fine in order to gain an advantage but I don't think that hurts the game. The real damage comes when guys are flailing away play after play in some sort of flopping arms race. That sort of thing makes the game so much tougher to officiate in addition to making the players look like a bunch of clowns.
posted by tron7 at 08:41 PM on October 03, 2012
Blake Griffin of the Los Angles Clippers announced his retirement.
I don't really see Blake as a huge flopper but not everyone agrees with me. I think Blake falls easier then he has to but I don't think that should be fined, just made fun of. I looked for a few videos because, hey, we should probably practice our flopping judgement before the season starts.
Here Chris Webber derides Blake as a flopper but I don't think a play like that should be fined. He got hit in the face and I don't think you could say for certain that was a fake reaction.
In this clip he actually hits himself in the face. I'm guessing he flopped here thinking for a split second that an opponent had popped him but, here again, he did get hit in the face so I'd rather this not get fined.
Now this is what the fines should be used for. Easy to prove and nearly impossible for players and fans to get bent out of shape over.
posted by tron7 at 09:13 PM on October 03, 2012
I wouldn't mind if they also fined guys who make tortured guttural outbursts as they drive to the hoop. It's getting to sound too much like tennis out there.
posted by beaverboard at 12:52 AM on October 04, 2012
Hmmm. I wonder if FIFA will take a note of this.
posted by flannelenigma at 10:20 AM on October 04, 2012
In other news, Manu Ginobli of the San Antonio Spurs announced his retirement.