04/20/24
March 09, 2006
The NBA has a problem: And this problem is reflective of many issues the league, and the sport of basketball on the whole, faces: there is zero respect shown to refs.
posted by dusted to basketball at 02:43 PM - 16 comments
Nowhere in this post is the writer able to substanstiate his claim that "the NBA has a major fucking problem on its hands." I think the appropriate response to this rant is to quote Inignot the 2-dimensional moon man from Aqua Teen Hunger Force: "Well, that sounds like a personal problem." I will agree that some players argue with the refs too much, but it's a huge overreaction to say that this is a league-wide epidemic. Besides, the refs have the authority to call technical fouls whenever they feel like it. Maybe they should tech up serial whiners (like most of the Detroit Pistons starting lineup) more often, but it's absurd to say that players should never be able to complain to refs. Sometimes, the refs need certain things brought to their attention. Some players are very sneaky with their infractions (*cough* Bruce Bowen *cough*) and it should be fair game to let the refs know what's going on.
posted by Scott Carefoot at 02:55 PM on March 09, 2006
Yep, I don't buy it. This is not the reason why the US team has struggled on the international stage recently as alluded to in the article. It's professional sports, people. Officials get confronted and are attempted to be manipulated. In this capacity, there is no difference between the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLN, MLS, NFA, AAN, ABC, DEF, IIOCIAILNNS or any other ones that actually exist or I can make up.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:08 PM on March 09, 2006
You can't reference the Mooninites and then hope for me to contribute anything meaningful. I suppose no one was expecting that anyway. This looks like putting the cart before the horse to me. Doesn't the NBA suffer from Ref Respect Reduction because the refs complete fucking suck? I'm sorry, but if Violet Palmer ever called me for a phantom foul, I'd be pissed too. She sucks. There's a laundry list of sucky NBA refs that really suck a suck. Umpiring isn't perfect in any sport, but the NBA sets new lows every year. Yes hockey has its reffing personalities and they call a lot of Revlon fouls. The NFL had a car-wreck of a post-season, but things like Phil Luckett and the coin toss are so memorable because they stand out. Breaking the MLB umps' union (feels dirty to say; sorry mom) has made baseball much more enjoyable game-to-game. The NBA needs to do something before Tommy Heinson strokes out. He's been trying to leave the refs alone this year and I can hear it killing him.
posted by yerfatma at 03:09 PM on March 09, 2006
Doesn't the NBA suffer from Ref Respect Reduction because the refs complete fucking suck? Yes. We know these guys are "just doing their job". And we know they're no total fucking morons (I think). But there are several referee habits that are my pet peeves.
- The fact they have forced me to use the phrase "pet peeves"
- Anticipating fouls, or changes of possession. Nothing worse than watching a player be ruled "out of bounds" while driving to the rim parallel to the baseline.
- Calling fouls when you are out of position. I see this a lot. If Pierce goes to the rim and say, Chris Webber attempts to take a charge, but is not outside the semi-circle, the ref at half court shouldn't be making that call, the baseline ref should, he has a better view. Ditto for baseline refs calling hand-checking on players who are at half-court.
posted by lilnemo at 03:30 PM on March 09, 2006
they should be able to plead their case I disagree. The article says it much better than I can, but the players plead their case every. single. fucking. time. It's incredibly annoying. As to ref quality, there's a reason MLB and NFL make fewer mistakes: they are refereeing much more predictable, paced games.
posted by dusted at 04:00 PM on March 09, 2006
you guys should realize that during a game if the refs actually called all the fouls that went on we would never see an NBA game end. I mean what do you want replay for every play of every sport. the thing is that you have a bunch of big guys moving really fast, the only reason most of us big fat people even complain is because as we sit at home we get at least 20 replays of certain calls. hell by the time the game is over and the ref watches the tape I'm sure he also realizes that he makes mistakes but you know what the only choice they have is to go out and try again. And I truly don't believe that our STARS suffer from lack of respect it's a part of gamesmanship to try and get things go the way you want them to. none of this crap was a problem when Magic, Kareem,or Jordan did it
posted by byrdman822 at 04:07 PM on March 09, 2006
did anyone mention travelling? my favorite player, lebron, travels every game and i've seen it called maybe twice. One time I watched him dribble, pick up, right foot, left foot, AND THEN, jump to a 2 foot stop, and lay it in. Iverson's hand is glued under the ball. I watched, i beleive it was anthony johnson, catch the ball, right in front of the ref, pivot on his left, then his right heel, then his right toe. then he hopped back with both and dribbled. They're totally ignoring footwork by the guards but if shaq takes so much as 2.1 steps.... TWEET! and speaking of shaq, did anyone see him elbow that guy in the face, shoot on him, and then land on him....while the victim got called for his 6th. sick.
posted by Pabo at 04:29 PM on March 09, 2006
favorite player... who i think is the most talented i guess... but ya gotta love Bosh. off-topic...sorry.
posted by Pabo at 04:30 PM on March 09, 2006
I disagree. The article says it much better than I can, but the players plead their case every. single. fucking. time. It's incredibly annoying. I get what you're saying here, I just think if the refs were more consistent in their calls there would be less harping, at least I would hope so. Deep down, I know I'm wrong here. As to ref quality, there's a reason MLB and NFL make fewer mistakes: they are refereeing much more predictable, paced games. A ha! But are the games more predictable and paced because of the officiating? Or is the officiating better because of the predictability and pace? Seriously, I'm not snarking here. Does the speed and length of MLB/NFL vs. NBA account for (if any) disparity in ref quality? Or is it because of other factors such as the aforementioned "no arguing with the ump" rule? Some combination of the two? I'm not convinced that eliminating player-ref interaction will result in a higher paced (fewer slow-downs, less fouls) environment. These rules have never kept players or coaches from reaching a boiling point (I'm having Milton Bradley flashbacks here). Further I disagree with the link's implication that arguing with the ref's has cost us in international competition. It may reflect poorly on us as a nation, but it didn't keep us from winning. USA Basketball's "Dream Team" selection process and our inability to play the international game however, did.
posted by lilnemo at 04:56 PM on March 09, 2006
I believe there is to much crying by the piston they are bullies that want the game played by their rules. The refs should stop rhis whinning by those bullies
posted by craige39 at 05:13 PM on March 09, 2006
Further I disagree with the link's implication that arguing with the ref's has cost us in international competition. Tell that to the 1972 USA summer Olympic Basketball team.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 05:36 PM on March 09, 2006
there's a reason MLB and NFL make fewer mistakes: they are refereeing much more predictable, paced games. There are 22 players on an NFL field at any given time and those players can be spread over a very wide area. I don't think it necessarily easier to ref. As to the players bitching on every play, I hate that too, but my view is the guys who do it do it because they get bailed out by the refs on 90% of their failed drives. Guys like Iverson, Carter, McGrady, Kobe cannot be defended in the paint because you will get called for a foul even on a clean block that left a full imprint of your hand on the ball. Stop babying them and that behavior will go away.
posted by yerfatma at 05:40 PM on March 09, 2006
I say lets start by enforcing travelling by its definition before players can stroll in to the hoop from half court. It sounds silly, but it got that way from players bitching about the calls over and over and over time it changed to the eleventy-billion steps you get today.
posted by wisportcheese at 06:32 PM on March 09, 2006
Tell that to the 1972 USA summer Olympic Basketball team. I'm taking it as a given that you knew I meant the '00 & '04 squads. Then again, I don't know, Doug Collins could be pretty annoying. :)
posted by lilnemo at 06:42 PM on March 09, 2006
has anyone noticed that the league goes through phazes where a certain call is overly called by almost every ref
posted by travisl212 at 11:59 PM on March 09, 2006
Via True Hoop.