Act Of Defiance - Nba Style

[slapshot]

ESPN page

As a ref, I find the NBA officials very suspect. Yeah, there's probably a consipracy in place to protect the marquee players, and traveling and palming have not been called since shorts were worn above the knees, but I think the show of solidarity by all the game refs today was awesome. All refs wore their jerseys inside out and drew the suspended red's number (#62) on the backs. The suspension was definitely over the top for punishment for a marginal error. I can't remember the gteams playing, but it's in the link. One ref thought there was a shot clock violation due to the ball not hitting the rim and he blows his whistle. The 3 refs dicsuss it, and in fact, the ball did hit the rim. Correct procedure for an inadvertent whistle is a jump ball. The "offending" team lost the tip and the game. The NBA suspended the ref for 3 games. The NBA needs to get its head out of its ass when it comes to discipline. At least give theguy a hearing before convicting him of a crime.

[NJTank]

Yeah I saw that I wonder if there will be retrbution for this in the forms of fines to all the other refs.

I actually like the suspension it changed teh result of the game, Denver would have won if not for that mistake. Perhaps if Refs were held accountable with fines suspension and firings, they would make sure that they do a much better job.

[NJTank]

Heres a picture of what they are talking about.

[Waffles]

Heres a picture of what they are talking about.

Wow, acts of protest never looked so good!

It's about time the NBA decided to come down on bad officiating. I'm tired of them slapping ridiculous fines on players/coaches/owners for criticizing bad officiating instead of actually doing something about the bad officiating.

[-kj]

I've got a problem with a suspension like that. The guy made a judgement call based on seeing the play in real time. The officials conferred, and due to procedures in place, they had a jump ball (much like how blown icing calls are sent to center ice faceoffs). The guy doesn't get the benefit of instant replay. Hell, the two teams can't agree whether it hit the rim or not--the Lakers seem certain it didn't, by all accounts, and of course Denver thought it did. Suspending an official multiple games for making one bad bang-bang judgement call? Ridiculous.

Denver should've played some D if they wanted the win after that.

[JQK]

the NBA refs suck, and it's about time they were held accountable for their awful calls, instead of the Coaches or players being fined for criticising awful officiating. Tell the refs to stop being p*ssies, and do their job right. This is the first thing that i agree with the NBA on. Start punishing bad calls and clean up the game, which has been awful to watch, partly because every has some awful calls made...

[NJTank]

I agree Im happy with teh NBA on this is about time that game officials are held accountable when they make mistake, though a suspension may have been too harsh if thsi was a first mistake, but I ilke the idea of refs getting fined, suspended, and evetually fired for repeated mistakes.

[slapshot]

I agree that the refs need to be held more accountable for blown calls. There needs to be better monitoring like the other sports. But that call was very close...even on replays it was not 100% obvious that the ball touched the rim. The correct course of action was taken, the officials discussed it, and the fair response (a tip-off) was taken. Since one team did not have clear possession at the time of the newly determined inadvertent whistle, that was the right thing to do.

What this 3-game (way too harsh) suspension is also going to do is minimize the whistles at the end of games. I think the refs will think twice when blowing a whistle, knowing now that a close call could cost them 3 games.

I think the refs' protest was awesome...sticking behind their fellow brother official. Yes, it looked very juvenile, but it shows the support they have for one another. How many times have we seen players wear similar tributes as signs of support for their fellow players? It's not like the refs can wear a headband or black stripe or put numbers on their shoes.

[clyon81]

Its the first step in the right direction. The problem is, it seems that refs have to screw big markets, or their local heroes before they do anything. If Carmello Anthony is not on the nuggets, this isnt even an issue. I think the league would have liked to see him and his team knock of the lakers.

Much like the "giants-49ers" playoff game a couple seasons ago. Some of the officials actually lost their jobs for blowing those calls...if its new orleans playing, and not new york, i dont think those guys would have lost their jobs. Personally, I dont know how you lose your job because if its an illegal pass down the field, what happens after that should be irrelevant.

The NBA needs to set some boundaries for fouls. Im not going to watch it again until they do. Too often calls are seeminly made on one end and not the other.