Quote:
Originally posted by Oz Referee
Hi all, as you may know I'm from Australia and we basically use FIBA rules for everything (our pro league, the NBL, uses a combination of NBA/FIBA rules).
Do you believe that it is more difficult for an American referee to progress to International (ie FIBA) competitions than a referee that has learnt FIBA rules & mechanics from the ground up?
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Do not know enough about FIBA and personally do not care. Never looked into it.
Also, which is you dream goal as far as refereeing (or playing or coaching)-
The gold medal game of the Olympics? or
The NBA Finals Series? [/B][/QUOTE]
I cannot speak for everyone, but for me, neither. I have no dreams at all to do the Olympics. To me that is not basketball and the talent of many American college players are better than many of the Intenational players.
I would also have no desire to do the NBA either. I just do not like the game that much. Do not get me wrong I follow the NBA, but as compared to the college game, I would rather do the college game. I would much rather do Michigan-Indiana or North Carolina-Duke any day over Philidelphia-Los Angeles. Because a college game will at least be about the schools and the tradition of the matchup, not be determined by what free agent signed that year and who may or may not be hurt.
When I first started officiating the NBA was the goal. Soon after I started what bigger game in sports is Duke-North Carolina? The coaches can change, the players can change and this is still a big game.
My goal is to do a Men's Final Four before I die. What is bigger than having one shot to win it all? A team has a bad outing, no matter how good they are, they lose the National Championship. In the NBA you have 3 times to lose in the Finals. And unless it is a Game 7, the stakes are not equal.