Backcourt Violation - Mavs Heat

[mcuban]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Hey!



So, stuff will happen. At some point, there's the law of diminshing returns. Maybe the league can spend a few thousand dollars more to get the % of correct calls up from 92% to 93% (or whatever the actual % is now). But maybe it will cost several million to get it up to 95%? 100% is not possible, so where do they draw the line?


I'm sure you might feel you really are just trying to see to it the league has the best officials. But I think we as officials would feel you have more credibility if you reacted just as passionately in the heat of the moment towards a player that misses a wide-open jumper, or free-throw at the end of a game. If you're in their face, on-camera, as often as you're "in the face" of officials, we might be willing to see that as a genuine passion for winning and a better product. But as long as we see you react towards your players differently that you react towards officials, we don't see you any differently than the average fan - the team is their extended family and they are treated differently than officials. Us vs. Them. Believe me, if I blow a call at the end of a game, I feel just as bad as the player who misses that free-throw. Will you come over and put your arm around me and tell me "that's all right; you'll get it next time" like you do for your player? When you treat your players and officials the same, on and off-camera, you will gain credibility with us. Until then, you appear the same as any average fan, just with more clout.

Everyone thinks im all about missed calls. Im not. I get worked up when the politics manifests itself on performance.

Have i gotten more worked up over players making mistakes. We have cut people. Put them out of the business because they couldnt do the job.

We video tape and watch and review every play and every players action.

I got criticized because i added coaches for individual players. I require that they come in and work on the physical and mental part of the game. I have a team psychologist that works with players to make sure they can do the job to the best of their ability.

For every statistic on the officials, we have 10x the number for players and coaches. Which have made our team better and has won games for us.

Do they still make mistakes. No question. But its very darwinian. The best stay. The rest dont.

Someone said that officials can get blackballed if they are no longer in the NBA. Can you think of someone who has been fired and put in that position in the last 5 years ?


All you guys work other jobs. You have worked at companies where the #1 salesrep, support rep, whatever thought they were indespensable. They broke every company rule and basically did what they please knowing they wouldnt get fired.

When that happens, it creates situations that impacts the performance of their peers and the people who they report to. Its not that far from what Ive seen happen in parts of our industry.

The goal is to create an environment where the best people are put in a position to do the best job. Without the politics.

Thats my goal. Pure and simple.

THe reality is that this is a business and my job as a partner in this business who is heavily invested is to bring all my business ability , my management ability to recognize and enable change.

Like change in any industry. its not easy. its not without criticism, but in the long run it can get much better.

If i was a shareholder in the NCAA, i would be the guy screaming that having 19 D1 assignors is ridiculous. That having differences in approach is ridiculous. That it hurts the product. I would be out front pushing for change and standardization. I would push for benefits so people could committ to the job. But i dont have a horse in the NCAA.

I do have one in the NBA.

[Larks]

Hey MC - there are still some skeptics in here that it's really you....how about you post on your blog a "shout out to the refs at the official forum for their warm welcome" or something along those lines and link it back here....

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by mcuban

Everyone thinks im all about missed calls. Im not. I get worked up when the politics manifests itself on performance.

The goal is to create an environment where the best people are put in a position to do the best job. Without the politics.

Thats my goal. Pure and simple.

Well, m; can I call you m?

And it's not about making money? Hmm...

Maybe politics is exactly what you're thinking during this time of year. And, perhaps, that's what you are thinking during the game and immediately after. What's not really clear to us is what politics you're referring to. Are you saying the only thought in your head as you run out on the floor after a loss is the politics involved in the referee staff? Or is it the politics involved in keeping the Maverick franchise successful and in the news? The one thing that does show is you are not detached and unbiased. I'm not saying you really need to be; after all, you've got real money tied up in a product that needs to be successful to earn more money. I would certainly have some emotional attachment to a team that I own. We've seen you react to calls the same as many 5th grade parents do when their little Johnny gets a questionable call, so that makes us skeptical when you tell us you're not about missed calls. If it's only about improving the product, you would react emotionally the same way to missed shots as missed calls. However, you do react emotionally to missed calls, so either be up front about it and stay out of the referee-improvement business, or become totally unbiased and do your referee improvement campaign in the background. Iow, how can we be sure you're not trying to "stack" the staff to include referees that call a game favorable to your team's make-up, similar to the way political parties try to appoint judges that lean towards their way of thinking?

[genuinehoosier]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Well, m; can I call you m?

And it's not about making money? Hmm...

Maybe politics is exactly what you're thinking during this time of year. And, perhaps, that's what you are thinking during the game and immediately after. What's not really clear to us is what politics you're referring to. Are you saying the only thought in your head as you run out on the floor after a loss is the politics involved in the referee staff? Or is it the politics involved in keeping the Maverick franchise successful and in the news? The one thing that does show is you are not detached and unbiased. I'm not saying you really need to be; after all, you've got real money tied up in a product that needs to be successful to earn more money. I would certainly have some emotional attachment to a team that I own. We've seen you react to calls the same as many 5th grade parents do when their little Johnny gets a questionable call, so that makes us skeptical when you tell us you're not about missed calls. If it's only about improving the product, you would react emotionally the same way to missed shots as missed calls. However, you do react emotionally to missed calls, so either be up front about it and stay out of the referee-improvement business, or become totally unbiased and do your referee improvement campaign in the background. Iow, how can we be sure you're not trying to "stack" the staff to include referees that call a game favorable to your team's make-up, similar to the way political parties try to appoint judges that lean towards their way of thinking?

Why are the insults pounding when the rules are questioned? Those that THINK the NBA is not vital – go out and recruit high school basketball players and see what each and every one of them aspire to do “someday”. … I tend to agree with Mark Cuban, and the fact that he answered some of your insulting, or personal slams says a lot. It does not matter how much money you have, nobody wants to be fined.

At every level of officiating, politics IS involved - you do realize that, don’t you? Think about it – has an assignment on a game for you ever happened because you might brown-nose a little to the big guy? Or if you are the assignor do you go to the ones in your good graces? ~ Smoozing… Who is the first to complain about an awful call by an official? Another official!! It’s all part of the game, baby! POLITICS & GETTING WHERE YOU WANT! Sure you love officiating, but I bet you adore moving up the rankings to make a bigger paycheck too…

The fact is if someone lives and breathes basketball (emotionally, financially, time consuming, and for the love of the game) – they are involved and invested. If a person is passionate about it, they read the rules over-and-over, take stats, look at film, and voice their concern when there is one… At this level of knowledge, why would you discredit, or down-play their intelligence? Everyone does not have to have a whistle stuck in their mouth to understand the rules or “SEE” what is going on. Pretty pompous to think educated and dedicated individuals besides the ones in the uniform don’t count! Remember that no attendance means no games. No game means no work for you! As an official, you need to learn how to take criticism, control a team, coach or the crowd and you get paid for it! Get in the game, stay on top of the game and be a team player…

Plus, NBA Officiating is a dream for many, but only the ones who work extremely hard – above the CALL OF DUTY all the time, should be out there. There should be an effort to merge college and NBA rules, mechanics all in one and I KNOW there are many D1 College Officials that would swallow their whistle to get into the NBA, admit it! The game has moved forward – and so should the Officiating.

Just my simple thoughts.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by genuinehoosier

Just my simple thoughts.

I agree.

Your thoughts are simple.

[M&M Guy]

First off, welcome to the Forum, genuinehoosier.

Wow. Talk about pounding the insults. You do a pretty good job yourself. Must be the "takes one to know one" philosophy. So, um, which insults and personal slams are you talking about? Are you a referee? What levels do you work?

[Jurassic Referee]

Let me know when I'm needed.....

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Let me know when I'm needed.....

Just be on call...

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Just be on call...

Which means he should keep the pager in his other hand when he climbs up that tree.