"Go Ahead, Make My Day!"

[btaylor64]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Not really a bad idea actually to get his thoughts on it. He is knowledgable afaik on NBE rules and calling philosophies. He sureashell knows a lot more about 'em than I do, which does make him a credible source imo. Their rules are what they are.....different. They're designed to reflect the direction entertainment-wise that the NBA wants their officials to implement. And I can't knock the officials for doing what they have to do if they want to keep their jobs. Imo they've been given almost an impossible job to do by the NBE poobahs. The problem lies with the direction that the officials are being given, not with the officials themselves.

Hey, I used to love watching NHL hockey too. But when the league went into their "left-wing locks" and "center-ice traps" and let the game deteriorate into a hook'n'hold travesty, they became unwatchable also. And again, you couldn't blame the NHL on-ice officials for that either imo. They had direction from the league as to what they had to call and what to let go.

I don't really know what to say here. I know you and many others have a disdain for the pro game and that's fine. All I can really say is that I wish you could just go on a road trip with a pro referee and just see how we conduct business and how the bosses interact and talk to us.

There is nothing of entertainment value discussed. It is just about getting plays right, communicating effectively and professionally and last but not least, running and managing the ball game.

I might be bias here, but I truly don't feel that the pro games' rules are based on entertainment. They r based on common sense and precedent (sp?). The basis of our game is freedom of movement. We want players to be able to move freely so that they are able to showcase their great talent, something that I feel is missing in the college game, although I don't hate the college game at all, just a personal observation.

As far as "star treatment" goes, I can promise you it doesn't exist. If u break down the amount of time that kobe or durant has the ball vs. The amount of times they go to the line it will be proprtional to the league avg. Of how long a player has the ball and goes to the line. Star players just have the ball in their possession so much that they r just going to get more fouls called on top of the fact that the best players are also the smartest players so, in turn, they know when players are out of position, they know when players are "backpedalling" and how to attack accordingly, they just know the game better and play it with more craftiness than all the others.

That's my opinion and true belief on it.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by btaylor64

I don't really know what to say here. I know you and many others have a disdain for the pro game and that's fine. All I can really say is that I wish you could just go on a road trip with a pro referee and just see how we conduct business and how the bosses interact and talk to us.

There is nothing of entertainment value discussed. It is just about getting plays right, communicating effectively and professionally and last but not least, running and managing the ball game.

I might be bias here, but I truly don't feel that the pro games' rules are based on entertainment. They r based on common sense and precedent (sp?). The basis of our game is freedom of movement. We want players to be able to move freely so that they are able to showcase their great talent, something that I feel is missing in the college game, although I don't hate the college game at all, just a personal observation.

As far as "star treatment" goes, I can promise you it doesn't exist. If u break down the amount of time that kobe or durant has the ball vs. The amount of times they go to the line it will be proprtional to the league avg. Of how long a player has the ball and goes to the line. Star players just have the ball in their possession so much that they r just going to get more fouls called on top of the fact that the best players are also the smartest players so, in turn, they know when players are out of position, they know when players are "backpedalling" and how to attack accordingly, they just know the game better and play it with more craftiness than all the others.

That's my opinion and true belief on it.

You completely missed JR's point. One of his arguments is that you can talk about getting plays "right" all you want, but the critical factor is how you define "right" decisions.

BTW this gets an automatic nomination for the most laughable sentence ever posted on the forum, " I truly don't feel that the pro games' rules are based on entertainment."

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

You completely missed JR's point.

Yup. I wasn't crapping on the officials. I was questioning their direction.

[Nevadaref]

Updated: April 28, 2010, 7:19 PM ET
Howard fined for criticizing officials

Associated Press


ORLANDO, Fla. -- Even on a day off, Dwight Howard can antagonize officials enough to draw a penalty.
The Orlando Magic center was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for criticizing officials on his blog, the second time this season he's been penalized for posting such comments.

Howard was in chronic foul trouble and constantly complaining about officiating in the Magic's series sweep over Charlotte. He fouled out in the last two games, played only 105 minutes and committed 22 fouls in four games.
"I'm not looking to say anything to get myself in trouble with the league, but I just don't see other star players getting called for fouls the way I get them," Howard posted on his blog. "No star player in the league is outta games the way I am."
NBA commissioner David Stern has grown tired of all the griping and vowed to crack down on critical comments, challenging players and coaches last week to "make my day" by continuing to complain during the rest of the playoffs.
The Magic have thus far been the prime example.
Coach Stan Van Gundy and forward Matt Barnes were fined $35,000 each last week for criticizing officials and publicly questioning their calls on Howard. Orlando's All-Star center also was fined $15,000 in November for similar comments on his blog, although those were light compared to his latest post.
"I mean, it was almost comical at times how I was getting fouls called on me," Howard wrote. "There was nothing I could do [out] there and I felt like I couldn't even move without getting that whistle blown on me."
The Magic were off Tuesday and Wednesday. They will face the winner of the Atlanta-Milwaukee series in the second round.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by btaylor64

I don't really know what to say here. I know you and many others have a disdain for the pro game and that's fine. All I can really say is that I wish you could just go on a road trip with a pro referee and just see how we conduct business and how the bosses interact and talk to us.

There is nothing of entertainment value discussed. It is just about getting plays right, communicating effectively and professionally and last but not least, running and managing the ball game.

I might be bias here, but I truly don't feel that the pro games' rules are based on entertainment. They r based on common sense and precedent (sp?). The basis of our game is freedom of movement. We want players to be able to move freely so that they are able to showcase their great talent, something that I feel is missing in the college game, although I don't hate the college game at all, just a personal observation.

As far as "star treatment" goes, I can promise you it doesn't exist. If u break down the amount of time that kobe or durant has the ball vs. The amount of times they go to the line it will be proprtional to the league avg. Of how long a player has the ball and goes to the line. Star players just have the ball in their possession so much that they r just going to get more fouls called on top of the fact that the best players are also the smartest players so, in turn, they know when players are out of position, they know when players are "backpedalling" and how to attack accordingly, they just know the game better and play it with more craftiness than all the others.

That's my opinion and true belief on it.

Ben, let me put it another way....

I hope that the direction on play-calling is coming from the NBA head office. If not, then NBA officials as a whole are just not doing a very good job overall officiating their game by their own rule book. I don't really care how much you talk about "conducting business" either. If what you say is true, it just ain't working. And I'm not an "official hater" or a fanboy of any particular team either; about as far from it as you can get. I used to be a big-time Celtics fan - going back to the late 50's. Now, with Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace with their foul mouths and unsporstmanlike play being their showcase, I hope they lose every damn game they play. They are an impossible team to like imo. And they're just one of many teams in the league that just aren't very likeable. I'm just sick of the swearing, chest-pounding and posturing that is a staple of just about every game played. And somebody is allowing them to play this way.

I think I know a little bit about officiating. But I DON'T know what a foul is in the NBA. I see fouls called where I can't see any contact at all, even on a replay. I see fouls not called when a player is knocked into the eighth row with heavy contact. Freedom of movement? Don't think so. And the foul-calling is NOT consistent from end to end, play to play or from player to player also. What is a foul now might not be a foul 2 minutes from now. And I also see the LeBron James' of the world take as many steps as they want to when they pick up the ball. The traveling that is allowed in that league is simply ridiculous.

If the NBA game isn't being officiated under league direction of what the NBA wants called, then the current NBA officials deserve the flak they are getting. My opinion is that the blame should lie with the officials' supervisors. But if I'm wrong and it should lie with the current officiating staff instead, so be it.

And I might be biased also, but I think that the officiating in the major NCAA conferences is more consistent and much better when it comes to actual play calling than what I see in an average NBA game.

That's my opinion and true belief on a game that I used to love. And I sureashell ain't the only one with that opinion!