NBA Wants More Respect for Game and Officials.....

[grunewar]

NBA will whistle more techs for 'overt' gestures - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

WHACK!

[Mark Padgett]

I guess this means Rasheed Wallace will be ejected from 82 regular season games this year.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I guess this means Rasheed Wallace will be ejected from 82 regular season games this year.

He's retired

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

He's retired

Doesn't matter. They'll still WHACK him.

[Kingsman1288]

And the obligatory follow up by the know it all sports writer...


NBA rule penalizing players' reaction to refs will be disaster - Ian Thomsen - SI.com

[Welpe]

Will Tim Duncan laughing to himself be included in this list?

[GoodwillRef]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I guess this means Rasheed Wallace will be ejected from 82 regular season games this year.

He retired.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I guess this means Rasheed Wallace will be ejected from 82 regular season games this year.

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

He's retired

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Doesn't matter. They'll still WHACK him.

Originally Posted by GoodwillRef

He retired.

Was he back?

[Welpe]

Brett Favre syndrome.

[APG]

nba fines for technical fouls to double this season - NBA News - FOX Sports on MSN

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by grunewar

NBA will whistle more techs for 'overt' gestures - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

WHACK!

I wish they'd've clamped down a decade ago.

[IREFU2]

Great, maybe it will filter down to the lower levels as well.

[Victor74]

I wish the broadcasters would do a better job informing fans that these new "game respect" technical fouls are mandated to the officials.

I personally don't agree with this rule application. Fans think this gives the officials more power when it actually takes power away from them. The officials no longer can use discretion and have to call the technical.

A better solution to the players whining (which is not an emotion) would be to emphasize the technical fouls. The league office reviews each game. If they think a player was too overt or demonstrative in their actions and they didn't recieve a technical foul, then fine them. Players would adjust.

All this rule application does is bolster those who have negative opinions of NBA officials.

While there is always room for improvement, overall the NBA officials do a very good job and are accurate more than not. I wish the NBA would do more to educate fans on the rules of the game (some of which lend to these negative opinions). All the NBA does is make the appearance of a coverup for ineptness continue and grow. People will believe what they want to believe and perception becomes people's reality. The NBA is doing their officials a severe injustice in how they handle them and how they are "defended" by the NBA.

To end this, as an official this new rule application really bothers me. It may accomplish what the NBA wants, but at what cost to the players, fans and the officials.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Victor74

I wish the broadcasters would do a better job informing fans that these new "game respect" technical fouls are mandated to the officials.

I personally don't agree with this rule application. Fans think this gives the officials more power when it actually takes power away from them. The officials no longer can use discretion and have to call the technical.

A better solution to the players whining (which is not an emotion) would be to emphasize the technical fouls. The league office reviews each game. If they think a player was too overt or demonstrative in their actions and they didn't recieve a technical foul, then fine them. Players would adjust.

All this rule application does is bolster those who have negative opinions of NBA officials.

While there is always room for improvement, overall the NBA officials do a very good job and are accurate more than not. I wish the NBA would do more to educate fans on the rules of the game (some of which lend to these negative opinions). All the NBA does is make the appearance of a coverup for ineptness continue and grow. People will believe what they want to believe and perception becomes people's reality. The NBA is doing their officials a severe injustice in how they handle them and how they are "defended" by the NBA.

To end this, as an official this new rule application really bothers me. It may accomplish what the NBA wants, but at what cost to the players, fans and the officials.

The NBA makes available their rule book and casebook online on their website for anybody to view. They have Making The Call With Ronnie Nunn during the season which reviews correct and incorrect plays from the regular season. They also have the NBA Video Rule Book which has many different play situations including the new application of the "Respect for the game" guidelines which include plays from last year that were NOT technical fouls that will be this year.

To say the NBA doesn't try to educate their fans/broadcasters is, I believe, wrong to say. I think they do the best out of the major sports.

[Victor74]

Yes the NBA does on one hand try educating fans but on the other hand sets themselves back. And the broadcasters certainly can help the NBA more in that manner. It is frustrating (and it happens in college games too) listening to broadcasters explain a rule incorrectly or suppose what the official is calling.

FOX has included the NFL's former VP of Officiating in their broadcasts which certainly is helpful. It could be of benefit if TNT or ESPN or both would do similar. Having a former official explain a controversial call or go over rules explinations would benefit the viewers and the NBA.

The NBA has done things to improve the officiating but there is a gap between perception and reality. The perception will take time to change, but it can be accomplished.