2012 Gold Medal Game: Spain v. USA
 

Thoughts on the game for those that watched?

Saw most of the 2nd half. Felt our love-affair with the 3pt. shot kept us off the line and kept Spain in the game. I like not allowing HC's to request time outs until there's a dead ball.

I thought the players (especially Marc Gasol) did a poor job of adjusting to the officiating. There were a few fouls I would have passed on, but over all it seemed clear the officials wanted to reign in the hacking and shoving.

Too many GIs.

You sound like Doug Collins.

Holy balls that was a lot of fouls. 11 in the first quarter and 22 in the second. I am all for blowing the whistle if need be, but it was almost like they had their minds made up about how the game was going to go before it started. There were several fouls in the second quarter that were not fouls but got whistles anyway. I guess the international game is just called differently, but I didn't care for it.

Too much one on one, selfishness from the Americans kept the game close.

Rough game with too many fouls.

Spain played pretty well and kept it close enough for nail-bighting much of the game.

I did appreciate the unbridled enthusiasm of the US at the end. Genuine excitement - mixed with relief.

LOL

Snaq, did he make this comment? I had the TV on mute while I was working.

Yeah, he did, right after the other tool commented that the officials must think people were there to see the officials.

I think Collins may have been right, I just don't like the term, and it really only proves what they say about a blind clock finding a nut twice a day.

Officials use the term differently. There were a lot of times I would have passed on some of the contact because it had no affect on play. That being said I did not see many players adjusting. It was clear that a lot of these things were going to be called, you have to adjust. Then again I have not been impressed with much of the officiating in this tournament as a whole. There often is no real rhyme or reason for what is called and not called. It just seems like the calls were random for the most part.

Peace

Here's a thought for the Olympic players, Doug Collins and everyone else that complained about the officials.....STOP FOULING!!!!!

The play that caused Collins to start his long-winded monologue about the officials was when Carmelo was whistled for holding Marc Gasol with BOTH HANDS to prevent him from getting a rebound....Ray Charles could have seen that foul......

If there is one or two fouls called that you don't like...OK....but when the fouls continue to be called, it's not the officials fault....it's the players fault who keep fouling!!!!!

From a fan standpoint, I was actually glad to see Spain give Team USA good game and challenge them the entire time. (I started watching just before halftime).

From an official's standpoint, I am curious about something in NFHS 3-official mechanics vs. FIBA. At one point in the game, it appeared the T and C officials were standing opposite each other for a bit before the C moved down to the foul-line extended. If I recall the play, it didn't look like it resulted from a rotation, so I was curious if there are times when having the T and C opposite each other is acceptable.

Do you mean even with each other rather than opposite of each other (T and C)? They are going to be on opposite sides of the court, but not necessarily even. That being said it did seem at times the C was a little high and not closer to the end line. Honestly that is not a NF thang, that is something that is often never taught in any 3 person mechanics. I cannot speak for what they do in FIBA or honestly have no experience with their mechanics. College mechanics do not want the C that high in any mechanics unless the ball in on their side of the court and then there would be a rotation recommended in those mechanics.

Peace

Rut:

I couldn't think how else to phrase it at the time, but you're right that I meant even with each other. It was something that stood out at that particular moment.

No problem, just trying to understand what you meant exactly.

And it has stood out to many of us watching. Also the Lead has loved to be in the lane in much of the time as well. Not something that gets taught at in the mechanics of this country.

Peace

I was reading through the FIBA 3 man mechanics, and this is something they teach in their mechanics to do on plays going to the basket. But then again, that's not the only thing they do differently with their mechanics.

I agree, there were other fouls I would have passed on, but the one Collins was whining about was a good call.

Likely the belief about stationary on a drive to the hoop.

Damn, I didn't see the little guy in fatigues when watching realtime. Explains the head reaction while being held by the leg.

Does anyone know the name of the three officials that worked the gold medal game and what their primary league is ???????

How does everyone think the NCAA DI Championship crew would hae done on this game???? Assuming they got all the FIBA differences correct............

2012 Olympics Basketball

click on games & scroll down

I only got to see the Mens and Womens' gold medal games. Most of the games were not available on my TV package....they were on NBCSN and I don't get that channel.

Even those two games, the officiating was.....rough, particularly the women's game. I think just about any 1st round NCAA game is better officiated than what I saw in the Olympics. It is too bad they don't make use of more officials from the USA.

Agreed with the bold part.

I think they would have done exponentially better. I did not think the guys in the gold medal game were very strong.

Yep. My thoughts exactly.

Okay, I didn't see this angle during the game. I don't disagree with the USC call from this view. He clearly grabs the leg in an attempt to neutralize the opponent's obvious advantage. If I saw that grab in one of my games, I'd go with the X.

The original angle they showed us made it look like he just pushed him while trying to get to the ball.

But the reaction was classic. Grown men (and women) should be embarrassed to be seen doing something so cheap.

Actually the games were shown on a special basketball channel that only played basketball games. They had the same thing set up for Soccer as every day there were games throughout the Olympics. You probably did not get that either in a TV package that was offered to you. It was rare that any of the games ended up on the other stations or that covered the entire game without commercial interruption. I will admit that I did not watch every minute of every game or most games, but what I saw was often head scratching.

I can think of HS games that were better officiated at some random school during any season. It was mostly bad from what I could tell.

Peace

Still have to disagree with the call.

Are you disagreeing with the USC part of the call? I would have a hard time calling anything other than a normal foul here.

Peace

I disagree with the USC part of the call. At first, I thought they went with a USC foul because there was no defender between the the Spanish player and the basket and he was fouled from the side/behind. But on replay they showed that Chris Paul was clearly between everyone and the basket.

Foul it definitely was, but I don't see myself upgrading on this play.

Just to be clear.

A1 loses the ball in a crowd of defenders.
B1, between A1 and the ball, starts to reach for it.
A1 grabs B1's leg and pulls him to the floor as B2 gets the ball and starts heading down court.

You're not going with an intentional?

Would it matter if B2 was releasing a pass to a wide open B3 streaking for the hoop? I don't know if I would have upgraded with the C's view (and he was going in, too, IMS), but from the camera angle it seemed pretty clear.

Of course, the slow motion might be making a huge difference in how I see this play, too.

Grabbing the leg has no place in adequate defense. That's why it was a UNS foul. It is textbook FIBA to issue the UNS.

In a Fed game, I have an INT without hesitation.

I agree with you about the upgrade. I would not call this intentional or FF at the college level. He was falling and kind of out of control and stuck out his arm. It looks worse to me in slow motion than live.

Peace

Seems to me like it fits the "foul designed to negate an opponent's obvious advantage" (very loose quote there) part of the definition of an INT foul in Fed...

Agree...Int.

FIBA is very clear about unsporting fouls. FED and NCAA could be as well but I don't have those books in front of me and I've been working FIBA all summer.

An unsportsmanlike foul is a player contact foul which, in the judgement of an
official, is not a legitimate attempt to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent
of the rules.
36.1.2 The official must interpret the unsportsmanlike fouls consistently throughout the
game and to judge only the action.
36.1.3 To judge whether a foul is unsportsmanlike, the officials should apply the following
principles:
• If a player is making no effort to play the ball and contact occurs, it is an
unsportsmanlike foul.
• If a player, in an effort to play the ball, causes excessive contact (hard foul), it is
an unsportsmanlike foul.
• If a defensive player ca uses contact with an opponent from behind or laterally
in an attempt to stop a fast break and there is no opponent between the
offensive player and the opponents’ basket, it is an unsportsmanlike foul.
• If a player commits a foul while making a legitimate e ffort to play the ball
(normal play), it is not an unsportsmanlike foul.


copied directly from the FIBA book. Without having seen the play live it sounds like they official could have applied this ruling.

Agreed! :p

Agree!

Thanks, thought I was the only one for a minute.

http://www.aromascatering.net/apg/Sp...ike%20Foul.mp4

For anyone that wants to see the play in real time.

I think he was trying to get the ball and happened to pull down the opponent. That is what I thought in real time and this review proves it to me. For one the ball was loose and right there.

Peace

Loose ball = free for all?
 

I'm with ya Snaqs. Honestly I thought the nay sayers were just kidding for a minute.
IMO, he lost the ball & wasnt allowing a fastbreak off his turnover, period. Non-basketball... X
The "steal & foul to steal back" play is often camouflaged as a fool the referee play.

Olympic vs. D 1 Officlals
 

I asked a few posts ago about comparing the Olympic officials to Divison 1

officials and the responses seemed to favor the college guys doing a better

job. I would like some more feedback as to why. Now don't get me wrong a

game between Nigeria and Tunsinia yeah, but USA/SPAIN or USA/ARGENTINA

with my man MANU GINOOOOOOOBILI, I am not sure that a first round D1

crew can handle that game......

Just wanna hear some thoughts on the matter..........

Hey Reds....step up and join the forum!!!!!!!!

Those that could are the ones that are able to adapt to the FIBA game. Even in a Nigeria and Tunisia contest.

Lebron Foul on Pau in 4th quarter
 

What did you guys thing of the foul Lebron committed on Pau Gasol in the 4th quarter when he went for the block and raked him across the eyes? Unsportsmanlike, disqualifying or common foul? Someone(from Europe) thinks Lebron should have been ejected for that foul because(in his eyes) it was clearly intentional and an attempt to injure. Personally, I think that guy is full of ****. Sorry about no video link.

Absolutely nothing more than a common foul. Not even close to anything else.

I agree with you. Having seen many many many games it was nothing out of the ordinary. Of course the complainer was a spanish fan so he had blinders on. :)

First off, this is the play. I still can't put clips up to YouTube and embed here because the IOC ain't playing any games.

http://www.aromascatering.net/apg/Sp...ron%20Foul.mp4

Second, really?! :confused:

I'm not usually harsh, but that might be the stupidest/whackiest "judgement", from what I'm presuming to be a fan, I've heard in a while. We've talked about the UNS foul earlier in the thread and that play is infintely more debatable than trying to make this play a disqualifying/flagrant foul/flagrant two/flagrant foul penalty two.

I wouldn't expect a first year official to try and twist that play into a ejectionable offense. It is plain as day to everyone that LeBron was attempting to steal the ball and there was no attempt to injure. This is a common basketball play (swiping to steal the ball) that happens often enough that sometimes, when a foul occurs, a player will be inadvertently hit in the face. If one was to upgrade the foul, it would have to be PLAIN AS DAY, to everyone in attendance.

Just a regular personal foul.

Seems to me that the cross body blocks thrown out by Rudy Fernandez and Navarro (I think) in the 4th quarter - trying to stop potential USA fast breaks - come way closer to the INT, Unsporting, FF1 category than LeBron's foul.

I agree with APG. This was just a regular, normal foul.

Peace

Agreed, they were a lot closer.