NBA - Chris Paul Criticizing a Female Official

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

People are certainly free to "read between the lines" when hearing comments made by another. However, they run the risk of being incorrect when they ascribe meaning to statements thru lens of their own viewpoint & perspective.

Chris Paul was complaining about the officiating...nothing more nothing less.

A famous person once said: "Context is everything."

Consider that: the Clippers complain more than any team in the NBA (may have the most T's this season) about officiating; received 5 T's in this game; Chris Paul is the Pres. of the NBAPA (which now has a woman as Ex. Dir.); & is generally considered a true "nice guy" in NBA circles.

When I heard those comments, I heard a frustrated player complaining about an unwarranted T he received by a rookie official....because THAT is exactly what happened. Nothing more - nothing less.

btw - there are 2 reasons you don't hear NBA players making comments about female NBA rookie officials: 1) 1997 was the last time there was a female rookie NBA official (there were two that season: Violet Palmer (still active) and Dee Kantner (fired in 2002)); and 2) it's only because the official in question is a woman that these remarks are being noticed.

Every season for the past 18 years (since Palmer & Kantner were hired), players, coaches, & others have complained about bad calls by rookie officials - this is no different, except that people are taking a fairly routine occurrence and turning it into something more than it really deserves.

Chris Paul will get fined by the NBA and I'll bet that the NBA doesn't even come close to mentioning gender in its statement in announcing the fine. This will go away if people will simply let Paul's innocuous statement stand on its' own rather than insert their own sensitivities to it.

I do not care if what is the context that you see it to be. I have every right to judge based on his actions and his comments. Again, I have yet to hear anyone give me a single case where an NBA player spoke personally about a rookie of any other gender or time or situation. I watch a lot of SportsCenter and cannot think of one case. Not a single one.

I also saw the Paul comments and just like any other comments, I do not believe him. I have the right not to believe him. He is trying to cover his behind IMO and he clearly to me was trying to rip her because she was an easy target. I doubt seriously that the entire conflict was only because she was a rookie. He did not like a woman telling him what to do and that is why he had to talk about her qualifications, not that it was just a bad call.

Peace