A FANTASTIC article from Simmons on officiating

[chi_hawks_23]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090528&sportCat=nba

You might argue this happens every playoffs: We bitch about bad calls or choppy games and nothing ever changes. But this spring feels different for two reasons. First, the NBA can't seem to replenish its officiating ranks. 1937, 1939, 1943, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1955 ... those are the actual birth years of 13 current referees. In professional sports, athletes slip from the ages of 34 to 39 unless they extend their stay with PEDs. In the NBA, in which officials are required to run or jog for 150 minutes and make split-second decisions on hundreds of plays, we're expected to believe that the aging process doesn't apply. And if you believe that, I have some Bernie Madoff stock tips for you.

Here's the crucial wrinkle: It's rarely personal. You're only trying to win. If someone makes you angry, you get over it. I played basketball for three decades and remember going after only one person, during an intramural game in college, when someone nailed me too hard in a must-foul situation and I responded with a hard push in the face. Ten seconds later, we were fine. That's basketball. Put 10 competitive guys on the same court, have them bang bodies for an hour or two, and stuff WILL happen. It's inevitable. You might have some yelling and pointing and staring and everything else. Big deal. That's just testosterone doing its thing.

That testosterone fueled the NBA in its heyday. My favorite game ever (and not just because Boston won) was Game 4 of the 1984 Finals, the ultimate example of stacked teams battling with an extra edge. I rewatched it last summer and couldn't get over how it would have been wrecked today. McHale gets tossed for the Rambis clothesline. Bird gets T'd for nudging Cooper out of bounds. Kareem gets tossed for nearly slicing off Bird's wispy mustache with an elbow. Maxwell gets T'd for walking across the lane and choking himself after Worthy's missed free throw. On the crucial play of OT, when Magic gets switched onto Bird and they fight for position down low -- with Bird finally draining a turnaround over Magic's mug -- the officials would have called Magic for a foul before Bird's shot happened. Six of the iconic moments of the game ... ruined. Could they have competed as hard with the current rules? No.

This article really hit home with me, and I completely agree with what he is saying. Its a damn shame too when you think about the fantastic product the NBA put out in the 80's and early/mid 90's.

 

[Riker]

Naw, that dude's watching too much black and white TV and doesn't appreciate the greatness of 21 year old LeBron Jones.

 

[chi_hawks_23]

Riker wrote:

Naw, that dude's watching too much black and white TV and doesn't appreciate the greatness of 21 year old LeBron Jones.

2 things.

1) Bron Bron is 24.

2) I think he has a fantastic appreciation for Lebron....but it's based on his appreciation of the game, its history, and its past "super stars".

No doubt, LBJ is the best player in the league today, but when he drives to the lane with 0% chance of making a shot, and all he's doing is waiting for a whistle.....I don't like that. MJ, Bird, Magic...they all made difficult leaners, tough jumpers, and created on their own shots when it was crunch time. MJ got preferential treatment (no argument there) but he never relied on the whistle. He assumed he had to make the shot and there would be no free throws. Sometimes he got bailed out, but he never just lunged into the lane without even a chance of hitting the rim/backboard like LJB does.

 

[houheffna]

Reggie Miller was notorious for doing it, Kobe does it at times, Billups is a wiz at it. Lebron makes 3-point plays all the time. His problem is that he handles the ball a lot and can sometimes get careless and he doesn't trust his teammates. I don't see his diving across the lane as a serious problem at all.

 

[dougthonus]

I think Riker was being sarcastic, as if memory serves, he hates leBron with a passion and feels he sucks and is a product of NBA conspiracy to make him appear to be a star when he's really not.

 

[MADman24]

dougthonus wrote:

I think Riker was being sarcastic, as if memory serves, he hates leBron with a passion and feels he sucks and is a product of NBA conspiracy to make him appear to be a star when he's really not.

Your right, but here's the thing Riker should realize that LeBron would have been even better if more contact was allowed as he is probably the strongest wing player ever.

In that respect, Jordan was both the best and worst thing ever to happen to the league. You know the good things he did, but he also paved the way for a generation of one-on-one players who careen toward the basket in big moments, create some form of contact and hope officials will bail them out.

Oh and he pointed out that MJ started this star player favoritism you seem to hate LeBron for so if your going to hate someone it should not be the benefactor but rather the creator.

Now to the argument at hand, you can argue allowing more physical play being better for the game but you can not defend the clothesline on Rambis, McHale should have been ejected then and he could have been ejected from a alley game for a play like that. Rambis could have broken his neck on that play. Too often competing hard and simply dirty play are confused, would I like for the NBA to tone down the number of flagrants and techs called and like them to be much more consistent with both calls? Definitely. But on the other hand what I don't like nor want is nostalgia for the so called "good ole days". You can keep you pantie shorts and the blatant hacking of the Bad Boy Pistons. Things were never perfect and never will be, all I can say is people have selective memories. The key points made were about the need for some kind of developmental institute for refs but while that sounds good in theory it might be difficult in practice like alot of the points in this article.

Why does hockey condone fighting and baseball still allows dugouts and bullpens to empty during brawls, but the NBA doesn't allow glaring?

Why does the NBA not allow any rough stuff while the NHL condones fighting and the MLB doesn't really frown upon it, I'll tell you why because the NBA is a black dominant league. I wouldn't say it if it weren't true, when NBA players fight they are referred to as thugs and hoodlums. Does Simmons not remember the fever pitch of criticism reached a few years ago about how the NBA let the players get out of control. How this thuggery was ruining the game? And although Simmons refers to hockey players as thugs in this article most people in America view it as part of the game and that term is rarely used when discussing NHL or MLB fights. Just yesterday I saw on ESPN's First Take that the 5th highest blogged about topic that morning, 10% of all post, was about whether or not J.R. Smith was throwing up gang signs after he hit a late 3 against the Lakers. It was clear to any unbiased onlooker this is not the case as he was simply making the same 3 gesture Gordon does except with both hands and down by his waist but this is just an unfortunate reality of having a black dominated sport.

 

[senrad]

As a ref I can tell you it is not easy watching 10 guys all try to cheat at the same time. I can get jammed up doing a HS game. I can only imagine the pressure these guys face on a nightly basis.

He makes a good point about starting a ref training camp. The reason you see the same old refs all the time is because it is so hard to move up the ladder in this profession. It is all a good old boy network and your assignments depend on how much butt you kiss and what camps you can afford to attend. It's a flawed system no doubt.

 

[Riker]

dougthonus wrote:

I think Riker was being sarcastic, as if memory serves, he hates leBron with a passion and feels he sucks and is a product of NBA conspiracy to make him appear to be a star when he's really not.

LeBron sucks as a player, he's just a bully with refs backing him up.


I know it's hard to fathom as probably many of you just seek for past-time when watching basketball so stat-sheets excite you, but I watch games.


And there isn't one thing, ONE DAMN THING, I can say what Lebron does on the court that makes his game memorable.


Except the numerous free throws and calls he gets in the lane.



However, that's my personal opinion. Some of you may see basketball glory and virtuosity in his game.


I certainly don't.

 

[houheffna]

After what could be considered the greatest offensive display in the 4th quarter of a playoff game maybe in history....how could anybody say that Lebron.....never mind.

 

[Riker]

Um yeah, I've heard the term "greatest" + "NBA history" in virtually EVERY single shit Lebron did in his playoff career.


Shot in game 2 against Orlando - GREATEST SHOT IN NBA HISTORY


and whatever.


People forget that the only thing actually historical is him breaking a shooting record last year.


His 2-18 shot was something that wasn't seen in the league since 1950.


He kinda reminisced us about that.



One time against Chicago this year, when he was deadly from the field, 5-20 or something like that.


And then few days ago against Magic, 2-11 or something like that from OUTSIDE the paint.


Inside the paint was a shitload of freethrows as usual.



Just because you sit on your ass and watch ESPN hanging on his scrotum and replying it in HD 3356 times a day doesn't make it "historic".

 

[Hendu0520]

Well first of all I didn't take this read as a knock against Lebron or Wade he was just saying they are taking what the refs are giving them.

As for the Lebron hater I think he is just trying to get under your skin. I agree the Lebron shot was great, but it isn't the greatest of all time because it wasn't the finals or a Game 7. Riker, how does Lebron missing shots before having anything to do with that shot being great or not. The statement was that THAT shot was the greatest not his last 10 shots were the greatest.

And like Heffna I give up giving you reasons why Lebron is great, I guess you would have to be on the court to get proof of the strength, speed and athletecism of one of the greatest human forces to ever walk the planet.

Great point by Madman, if the refs let the contact go Lebron is even better, with these refs he is just taking advantage like any human being would do.

The handchecking rule had a huge deal with the changes after Jordan left as well, that is something Simmons left out. Kobe would have more trouble if you could hand check him, whereas Lebron would have no problem with the old rules. This change imo has given the refs a softer mentality and allows these strong, fast players to go even faster by getting these running starts.

 

[houheffna]

Um yeah, I've heard the term "greatest" + "NBA history" in virtually EVERY single shit Lebron did in his playoff career.


Shot in game 2 against Orlando - GREATEST SHOT IN NBA HISTORY


and whatever.


People forget that the only thing actually historical is him breaking a shooting record last year.


His 2-18 shot was something that wasn't seen in the league since 1950.


He kinda reminisced us about that.



One time against Chicago this year, when he was deadly from the field, 5-20 or something like that.


And then few days ago against Magic, 2-11 or something like that from OUTSIDE the paint.


Inside the paint was a shitload of freethrows as usual.



Just because you sit on your ass and watch ESPN hanging on his scrotum and replying it in HD 3356 times a day doesn't make it "historic".

And you call me pathetic? Somebody give me a beer and get Helen Keller, I could have a more coherent conversation about basketball with her than you....you actually googled "lebron's worst games"...and you are proud of yourself. Did Lebron slap you upside the head or something? It is definitely personal with you and Lebron, I find that hilarious...like I said, Jerry West called him the best...so you can continue to be delusional with your black and white television.

A little advice, if you hate Lebron that bad, use the remote...my fault....get up and turn the channel...