<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Having blocked 3,195 shots in his career to move to second on the official NBA blocked shots list, Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo returned Friday to Denver, the site of his first blocked shot, with the NBA's blessing to keep wagging his scolding finger after each block. Mutombo, 40, did wag his finger while moving past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Wednesday in the official list that began with the 1973-74 season. But in the previous game against the Bulls in Chicago, official Ken Mauer hit Mutombo with a technical foul, though Mutombo turned toward the United Center crowd and away from other players. Mauer even warned he would make the same ruling that night if Mutombo did it again. But the NBA will rescind the technical foul, according to spokesman Tim Frank, who added that this season's "respect the game" emphasis did not make the finger-waving a technical foul, unless Mutombo directs it at an opponent. "The rule is consistent with the past," Frank said. "If a player directs a gesture like that to the crowd, and not to an opposing player, that should not be a technical foul." The technical foul in Chicago was Mutombo's second. Though he turned toward the fans on the baseline on the first, he was in enough of a crowd of players for it to be construed as taunting. But since the technical in Chicago, Mutombo said he checked to make sure he could continue to wave his finger after blocked shots. "I'm glad the league is going to put this behind and let me just play the game," he said.</div> Source
THANK GOD......and yes Deke did it towards the crowd, that ref was just trying to be a jackass......keep waving that finger Deke!!!
Finally it is real gay to see him getting a technical once in a while for that. Why do they call it like once in a while. If they think it is taunting then why not call it all the time. He's been doing it for 16 years.
This is getting out of hand. It's the littles things like this that puts that added intensity into the game, I dont see why they want to try and outlaw stuff like this. Anyway, glad to hear he can still do it, there hasnt been a problem with him doing it the last 15 years, so I dont know why it should become a problem now.
wow i swear if they didnt allow it.... david stern has created the stupidest policies ever gotta wear a collar shirt no players from high school cant hang on the rim seriously i hate that guy
Anybody see Bosh's dunk yesterday over Olowokandi? He gets a T for lookin over at his OWN bench for a second stare. These refs are whistle happy.
<div class="quote_poster">Skillz Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I hate Mutombo when he wags his finger. I feel like taking an Axe and slashing it off.</div>
This is a fair compromise. Deke can waive the finger, but just can't direct it at the player he stuffed.
