Finally, Some Justice!

<div class="quote_poster">kingrex Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The Crawford case is the reason why I wish the NBA would take away the "technical foul" call from the floor refs. It can create for unjust calls based on emotions.

For example, Crawford was already pissed at Duncan after the first technical and therefore he was just waiting for Duncan to do the smallest thing, in this case laugh like a jackass. The result is the unwarranted 2nd technical foul.

A second example happened in the 2003 Mavs playoff game against your Spurs. Nellie got thrown out of that game by the same Joey Crawford after a back and forth exchange between him and the coach. The result was an emotional Crawford throwing out Nellie.

I suggest that the NBA allow a non-floor official to make the technical foul call that relates to "verbal abuse or intimidation" of the floor officials. This would eliminate the "emotional-factor" that can exist when floor-officials call for technical fouls.</div>

Sounds like a reasonable and fair solution to me. It would eliminate officials baiting coaches and players into further arguing a call, which often results in a second technical.

I always found it hypocritical for the NBA to allow officials to stand over a player and give them a look that says "go ahead say something else and you're out of here." There job should be to mediate and take control of a situation, explain what they saw and how they interpreted the call and not try to upstage the coach or player and escalate a controversial call.

 

<div class="quote_poster">djdiggydiggy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Weird, you mean NBA fans are now finally seeing what Mark Cuban has been harping about all along??? UNBELIEVABLE!!! Geez, maybe that kook has some important opinions and views...that in actuality, the refereeing would be even WORSE without the reforms instated as a direct result of Cuban's consistent presentation of facts...</div>

I remember Cuban having a lot of support for his role in rating officials and hiring ex-officials to critique the current ones. He's very innovative in his ideas for improving the game, and has a real passion for the sport.

However, sometimes his antics are agenda driven, and those are the times he leaves himself open for his critics and naysayers. He can be perceived as whiny or arrogant, but he's definitely matured in his approach to fighting the inconsistencies of the league.

 

<div class="quote_poster">djdiggydiggy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Actually, Cuban did not have much support for his role in having the ratings system for referees in place today. The NBA, and it's owners shoved his ideas into a closet until he proceeded to bombard the league office with so much statistical data and game tape that they relented and reconsidered the idea. If I remember correctly, Cuban had the support of only two other owners in the NBA for his idea.

Of course his antics are agenda driven. HIS AGENDA IS MAKING THE NBA BETTER. Critics and naysayers do not like his method, which is understandable. But in this day and age, it is much easier to shine a light (and in his case, he's using a jazillion watt bulb) on problems in the NBA. Cuban believed that his only recourse was to take his complaints to the media, and let the public decide upon who was right and who was wrong.

Unfortunately, he didn't realize that King Stern would not be able to swallow his pride and that he would never grudgingly let Mark be right about anything. Well, commish, now one your loyal footsoldiers has gotten completely out of control and blatant with his bias. What the hell do you do now??? A suspension??? You gotta be kidding me. How is a player supposed to believe he's getting a fair shake from Crawford now, especially since it's obvious that he does have a bias??? Sorry Stern, you gotta fire him. It goes straight to the integrity of the game. "Integrity???" Oh yeah, I forgot...we have teams purposely tanking games for better draft positioning and blatantly bad officiating...what was I thinking???

Maybe someone can get the transcript to the 2007 Playoffs and tell me who they have written in for the champs...</div>

He might not have had support of other owners, but he had support of NBA fans (myself included.)

I agree Crawford should be fired, or forced to quit. His credibility is compromised.

 

<div class="quote_poster">djdiggydiggy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Shape, good to know that there are NBA fans out there that can see past the league, and are looking for improvements in the game.

I am also happy to see that there are true NBA fans that can look past some of Cuban's questionable practices and see that he does have a few ideas in there.

I believe one option that would greatly increase my respect for Crawford would be his resignation. A statement that he has compromised the integrity of the game, and he is removing himself from it. Does that sound like a decent end to this part of the problem??? I dunno...maybe it only sounds good to me...hollaback</div>

Resignation would be commendable, but I don't see Joey humbling himself to do the right thing. When has he ever?

He's already come out and bad mouthed Stern's decision and also took a shot as his colleagues. He's been suspended indefinitely, which likely means he's suspended until he decides to retire.

I wouldn't be surprised if Joey pops up in a few years with a "tell all" book about the behind the door politics of officiating.