Merged: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

I don't think Stern is fixing games. I think Stern has marketed the NBA for a few decades now as a star-driven league and has a vested interest in stars staying in the game and not being held back by rules from doing spectacular things. So while I don't think he arranges for certain teams to win or do well, I think it's extremely plausible that the referees are encouraged to enforce a separate set of rules standards for the stars as opposed to everyone else.

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

I'm not arguing that superstars don't get calls from the referees. But, refs certainly don't control outcomes of games and manipulate games to get in line with the point spread like Mr. Selfdestruct believes.

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

I never said it was phony. I just said that it's possible that Donaghy isn't an isolated incident. To claim with absolute certainty that it was isolated is naive.

Game 6 of the 2002 NBA WCF says hi. NBA referees have more influence on the outcome of the game than any other referees in pro-sports.

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

I ask this honestly: Do you think the verbage of "Aggressive" could be left to interpretation?

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

Certainly in and of itself it is vague. But then that was the general preface of the rule, they do clarify in giving an example to use as a guideline in giving an aggressive punch in the air in frustration. So it isn't like anyone is going to flop or yell "aarrrgggh" as they are taking a shot and then get called as "aggressive".

You're right that maybe someone will get called for a foul and look at a ref and grab their crotch as a gesture. Is that aggressive? Probably not, but it is meeting the SPIRIT of this rule and will likely be called because you are disrespecting the authority of the call. You could stare at a ref like Sheed and that might be borderline "aggressive" but nobody would complain that he wasn't showing up the ref.

If Kobe lowers his eyebrows and glances and the ref and doesn't get a call, well, it wasn't that aggressive was it. If he comes at a ref with his hands in the air, it is a "T" by the definition of the rule and the ref has no choice, so the rule will be doing it's job since Kobe is one of only 10 guys in the NBA that will ever walk towards a ref with his hands in the air.

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

Depends on your prospective. I'm sure it was completely fair if you don't hate the Lakers.

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

Now you're just going over-the-top there.

Let's not forget that at the end of the day this is still a business where owners own the rights to control what their employee do and how they do it. The fans are the ones who pay the owners and dictate how they run their business based on a democratic society. So the customer at the end of the day are the stakeholders at the end of the day with what they want the owners to do with their resources in order to satistify their entertainment needs, and the players are those resources owned and managed by the owners. If they say bend over and lick yourself because the customers want to see it, they have a choice to lick themselves or find another profession. End of story.

So the fans tell the owners what they want. We want to see some unbiased officiating and no more having Kobe and Wade stare at an official when they want to try and imtimidate them into blowing their whistle, then the owners are forced to make a rule like this.

The rule obviously doesn't extend to the fans as they are the ones paying to watch these resources expend themselves in the name of their entertainment and for getting the owners rich. That is the business model. Not much different than the Roman Gladiators of old. Nobody told the fans in the crowd they couldn't chant "die, die, die" because they were the paying customer who paid the slave masters their coin for the games. That's just life, it hasn't changed in over 2,000 years, so deal with it.

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

The fans aren't behind this change. Stern is. If Stern cared about anyone but himself, he'd initiate a process in which the fans and players have input.

As for it being a business, it's a business not owned by Stern. I don't recall the owners raising this as an issue at their meetings, do you? Of course not. They are just as blindsided by this as we are.

There's also a union that he has ignored. This is purely Stern's personal opinion, with his lapdog Stu Jackass barking for him. They have not solicited opinions from owners, players, union, or--fans.

Same thing happened with the plastic ball and several other dictatorial moves by Stern. When you've held the same job for a quarter-century, you get this way. We are way overdue for someone new.

I assume you read the TrueHoop article I cited, so I didn't repeat the things that are in it with which I agree.

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

Those were not reactions to referee's calls. Read the whole post.

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

pity sheed retired, coulda hit at least 80 this coming season

 

NBA says No Mas to complaining...

Wish this was on the books when Rasheed was in Portland. Man, I got tired of that dude and his attitude. What Blazer does this hurt the most? What NBA player (besides Kobe) does this hurt?

"Referees have been instructed to call a technical for:

• Players making aggressive gestures, such as air punches, anywhere on the court.

• Demonstrative disagreement, such as when a player incredulously raises his hands, or smacks his own arm to demonstrate how he was fouled.

• Running directly at an official to complain about a call.

• Excessive inquiries about a call, even in a civilized tone."

 

Re: NBA says No Mas to complaining...

That's all well and good, and won't be much enforced after pre-season. But when are they going to do something about flopping??? To the players who constantly flop and the refs who knowingly call the flops? I'd like to see both players and officials suspended fur a game at a time whe the player flops or a ref rewards a star play for flopping.

 

Re: NBA says No Mas to complaining...

This should be merged with the 70 post thread that was an ongoing discussion about it yesterday when it was current news.

http://sportstwo.com/threads/170431-WTF-!-Stern-trying-to-remove-emotion-from-games

 

Re: NBA says No Mas to complaining...

Sorry. I don't live here.

Bill Laimbeer never flopped!

 

Sounds like control freak Sith Lord Stern wants the refs to have MORE control over game outcomes. Classic Stern ruining the game of Basketball. Can't he die or retire or something already?!?!?

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

Right I mean Trevor Ariza's undercut on Rudy resulted in a multi-game suspension right? Or Rondo's clothesline of Brad Miller or half a dozen other things over the years like Malone's elbows. I mean I can't point to ONE aspect of league officiating that is enforced unequally.

/sarcasm off

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

Fucking wow. Talk about refs deciding a game. What an utter piece of shit. Does anyone think this league has any intention of there being a level playing field?

 

Re: WTF?! Stern trying to remove emotion from games

Uh, your first one about Duncan is very different from the egregious and toss worthy actions of Rasheed and Posey. Not sure what your point was there?

 

I can't see this as analogous to black shoes. After all, if they (unlikely) made a rule that any player wearing black shoes gets ejected, the rule is crystal clear and it would be unmistakable who is violating it. But this rule is necessarily open to interpretation. Did the ref feel threatened? Was it excessive? Was it aggressive? Come on, you don't think reputation and status will be considered?

 

These black guys have to be taught a lesson. If the ref feels threatened and sees something shiny from 100 feet away, he should shoot the player dead. Always aim for the heart, and if the public finds a mistake, tell them we need millions of dollars more for improved training. We can make this a win-win for us.