Friday, June 15, 2012

Flop, Flop Goes The Weasel

Watching the NBA Finals last night it occurred to me that consistency in sports officiating is what I look for.  Especially when two teams are playing for the ultimate prize of being crowned champion.  I find myself getting physically upset at times when through the course of a game one call may go one way and a eerily similar call may go the other way. 

There is no rhyme or reason for it. 

I understand the extremely difficult task the NBA officials, like Tom Washington, Dan Crawford, and Tony Brothers who worked Game 2, have when making calls that will ultimately determine the outcome of the game.  What I want is consistency in their actions. 


Referees like Tom Washington have a tough job.

 
If you are going to call the game by letting players be physical then keep it that way.  If you are going to call the game close and any hand check or chest bump is a foul then continue in that regard the whole game.  It helps the players get a feel for the game and they adjust throughout the 48 minutes.   

In last nights contest this crew was ALL OVER THE PLACE!

I want to clarify that I am not blaming the officials for OKC's loss to the Heat.  This game was lost in the first quarter when the Heat went up 18-2.  Their lack of energy at the start the past three games was bound to catch up to them sometime. 

The Miami Heat were aggressive and attacked the basket the way the usually do but the "fouls" called were not even fouls at times.  D'Wayne Wade made a driving layup and got the "And 1" call to show that the defender never even touched him.  The OKC crowd was livid and rightfully so.

They then allowed Ibaka to block LeBron cleanly without calling the foul.  This was the right call as he went up, WAY UP, to block his dunk attempt.  I applauded them for not assuming there would be contact and letting the play happen.

 
Ibaka sent LeBron an invite to his Block Party!

There are three officials on the court and they can't get together to make the right call it seems at times.  They have the ability to use instant replay but only for certain situations per league rules. 

If there is a question of whether a player made a 3pt or 2pt shot by having his foot on the line this can be reviewed and overturned.  In the instant of last nights game if a player blocks a shot and the referee doesn't see it and his teammate continues to block the shot off the glass it went as a goal tend and Miami was awarded 2pts. 

It seems to me you want the right call and if the technology is there and there is a question of right or wrong then why doesn't the league change this rule. 

It doesn't stop there either.  One of the biggest reasons the officials have such a difficult time discerning if the play was a charge or block is the overused term, "FLOP".  This has become the en vogue phrase for games as players fall to the ground and you hear he flopped or that was a flop. 

It makes it extremely difficult for referees to decide when a player falls to the ground if it was a block or a charge.  This one call can change the momentum of the game.  If you have watched basketball this is the singular most difficult call in sports.  This now coupled with players "flopping" all over the place is totally ridiculous. 


Mr. Harden can hide behind the beard but we still know its you flopping.

It happened multiple times last night and it was both teams doing it.  I have seen LeBron do it.  I saw James Harden do it late in the game.  The league needs to crack down and crack down hard. 

The problem is the referee is making a judgement call based on the "contact" between the two players.  If the "contact" is true and one player is initiating the contact without the other being in position then make the right call.  If players are "flopping" and trying to orchestrate contact then this skews the judgement of the official and maybe alters his judgement latter in the game when you really have a foul.  I've seen less fake contact and better flopping from Rick Flair in the WWE.


The Nature Boy would be proud of the NBA these days.

I think players are kidding themselves if they don't feel this alters future events.  If they want the call later in the game then don't flop earlier.  You just might be setting your own team up for failure in crunch time. 

I want the players to ultimately decide the game and don't want the referees being the ones deciding the outcome.  I do want a foul to be called at ANY time of the game regardless of game time situation or WHO is doing the fouling. 

This brings me to the real travesty of last nights blown officiating calls.  With just seconds left in the game the games two best players LeBron and Durant were matched up on the baseline.  Durant made a move to shoot the ball for the potential game tying basket as they were down 98-96.  LeBron reached in on Durant and grabbed his arm, chest, and then grazed his leg all while Durant was in the shooting motion.


This is the beginning of LeBron's last second mugging of Durant.

NO CALL!  Are you kidding me with the flopping and no contact fouls called during the game this went down as "Great Defense"!

I was appalled as LeBron got the rebound was fouled, legitimately, and sealed the win by making his free throws.  (by the way, props to LeBron for his foul shooting 12-12, not his strong suit)

Miami wins Game 2 100-96.  Most importantly ties the series 1-1 going back to Miami for 3 games.

We don't know if Durant makes those free throws if the call was made.  But you have to make that call.  I am sure the league will review the game and make some comment but it is over and they must move on. 

I just hope the next game during crunch time when Durant is guarding LeBron with the ball and the game on the line it won't be Miami crying FOUL.




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