I've watched every game of the Rox on TV possible this year, and have really enjoyed discussing them on the board (almost 1000 posts!) and I've tried to stay positive during rough stretches. But this game is the one that broke the camel's back for me. I was VERY frustrated, and my girlfriend doesn't like to see me that angry. I wonder if watching the Rockets is worth the amount of distress it causes me. I will stop watching until the playoffs. Basically, Houston never, okay I'll say rarely, gets the benefit of the doubt call. The refs always make the close call go the other way. The tips out of bounds, the collisions inside... The officiating on Yao is especially atrocious, the fifth foul today (over the back of Divac) is just typical. Yao is hacked and pushed with two hands every time down, yet any time he makes an aggressive move, bam, offensive foul. He is getting no respect. Bill Walton, granted a Yao fan, even pointed out how ridiculous some of these fouls are. Similarly, ticky tack fouls are called on Francis and Mobley, when much harder fouls are ignore when the other team commits them. Now sometimes I think they are writing their own ticket because every single friggin time, made layup, missed layup, whatever, after every single shot they complain to the refs. It annoys me and it sure must make the refs happy to be able to be able to spite them. But Yao? He hardly complains. I really think Houston has a horrible reputation with the referees. And until that's fixed, it's going to continue to cost us close games. What can be done to remedy this? Send a tape to the league of all the horrible calls? One thing's for sure though, Yao needs to grow some balls! Don't let the officiating make you its b****! Let the refs know and come back aggressive on the other end. Also. No more whining about calls. I just hope this reputation doesn't affect us for years to come.
I thought the blocking foul on Stevie by Christie was stupid. Christie lowered his shoulder into Stevie and charged like he was Stephen Davis. It happened again when Webber dove into Yao. Again Webber dropped his shoulder and drove it into Yao's chest. The Zebras have go to go. Bavetta needs to retire On another rant. I would like to see a Ref in a box. Just 2 down on the court and one in a box where he could look at all the camera angles. If there are any conflicting calls, just have the box look and it could be sent 2way radioed down to the zebras on the court. Look at Channel 51, they have replays 2 seconds later. It could work, but its never been tried before.(most likely won't be tried either)
I know nobody will belive this... but Yao did get away with a few fouls that probably could have been called (but the refs wanted to keep him in the game, thus a no-call). I think the refs made a deal that they'd let him get away with two fouls, and not call it, and then they'd call the third instance... that's why it always looked like he barely fouled on the ones they did call. This whole method of officiating pisses me off (why not just call the fouls that are fouls... and keep it simple), but it is the line of reasoning that keeps superstars... such as Yao... in the game longer. Unfortunatley, tonight... Yao couldn't stay away from the ticky-tacks (which will happen... Hakeem used to get them too), and it took him out of his game mentally. I found more fault in the refs refusing to call fouls when Steve was driving into the lane, and whether he made the shot or not... wouldn't call arm grabs, and blatant hacks that even CBA players get called. There was also the obvious blocked shot that they called goaltending (probably would be on every highlight reel had they let it stand... but alas, it will be forgotten forever), and a few out-of-bounds calls were suspect.
Quit blaming the refs. We were up by 6 in the 4th. We did not deliver! Poor shot selections. Stevie even shot a way-off air ball!!! The ref's ok.
i think steve will get more calls actually now; look at shaq once he criticized them on national t.v. he was getting more calls.
Really? We have kept silent for most of the season, and I don't see how that benefit our relationship with these crook refs. Yao rarely protests anything, has that tolarence help him getting more favorable officiating at all? NO. Lakers criticize refs all the time, and they got one suspended for 3 games! Now refs treat lakers with respect, because it is their jobs and money on the line. You got to send a signal to the refs: you mess with me and I will let you get away. Officiating is never objective. When the refs face two teams, and they know if team A get mistreated they will try to get the refs suspended, and if team B get mistreated nothing will happen, which team do you think will get the benefit of officating? Clearly team A. When you protest, don't do it lightly or irresponsively. Go all the way, present the evidence, put the pressure on the NBA commission to suspend the refs in question. Don't stop until one is suspended. Then the rest of the refs know where they are going if they mess with us.
I'm not trying to blame the teams loss of the refs the nuggets lakers game, that was clearly a refs fault and all the refs support the call he made sure... its a hard life being a ref, but COME ON YAO FOULS OUT???????????????? hes the most gentle soul I'm seen, when Yao gets a foul its stupid ****, on the other end its supposedly okay to just use whatever you have against him because hes soo tall, its complete and utter bull**** sure, this wasn't yaos night, just like the golden state game, for other reasons, but tonight yao was finding himself shaky and out of position... is that the refs fault? maybe, I mean they do get in your head but COME ON COME ON we got fu%$$#)$% this game on fouls, not any that "cost" the game like the lakers nuggets, but jeez... when does Yao get his break? when does steve francis not play HARDER THEN ANYONE ? the refs, the fans, homecout/visiting who knows what the real problem is I just want my team to make the playoffs... PLEASE !!!
First of all, the Lakers did not get that referee suspended for 3 games. In fact, they were the beneficiary of that bad call in a game against the Nuggets. The Association apologized to the Nuggets and reprimanded the referee. As for a solution, simply complaining to the refs won't do anything. You need credibility. When Shaq complains about how he's officiated, that's pretty legitimate. Everybody acknowledges that he's the hardest player to officiate. His physicality changes the game and it change the rules. Vlade is the HUGGEST flopper and while it work sometimes, his reputation has taken a much bigger hit than his flopping has helped. By contrast, the Steve and Cuttino always complain but have little back-up. They get fouled, sure, but so do all guards. Their own coach undermines their credibility by calling their tendency to do this out in the public. I'm afraid Steve's viewed as a whiner. Popping Dick Bavetta in the mouth "accidentally" won't help, either. The refs have solidarity. You saw it when all but 2 protested the suspension of that other referee by wearing their jerseys inside out. Steve's going to get paid back. But in terms of a long term solution, you've got to develop a consistent playing style. Refs regularly profile teams and officiate them a certain way based on how they play. Borderline calls go to the teams that play aggressive, coordinated, smart team ball. Those are three descriptions that don't belong in the same sentence with the Houston Rockets.
Quiet all season? What games are you watching? Who leads the league in Technical Fouls? What players continuosly run back up the court patting their forearms implying they were hit in the act of shooting? As for Yao, he could get a lot more defensive 3 second calls than he does. Watch closely. Yao spends a lot of time in the paint when he's more than arms length from who he guarding. And there's definitely a difference in how Yao gets calls vs Shaq between last season and this one. Were there bad calls vs the Kings? Some. But the Rockets aren't going to get too many calls when they don't pass the ball, go 1 on 1 and turn into a jump shooting team. 18 assists on 38 baskets vs Kings' 28 assists on 34 baskets says more to me than the fouls called.
I don't agree with SF's complaining to refs every time he attacks the bucket. But there are certain calls that were so out of line! Yao has been called some BS fouls recently. If you make a tape showing how defense get away when hacking Yao but Yao gets called fouls when he does anything questionable, you present a legitimate case. Another example, the SF goal tending call. That wasn't even close. It was a clean block! Yet another one occasion, refs gave the ball the Kings when the ball went outbound, but there was no Rox 2 feet within the ball when Peja tipped it out. Again, Kings ask for the ball, refs bowed. I think there is a reputation among refs that they can get away from any wrong calls on Rox. Yes, SF complains, but that is nothing. It is the management that has to stand up and break this reputation. Once you get one ref penalized, all other refs will give you repect. You go after their jobs and you earn their respect.
Whiner or not JUST CALL THE GAME LIKE IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE CALLEd that is all all these BS Excuses for the Refs suck Rocket River
I was thinking the same thing and your last paragraph is spot on. One of the first things you learn about officials, regardless of the sport, is that they do NOT like being shown up!! Every time that Francis or Mobley or someone else runs down the court, hitting their arm, that is showing UP the ref! And also players get calls when the refs respect them. What has Francis and Mobley done so far in their career? Nothing - Mobley got into the playoffs his rookie season and Francis has yet to make it. But the way they act, you would think that they feel they are the heir apparents to Michael Jordan, in the way he would get every call. They just need to shut up their whining and if they don't get a call, don't make a scene about it - just go back down the floor and keep playing hard. But I don't think they will ever get this.
It will probably come as a surprise to you, but it terms of PF's/game the Rockets rank right in the middle of the NBA with a 21.2 PF/g average. They commit fewer fouls per game than UTA, MEM, PHX, LAC, DEN, SEA & the LAL. Considering they are among the leagues most aggressive defenders, being in the middle isn't too bad. Further, in spite of being in the middle of the pack in PF called, the Rockets are among the league leaders in fewest disqualifications. DET and TOR lead with 6 DQ's while POR, SA and Houston all have only 7 player DQ's. Among Guards, Hinrich and Raja Bell get the most PF's called on them. Francis is 3rd, but the following are within 1 PF/G of Francis's 3.2... Arenas, Cassell, Paul Pierce, Eddie Jones, Rip Hamilton, Vince Carter, Bonzi Wells, Jalen Rose, Eric Snow, Baron Davis, Kobe, Mike Miller, Jamaal Tinsley, Tyronn Lue, Voshon Lenard, Raul Lopez, Jason Terry, Manu Ginobili, Jeff McInnis, Speedy Claxton, Larry Hughes, Chauncey Billups, Andre Miller, Doug Christie, Carlos Arroyo, Leandro Barbosa, Gary Payton, Earl Watson, T.J. Ford, and Ray Allen @2.2. IMO, you are overstating how negatively the Rockets are impacted by the officiating. They should just shut up and play ball.
Yao is getting mugged many nights - two hands in his back, holding, hacking, shoving him when he shoots. Team needs to address this with league.......how many game tapes do you want to see? Enough is enough. He also needs to figure out how to avoid the ticky tack reach in and over the back fouls that take him out of the game. Regarding Tweedledumb and Tweedledumb2, they need to quit whining - just shut up and play. The more they complain the worse the calls are going to be. As an earlier poster said, if they play hard and smart (don't know if that's possible), and quit crying on EVERY call, the calls will start to balance out. Even I'm tired of watching them complain D R
Yao needs to start throwing 'bows...Next time he gets the ball, POP! Right in the mouth. Foul called? POP! in the mouth again...Do it six times if he has to...MAKE the other players fear him...
