Hanging on the rim is kind of like a taunting penalty in the NFL. A technical is called, but it doesn't count towards getting ejected. The other team just gets a free throw. The technicals that get counted towards ejections involve arguing with officials, arguing with another player, slamming the ball on the court, or kicking the ball. Throwing a punch is an automatic ejection. If a player gets so many technical fouls, no matter which kind, he gets a fine. I think it's like $500 or $1000. Steve used to get a bunch of those type of technicals for slapping the backboard after dunks...
I think it sucks not being able to slap the backboard after dunks or hanging on the rim because I think slapping the backboard and hanging on the rims gives the players some motivation and hype. All the techs for the small things loses its taste for fun and exciting basketball.
Uh, then why did Franchise get ejected a couple of years ago against the Kings when he came down screaming from that monster dunk?
I think it is one of the rules that changed this summer because of situations like the one you are mentioning with Steve. B
Here you go: Rule 12, section V, rules c and d: http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_12.html?nav=ArticleList c. A technical foul called for (1) delay of game, (2) coaches box violations, (3) defensive 3-seconds, or (4) having a team total of less or more than five players when the ball is alive, or (5) an offensive player hanging on his basket ring or backboard, is not considered an act of unsportsmanlike conduct. d. A technical foul shall be assessed for unsportsmanlike tactics such as: (1) Disrespectfully addressing an official (2) Physically contacting an official (3) Overt actions indicating resentment to a call (4) Use of profanity (5) A coach entering onto the court without permission of an official (6) A deliberately-thrown elbow or any attempted physical act with no con-tact involved (7) Taunting The key word there is "screaming". Screaming is classified as taunting in this case. If Steve hadn't screamed after that dunk, then he wouldn't have been ejected
A-Train, You were right at first. The rule has changed. But your second post contradicts your first post. read the first sentence in the Webber article. "<i> Chris Webber hung on the rim for an extra moment after his dunk, <b>then unleashed an eardrum-piercing scream as he headed upcourt.</b></i>" Either screaming is not necessarily taunting, or taunting is no longer an ejectable technical foul (which would mean they haven't updated the ruling page, yet). If screaming is not directed at anyone, maybe it isn't taunting, thus it seems Webber and Francis's technicals were just for hanging on the rim.
It's a shame the rules have to change because players can no longer play the game with class. Guess the league is admitting defeat on that one.
TheFreak, According to the rules posted by A-Train, taunting is an ejectable offense, still. What has changed is undirected celebration by hanging on the rim is not? What does celebration have to do with unsportsmanlike conduct anyhow? It is taunting that is unsportsmanlike. If you think screaming is unsportmanlike, then Jimmy Connors should have been kicked out of his last US Open Finals for screaming repeatedly. Should Vernon Maxwell be T'd after the huge jump in the air with fist flying after the crucial shot against the Knicks?? imo, you are confused with the difference between uncontrollable celebratory emotion vs taunting, and the NBA is not.
so am I, I'm assuming taunting is still ejactable based on the rulings page. If not, then I agree with you...they caved.
If the NBA ever resorts to that level of BS, I'll do to it what I did to the NFL just after the Icky Shuffle - find something better to do with my time. There are many ways to get "psyched" - slap the floor, high five somebody, exort the crowd to make noise - but hanging onto the rim or slapping the backboard is showboating plain and simple. I watched the game and Webbers second personal was hanging on the rim which is as I read the rules is just the same as delay of game - not an unsportsman like violation.
Of course, you have to adress the supestar factor. Webber is a bonified superstar, so he'll get the benefit of the doubt in some cases. When Steve got this ejection against the Kings, he was only in his first or second year, so the refs will be a little stricter on him. It's mostly a judgement call on the officials
I remember watching the 99 Finals I think, where it was the Spurs vs Knicks game, Mario Elie made a huge slam and slapped his hand off the glass which kind of set the tone for the team. I still think they should allow it, if they can showboat then I wouldn't mind. They are just showing character.
This might help calify things (from NBA.com): TAUNTING If a player blatantly taunts an opponent, a technical foul shall be assessed. The opponent WILL NOT, automatically, be assessed a technical foul. His behavior will be the determining factor. Simultaneous taunting is a verbal altercation. Verbal altercations and unsportsmanlike conduct will be administered as a double technical foul and no free throws will be attempted. Technical fouls assessed to opposing teams during the same dead ball and prior to the administering of any free throw attempt for the first technical foul, shall be interpreted as a double technical foul. A PLAYER(S) GUILTY OF TAUNTING MUST BE SINGLED OUT AND PENALIZED. If a previous unsportsmanlike act has been committed and if this situation is BLATANT, a technical foul must be assessed and the guilty player(s) must be ejected. --------------------- My take on this is that it means if a player, for example, slaps the backboard twice in a game or taunts twice in a game, then they should be ejected. But if one technical is for arguing with an official and the other is for taunting, then no ejection is warranted.
