http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2620756 NBA promises zero tolerance for drama queens The NBA might have given its players something to complain about this season -- something other than the new basketball. In an attempt to get players to curtail post-whistle whining, NBA referee representatives have made the rounds early in training camp to emphasize the league's zero-tolerance policy. Commissioner David Stern, long fed up with players' histrionics over questionable calls, is threatening to hit them with quick technical fouls -- and later fines -- for those who curse, throw their hands up, or make other gestures that show disgust. Rasheed Wallace, for one, told the Detroit News he took the league's crackdown personally. "It's just another 'Sheed Wallace rule," Wallace, shaking his head, told the newspaper. "It just means I must be doing something right. Any time they change the rules of the game for one specific player, you must be doing something right." The league's fine system, which was introduced last season, includes a $1,000 fine for each of the first five, $1,500 for the next five, $2,000 for the next five, $2,500 for the ones that follow, and, in addition, a one-game suspension for every other technical after the 15th. "What happens if I am one of the captains?" Wallace asked the News. "Does that mean I can't talk to them? You can't talk back to them like they're your mom and dad. It's like they're saying, 'If you say something to me I am going to put you on punishment.' That's how it is. I will come up with some way to tell them how I feel." Wallace was issued 16 technical fouls last season and a one-game suspension. It's reasonable to think, if referees consistently show zero tolerance, he could double that total. "It'll be an adjustment for everybody in the league," the Heat's Dwyane Wade told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Heat coach Pat Riley believes players will still be able to express their opinions to officials, but will have to police their body language and tone of voice. "They are going to be very conscious of player complaining," Riley said last week. "That's one of the big things with them. Every call, there's always 10 guys complaining to the officials. They're just telling them to cut it out."
Just wait until players are kicked out of games for shrugging their shoulders or making a "terrible call" face on a clearly bad call. That will give us something to write about.
you hit the nail on the head. what i fear are the bad refs. the ones that make horrible calls will now be allowed to issue a tech for looking displeased.
The thing is, they pretty much do it now to some players. Rasheed Wallace, for example, has a lot less leeway in complaining about calls than someone like Tim Duncan (even though Tim Duncan whines after every call). Remember when Steve Francis was near the top of the league leaders in technicals? Many of those were for reasons that other players get away with every game. While there are other annoying factors that make it hard to watch an NBA game these days (flopping and bad officiating among them), every player whining after every call is at the top of my list. Anything that makes them shut up is good in my book. The players will adjust. If not, they won't be in the game.
I don't mind this rule, as long as it is accompanied by more critical evaluation of missed and wrong calls by referees. If they are going to T up somebody for complaining about a bad call, then they should also be willing to fine referees after a certain amount of blatently bad calls, such as 2 or 3, against any particular team. This would help to eliminate the bias against some teams that certain referees exhibit when they are calling their games. The referee bias against players like Sheed and Steve Francis is ridiculous and needs to stop too. I wished teams like the Rox would look for some educated bball fans outside the establishment that they could give a few courtside seats to and let the fans bark at the refs when they screw up calls. It doesn't work if it is former players or known league associates. It would have to be a casual fan that understood the game well enough to start chirping at the ref when it was obvious that they weren't calling it straight up. I do feel for the most part that the officials are trying to do their best and most of them are fair. However, there are enough instances in this league that clearly demonstrate that certain officials have it in for certain players and certain teams. If they are going to address the player whining then they should address the referee punking.
I wonder how well our resident old man will cope with this. Talkin' about Dikembe "I-have-never-committed-a-foul-in-my-life-ever" Mutombo.
i prefer a "5 second rule". players have 5 seconds to b**** and moan all they want after a call. when time is up and they're still yapping...."T" the player up.
I remember when Yao got a technical for tapping a ref on the shoulder. Whatever. The whining does get annoying (*cough*Dallas*cough*) but technical fouls are even worse. Talk about ruining the flow of a game.
Well that would require the NBA to actually address the source of the problem - i.e. questionable officiating and 'superstar' treatment. It's much easier for Stern to crackdown on players protesting unfair calls than to make Dick Bavetta a better ref.
The NBA needs to implement a Coach Challenge system similar to the NFL. That would help eliminate the negative effects of incorrect calls by the refs.
Dear Athletes, Please don't remind us you are human . .. shut up an play. be emotionless automatons that move up and down the court for our amusement. Don't show that you have any interest in the game. . unless you have our approval. FANS
fukin' werd. for instance, what's the freakin' point of the half circle? i see refs blow charge/blocking calls all the time even with this point of reference. the guy is clearly out of the circle, yet it was a blocking foul and ref even defends himself by saying, no, he was not.
This just introduces another element of uncertainty in officiating. Stupid. What exactly constitutes whining or complaining? In the heat of the moment at the end of games, if a player gets a bad call and expresses frustration now that could impact the final game result. Is that really good for the game? If the NBA wants to reduce whining/complaining, they should institute a different policy ... allow teams to challenge calls. If players know they can challenge what they feel is a bad call, then they won't complain as much.
Although I don't see this move by Commish Stern to be as bad as the series of on-and-off the court dress codes, I'm afraid that he'll just keep on adding ridiculous rules. I feel like Stern is protecting the refs too much. I don't understand. I feel like the NBA is getting closer and closer to middle school. Maybe next year he'll make players raise their hands for permission to come in the game.
