Anyone even consider that the 5 games was levied with further evidence from the complete video footage. The video we saw was a center court shot cutting to a behind the baseline one. In that very cut, we lose sight of the ref and harrell after the shove. The ref could have got in Harrell's way even sooner than we saw, with Harrell more obviously knowing that's a ref
I don't think it was that bad. He was angry and had tunnel vision after having been pushed by that scrub. I think at that point he would have shoved the Pope without thinking. Having said that he still needs to learn to control himself in similar situations
The "shove" was bad, especially considering he knew for a fact it was not the player who pushed him. He was fortunate the suspension was only 5 games. I suspect had they been able to tell beyond a shadow of a doubt that he knew it was a referee, the suspension would have been much longer. "tunnel vision" and "anger" are not acceptable defesnes for what he did.
No, they should not. And here is why. Basketball (like many sports) is a physical game. The referee is not a part of the physicality. You can take a charge, or give a hard foul - the referee is there to adjudicate. Sometimes a player crosses the line, and (in basketball) gets tossed from the game. If you've played, then you will know that some people get their temper up, there's a bit of push and shove (or argy bargy), sometimes the ball gets thrown, there are looks, there are conversations. The referee is untouchable - they are NOT to be pushed, argy-bargied, looked at, talked at (etc). Because if you allow them to enter the fracas of the game, then they lose control, and fast. The good referees can have a chat, ignore a look, laugh at wild gesticulations, and even suffer a little pat or elbow hold - but that doesn't mean they have to. I'm bewildered that you don't see a difference of degree here?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The NBPA has challenged the 5-game suspension of Rockets F Montrezl Harrell for pushing an official. An appeal was filed today, source said.</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/717830992938016770">April 6, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The union obviously cannot get back the games Harrell has missed, but will seek to recoup salary and change the precedent set by the ruling.</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/717831196382781440">April 6, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Interesting that the players association is getting involved in this. Seemed fairly cut and dry, Harrell shoved a ref, obviously you can't do that. I wonder what the PAs beef is with? Unless the ref maybe said something? I don't know, seems like something they should have just let be.
agreed, it may strictly be the money that they want back. Self-defense can be a factor here since Harrell really was tussling with someone else when it happened and it didn't look malicious. Really, when I read what happened and then saw it I was relieved.
The players association is simply sticking up for a player--that's what the players association is supposed to do. It probably has less to do with whether they think they have an actual case than it does with simply going through the process of representing the players' interests in the matter. In this case, Harrell's individual interest is (a) minimizing his economic loss, and other players' interest is (b) having their economic loss minimized in similar future incidents.
