For the whole article http://www.detnews.com/2005/pistons/0501/02/c05-47622.htm Chris McCosky's quick hits What is going on with referees and their refusal to chase down loose balls during stoppages in games? Twice now the Pistons have incurred technical fouls after officials steadfastly refused to grab a rolling basketball and enter it into play. The most recent was Thursday. The Pistons were set to in-bound the ball under their basket after a Heat score. The ball rolled away. Referee Eric Lewis stood on the baseline and refused to retrieve the ball. Larry Brown stood up and said, "Get the ball. That's your job." For which Lewis rang him up. There is nothing in the rule book that specifically says it's the ref's job to retrieve the ball, but, come on. They are in charge of controlling the flow of the game and that would fall under that category, wouldn't it? And we thought the refs were bad to us!!! Actually, they still are!! BUt this article was kinda funny.
Good fine, crazy sutff. Wonder if it was the same ref for the other T that has been given to them under the same situation.
I think there are a lot of Refs that feel they are "bigger" than the game. There are MANY "control obsessive" refs out there. See Crawford, See Javie. They feel like THEY are part of the game. The good refs have a dialog with the players and coaches. The good refs are the ones that stay under the radar. The good refs are the refs in which you dont know their name. Personally, I dont like the idea of "technical fouls." I think that gives the refs too much arbitrary power. You dont see "technical fouls" (type things) in the NFL or NHL. I am sure players/coaches whine just as much. I think the NBA refs are babies. Doesnt excuse players for acting like asses and refs shouldnt be subjected to outbursts from players. But if NFL/NHL refs can handle stuff, the NBA ones should too.
I agree. In the NFL, the refs on the sidelines where the coaches are, get yelled at and stomped at; among other things. Man, those refs get it. You see those refs staring straight ahead, just ingnoring it. Rarely do I see a flag for that kind of stuff. In the NBA, sometimes, if you look at a ref wrong, you get a T. Its completley different.
I would take their pay to run around and grab some basketballs off the floor and make some crazy calls..
I think the players should help, how many times do they just let it roll away and not hand it to an official? Good for the ref to T up the Pistons, especially if a few of their players just walked past the rolling ball. DD
Refs in an NFL game will flag the sidelines for unsportsmanlike conduct. Trust me, I'm a Raiders fan, I know. I also work stats for football at school, and the refs usually warn the sidelines before throwing a flag for that stuff. I'd assume that it's the same in the NBA, but I do not know this for sure. I've coached basketball too. I've been t'd up for asking about a decsion on a call I didn't see. So I do agree that sometimes refeeres can become "bigger than the game." Basically, I've agreed with what EVERYONE has said.
Joey Crawford is the worst ref of all time in any sport IMO. He definitely thinks the fans pay to see him make calls plus it seems obvious to me that he carries a grudge against certain players. The article in the origanal post is exactly what is wrong with refs in the NBA....their ego's are way to big and the are power freaks.
No, it's not good for the ref to T up the Pistons. The minute a player touches the ball the 5 second clock starts ticking. If a Pistons player picks the ball up the ref has the option of turning on the clock, then what? All a referee has to do is pick up the ball and hand it to a guy, how hard is that? If you're going to start handing out technicals for things like that, why not hand out technicals to coaches who doesn't help the ref by pointing out fouls on his team? This situation is stupid and unprofessional and if the NBA really cared about the game and their fans that official would be fined and/or suspended for that. You can seriously effect a game by handing out technicals for that. What if the Pistons are trailing 77-75 and they need one of the officials to inbound the ball because they need the other 4 players to spread out and get the ball. And the officials hurt the Pistons by making one player toss the ball in allowing the opposition to set up their offense? Or, worse yet, the official rings up the Pistons for the technical and completely changes the outcome of a game? You can't possibly defend the referees for this.
Reminds me of the time Benito Santiago got ejected for refusing to throw new balls out to the pitcher. The umpire's arm was hurt, however, there is no rule (at least I don't think there is) that says the catcher has to throw a new ball back. I thought it was funny. That's what I really hate about the NBA and MLB. The refs have decided that they're just as much a part of the game as the players. The NFL is the only league where I actually like the refs, despite the bad calls. At least they allow the players and coaches to understandably take out their frustrations. Umps in baseball and the refs in the NBA tend to take things more personally.
Here's a quote from Johnny Davis, the coach of the Magic. I found it in the same article you posted a link to. "Basketball has a certain beauty to it and it can't be recognized if you are just standing still," Davis said. "If I wanted to see guys standing still, I'd go watch a baseball game."
We pay to see the Players. We dont pay to see the Refs. I am talking to you Joey Crawford and you Steve Javie.
I agree with everyone, the players and the refs are at fault. The refs think they're too big and in every game I've ever watched the ref has gone to get the ball. If it isn't a rule in the book then it should be. The players are to blame as well because I think they make NO effort whatsoever 95% of the time. I can understand that they sometimes have to set up a play, but when the ball is rolling past you why not at least stop it with your foot? I think the players egos are just so big now that they think they're too good to do things like that. In my opinion, both sides can put an effort to help. It seems to me it's the refs job, but if the ball is there...get it! Pugs
Yesterday during the Rockets game I think the refs made sure to get every ball and pass it to the player that was going to inbound it.
They could do it like the European leagues and make it to where the Refs rarely have to touch the ball. Then players would be more inclined to grab it to start a fast break.
i always thought crawford and javie were some of the better refs in the game. but that one guy, Mike Callahan (i think that's his name)....now HE has something against certain players/teams. i think dick bevetta is always pretty entertaining.
