Should Amare and Diaw be banned for leaving the bench?

They're teammate is the one that acted like an idiot...there was no need for them to jump in and defend that action.

 

well, "dummies" like us won't stand seeing our close friend/relative getting pick on by other right in front of us.

 

Spurms def. Stuns (4-2)
Jasses def. Spurms (4-2)
Jasses def. Pistons (4-1)

Jasses win it all, Rockets the only team took them to game 7.

 

Its a distant third... regardless (look up the numbers yourself if you don't believe me).

Incidents like this DON'T HELP IT (which was my original point). People are talking about this incident, and the suspensions over an asinine rule more than the actual game/series itself (which had a pretty good momentum of its own, and was picking up steam).

They didn't need this... I highly doubt David Stern is jumping up and down with these developments. It hurts everybody... well, maybe not the Spurs.

 

incidents like this don't help because people are talking about the nba?

edit: what's a bigger scandal, this or steroids in baseball? incidents like this don't hurt ratings, and just comparing ratings numbers doesn't prove the fact either way.

 

i think what the NBA did was justified because it's the rules. You do that in the regular season, you get suspended. Unfortunately, it had to happen in the playoffs and unfortunately it happened to two key players on a team. Is it a right call for the suspension? I think they shouldn't be suspended, but that's the rules--players know the rules and should abide by it.

 

yes, but trying to equate being 3rd with this situation is ridiculous. by messes, you were referring to being hard and fast on this rule instead of relaxing it to allow them to play so as not to bring attention to the suspensions and not the series. and even so, the most intriguing series in sports are usually those with outside controversies/storylines, not just great on the court/field action.

also, moreso than other sports, basketball is a historically black sport and the nba a historically black league being sold to a predominantly white audience, that is why it's third. and considering where it's come from, it's pretty hard to argue it's reasons like these that it's 3rd. i'm guessing in the 50's and 60's it wasn't even 3rd (boxing?) and yet under stern it's gone from tape delayed finals not much more than 20 years ago to a multi-billion dollar league that is definitely 3rd and has a bunch of marketable stars, while still fighting uphill against the whole being predominantly black issue.

he's definitely not jumping up and down, but he did what he had to do. the rule is there and wasn't going to be retroactively changed. in fact, it's been there since even before the famous knicks/heat brawl and everyone understands exactly how it's enforced and why it's enforced. you move from the bench during a fight, you don't play the next game. fights are usually quick and involve 2 or 3 players, and the other 7 or 8 players + 3 refs usually get them under control fairly quickly. no one from the bench needs to even pretend to get involved. first because they don't need you, and second b/c no one knows if you just wanna be a peacemaker or throw a haymaker, and thus you are just escalating things.

earlier this year when the whole ramped up technicals thing was going on, people talked about not wanting the players to be robots, but this is one situation where they should be. if you're on the bench, and a fight breaks out, you stay on the bench, no exceptions. it will get sorted out, the people who fought will get punished, and you won't get suspended. i don't really like how extreme it is, but it's probably b/c they can't allow any leeway. they can't say well if you only go halfway to the fight and turn around, that's cool.

and for everyone who thinks they need to look at the rule, i don't see them changing it. like i just said, even if they wanted to change it, what would it change to? i suppose they could word it vaguely to state anyone who acts in such a way that could reasonably be expected to, and in actuality did, escalate the situation should be suspended. and maybe amare and diaw play b/c nothing they did escalated it really, but i still don't see it changing. and they probably don't want it to be vague and open to interpretation either to eliminate the appearance of bias. while people can say they don't like the ruling, no one can say they screwed the suns or favored the spurs. everyone understands the rule is the rule and is always enforced this way, no matter who you are.

 

Are they talking about the game? No... they're talking about how stupid rules effect the direction of what was an otherwise entertaining series. The NBA gets more attention over bench clearing brawls, players going into stands, suspensions and incidents than the actual level of play itself.

And the fact is MLB's popularity is strong enough to withstand a serious steroids scandal (stadiums are still selling out to see Barry Bonds), the NFL is strong enough to withstand the WEEKLY player problems.

And you don't even need simple ratings to justify sports popularity in this nation. Look at media contracts. Look at local tv contracts. Look at attendance percentages. Look at the distribution of franchises per larger markets.

The ONLY thing the NBA has going for it compared to the other two is the international appeal... which was a neccessary development due to the other leagues they have to compete with in the US.

Trust me... I've had access to and ran all the numbers before.

 

For the second time... I'm not saying this is why its 3rd... I'm saying this doesn't help the league, or its image (and you really don't need to bring in race).

What helps the league are competitive series between the best teams, playing at a high level, with all stars intact. That's not happening now... it doesn't help.

Also, I've ran the numbers on the NBA's drop in popularity from the Jordan days... granted, him leaving the game has a lot to do with it, but an increased level of play/competitiveness/high octane teams do increase viewership.

 

and I believe nba ratings and attendance is also up this season. again, just because one sport is popular than than the other doesn't justify your point. its two different subjects.

 

the fact that you call them the jordan days should tell you why ratings are down from those days.

 

"Granted... him leaving... "

Read my posts... jesus.

 

I read your post ass, you are still arguing the same point aren't you. or are you conceding that incidents like this haven't affected popularity.

 

and don't try to infer that you didn't mean incidents like this hurt its popularity which clearly did.

these messes=distant thrid according to you.

 

why the hell are you calling me an ass? Is it really neccessary?

My original argument, which you've now ignored, is that competitive series without incidents help the NBA and its popularity... not supsensions over rule technicalities.

But if you feel the popularity is being helped by this incident, go right ahead. But seriously... why the hell are you calling me an ass?

 

These meses = the series momentum being halted, and the media focusing on suspensions/rule technicalities more than the series itself.

The only thing that can help the NBA is its level of play. Offense garners more viewers than defense. Good teams/matchups are more fun to watch than whitewashes.

Stars are the biggest driving factor... and Amare is a bigger star than Horry.

 

yes its neccessary when you instruct me to read your posts, followed by the frustated implying "jesus" comment like I'm a five year old when you're the one who has clearly changed his position but not willing to admit it.

 

its a one game suspension. it isn't going to harm the level of play for the entire playoffs.

 

Its game 5... a home game for the Suns in which they now WILL NOT be the favorites. Its a pivotal game.

The only thing that can save the series is the Suns finding a way to win games 5 or 6... otherwise its marred.