Honest Look at NBA Refereeing

[cgb_orl]

Yes this has been prompted by recent events. However I'm typing from a clear state of mind. I've said my piece regarding in a lot of threads so hopefully it's taken seriously and nonpartisan. I really want to see if there IS a solution. Otherwise, I feel we will be spinning this wheel again next year. Honestly, I don't want to go through the drama of an NBA season when there is an undertone of unfairness. I enjoy watching basketball and I feel it's being soiled by the rules that govern it. Hopefully you'll understand that it's blatent enough for me to even say something. I've been watching for 25 years and it's become too obvious to ignore.

I want some honest suggestions and PLEASE try to leave your homer shades at the keyboard. I will. Examples are more than welcomed but I want it to be guys/girls talking basketball (not teams/players). That will be much more productive. I do understand the pressures of calling the game even though some calls are so obvious that you wonder sometimes. Either way this should be a welcomed thread since it will help them to make the RIGHT calls. Open to any criticism because I'm looking for answers.

1) Bring in comprehensive replay. What are they scared of? You want integrity, or the appearance of it? Allow replay. Use the challenge system the NFL has adopted or make up your own. Don't care. NBA needs something to protect the game from being damaged by these referees. You can't tell me it's about the length of a game when you're starting playoff games at 9pm. Cut out some of that NBA cares garbage and review calls that really do affect the flow and outcome of the game. The only reason I can think that they don't want it is they don't want anything to be challenged. That or they want exactly what they are getting from these refs. And perhaps the fans are getting what they what. Let me know....

2) Get rid of the current Technical foul system. It's not being used properly any way. It's absolutely discretionary and we know what discretion the NBA refs use. Let a guy rack up as many as he wants. He is only hurting himself, his team and will distance his fans. If the team can't reel him in, let's shoot FTs until he stops. I guarantee you the TEAM will send him to the locker room. Or the coach will escort himself after speaking his piece. The only ejections should occur on flagrant 2 fouls.

3) Fines need to be abolished for player/coaches comments. I feel this is an attempt to gag and intimidate. Usually where you have tactics to silence, there is something to hide. I know the company line about protecting the (appearance of) integrity but the players are only stating what fans are already talking about. And have been talking about for decades. Especially now on Twitter/YouTube/Facebook. Let these players/coaches talk and have Stern or one of his minions address the complaint directly if necessary. I realize this is the association rules but it's dumb to not allow someone to speak negatively when they feel they have been mistreated. Cuban used to be good at speaking his mind. What pacified him? /rhetorical

4) Offensive fouls should be reviewed. You want to get rid of flopping? This is how you start. Review questionable calls and reverse if it is a flop or blocking foul. I think this is the most misused call by the NBA refs. It usually comes in clusters and allows for momentum swings. Also opens the door for conspiracy. Not to mention, it is their number one tool for the classic "make up" foul.

5) All possible goal tending situations should be reviewed. They can add/remove a point on 3 pt reviews. Go back during breaks and add points if a shot is wiped away on a missed goal tend call. Let the assistant coaches mark the time and submit the request. These are calls that are/are not 2pts either way.

[angel0430]

I agree with poins 1 and 3. Definitely they need some sort f replay action. There have been very questionable plays that can change the game and have been missed by the refs.

I always hated the fact that the NBA can fine someone for exp[ressing their opinions. I also think that sometimes player would not want to talk to the press and that is fine with me.

[KD35durant]

1) I think that has potential--doing it like the challenge system in football--it kind of just depends on the details. How many challenges would coaches have? What's the penalty for a wrong one? Lost timeout as well? I just wouldn't, as a fan, want to sit there while refs look over replay after replay after replay.

2) I hate the way techs are right now. You basically get a techincal for reacting. I'm not talking about mouthing off or cussing out the ref, just reacting to a call. It's ridiculous, and like you said too subjective. I think they need to have rules set in stone. For example: techincals should be called anytime a player insults/cusses/says something negative TO/ABOUT a ref or call (just an example) Right now it feels like its just whenever a ref gets annoyed of a player he calls a tech.

3) I'm not sure about this one. Obviously I think the league is just trying to salvage its reputation by not having anyone bash them, but obviously everyone thinks the league and David Stern is garbage anyway haha

4) Charges in general should be taken out IMO. I think the lowering of the shoulder or even a moving screen (even though they're horribly inconsistent in calling it) are fine because they actually could hinder the defense and give the offense an unfair advantage. Charges are retarded though, its just a cop out for the defensive player.

5) Definitely agree here. It's perfect because it doesn't hinder the flow of the game to check things during timeouts. It doesn't kill a team's momentum, and honestly, what's there to lose in that?

[cgb_orl]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the replies. I think with the replay, it'll probably be very similar to the NFL. The coaches would be mindful to be sure and they only have a couple times to do so. Most coaches imo would treasure them like time outs. I agree I don't want to be major stoppage but the NFL seems to do so with very little impact time-wise.

[KD35durant]

I think as long as there's no affect on the pace of the game, why not? I don't get the idea behind not having replays when it doesn't hurt the game (i.e. this situation or MLB)

My concern is though: do we just need better refs? I mean the officiating has been horrid. Unfortunately school and work didn't allow me to watch much during the season, but these playoffs have just been awful in terms of officiating. In the Lakers-Thunder series, Miami-Boston, Thunder-Spurs every game has just been horrible. Not necessarily favoring one team or another, just terrible calls.

[cgb_orl]

I think as long as there's no affect on the pace of the game, why not? I don't get the idea behind not having replays when it doesn't hurt the game (i.e. this situation or MLB)

My concern is though: do we just need better refs? I mean the officiating has been horrid. Unfortunately school and work didn't allow me to watch much during the season, but these playoffs have just been awful in terms of officiating. In the Lakers-Thunder series, Miami-Boston, Thunder-Spurs every game has just been horrible. Not necessarily favoring one team or another, just terrible calls.

That's a good point. Barkley mentioned earlier in the season that this is the worse he's seen. I think *albeit deep down*, that these refs are very good at what they do. I think they try too hard to manage the game and it comes across as incompetence. I think they are trying to manage game flow, player impact, etc but it just ends up being youtube material.

[boba]

These are all good, but they don't get to the root of the problem.

Preferential calls for superstars for marketing purposes.

[magic_bobcat]

I dont understand how the challenge system would work in the NBA for missed calls. In the NFL, for instance, the ball is either caught inbounds or it wasn't. Either way there is a pause in play between downs. However, if you take the Wade rake of Rondos face last week, that quickly turned into a Haslem dunk. When would of Doc challenged it? Before the dunk or after? I still think the damage might of been done in terms of momentum. But the idea has some potential.

[Kutzy]

Replay in general is useless in basketball. last minute possession changes and scores are obvious when a dead ball situation has happened. Basketball is the only major American sport that is free-flowing to the point that a missed call can change the entire game before it can be corrected. (I suppose Hockey could be here).

AS far as Techs, I disagree. If you are running your mouth, making dirty plays or instigating issues then you need to be out of the game. Otherwise you will get guys like Rodman and Rasheed starting fights left and right and will never be held accoutable. For instance, Granger in the Miami series. If you allowed him infinate techs, he would have gotten in the face of Miami players more and more until one of them started a fight and they were kicked out of the game. To him its worth it even if he gets kicked out as well. Rondo kicking Battier for some unknown reason doesnt deserve a flagrant but if he does it twice in a game, you dont think he should be kicked out? (Same goes for Rodman here)

#3 I agree and disagree. The dude for Indiana saying the Heat flop shouldnt be fined. Let the dude speak. He is more then likely telling the truth. Mark Cuban ranting like a lunatic (I love the dude) sometimes needs to be quelled. There has to be a distinction here and refs should be held accountable for their actions as well. I think this is a huge problem with MLB umps and they are finally coming around to holding the umps accoutable for their mouths.

Guys like Joey Crawford should be fired. His ego is twice the size of Lebrons and talks more crap to the players then a player would ever do to him. A ref should not be allowed to talk back to a player. A ref should not be allowed to show up a player just as a player is not allowed to show up the ref. A ref should be silent for most of the game and accomidate questions from the players. If a player gets a foul he disagrees with, flails his arms and then asks you what he did wrong (without cursing, etc) answer is question and dont T him up. At the same time, players should shut the eff up when you know you fouled a dude and are trying to agrue against it. Stephen Jackson the other day made one of the most obvious fouls ever, then went the the ref and started complaining. These types of things should be stopped. How exactly, im not sure. But if you stopped the players from crying (Tim Duncan) about every foul they commit that was legit then you would stop the refs from being so defensive and giving out techs like they are crack.

Charges.. I have mixed emotions on those. If you are in your stance downlow, you shouldnt be given a foul because Lebron decides he wants to take off from the free throw line and use you as a trampoline to get to the basket. I will leave this alone because I dont know how I feel.

Goaltending... Go to a Euro style goaltending. Forget the whole if its going down thing. If its in the air and hasnt touched the rim or backboard, then snatch the ball and its legit.

[Kutzy]

Oh, and ANY elbow that hits another player in the head is an automatic Tech. There is no real need for you to grab a rebound and immediately start throwing your elbows like you are having a seizure. Grab the board, protect the ball from smaller players and kick it out. DOnt stand there like a baffoon with your elbows out just waiting for someone to get close so you can throw them around. Same goes for Lebrons desire to throw elbows when he is fouled hard and Kobes need to kick people and throw his arm out when he shoots (He got called on it a couple years ago).

If a 3 point shooter takes contact under the waist that causes him to fall backwards in a manner that he was shot out of a cannon, then its not a shooting foul. Do not give him 3 shots because he watched too much Reggie Miller film as a child. If you feel its a foul, it probably happened after the shot took place and give them the ball out of bounds. Dont reward these dudes for kicking their feet out to draw contact.