League spokesman: fouls mean different things at different times

[Roy Hobbs]

Wow.  Why would a league spokesman even say this? 

This just gets worse and worse.  What a farce.

Why is this a bad thing?  Count me in the JVG camp in that the league should fess up to calling things differently in "crucial" situations and that this is appropriate and expected.

The onus is on the players to adjust to this.  I wouldn't want a game, especially a conference final playoff game, to be decided by some touch foul or flop either.

The problem is there are no standards as to what a foul is and isn't in those situations.  If fouls are called as described as in the rule book, there are black and white standards.  If you all of a sudden give officials some amorphous duty to make discretionary non-calls, you're just opening up a can of worms for abuse.

[Donoghus]

Wow.  Why would a league spokesman even say this? 

This just gets worse and worse.  What a farce.

Why is this a bad thing?  Count me in the JVG camp in that the league should fess up to calling things differently in "crucial" situations and that this is appropriate and expected.

The onus is on the players to adjust to this.  I wouldn't want a game, especially a conference final playoff game, to be decided by some touch foul or flop either.

Like a previous poster expressed, why would the league publicly acknowledge this?  Especially given the current situation being in the middle of the conference finals and during a playoff season where the refereeing under continually come under public attack.  This statement doesn't exactly come off as Pro-NBA in the public eye and only reinforces popular belief that there are some shady stuff going on.  From a purely PR standpoint, I don't understand the benefit of the statement.  It doesn't help the league's credibility.  Honestly, if I was the NBA, I keep stuff like this "in-house" and make any adjustments without going public.

[illantari]

Wow.  What a way to make fans even more paranoid about the refs before big games (read: every single one from now on)

Honestly, I don't like the Spurs, but I really think they should petition to reply the last few seconds.  This is not just another blown regular season game.  This is a playoff game that was the difference between a 2-2 series and a 3-1 series.

[Oldschoolkid]

Watching last nights game ...and the other games for all teams, i would say the leagues officiating is out of control. The refs shouls call it consistantly whether it is a kobe, or a rookie, it is not the refs job to interpet the call, just call it the same for everyone, all the time. Then, you will not have THE REFS deciding the game, it will always be on the player. Make it clear what is a foul, if the are.2 seconds left, well don't do that thing that is known to be a foul. It won't be the refs fault for deciding the game, it will be the players, personal resposibility....what a novel idea, if you did it, you pay for it, sort of like if we had laws here, and the same principle was followed.....hmmmmmm....!

[jay_jay54]

I think something should be done about the players,going to refs,after calls(fouls made),pleading their cases.Its annoying watching,the same players usually,following,going after,in "your"face,whinning about a call on them...its almost,always the same players to.I had always thought the rules were,if there is a dispute with a call,either the team's captain or coach,is the one who address these issues,not any player who feels the need or urge to get his frsutrations out at that time.Maybe they should think about putting a stop to some of this also,might help the game look  less like a bunch of cry babies on the court at times.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Wow.  Why would a league spokesman even say this? 

This just gets worse and worse.  What a farce.

Why is this a bad thing?  Count me in the JVG camp in that the league should fess up to calling things differently in "crucial" situations and that this is appropriate and expected.

The onus is on the players to adjust to this.  I wouldn't want a game, especially a conference final playoff game, to be decided by some touch foul or flop either.

The problem is there are no standards as to what a foul is and isn't in those situations.  If fouls are called as described as in the rule book, there are black and white standards.  If you all of a sudden give officials some amorphous duty to make discretionary non-calls, you're just opening up a can of worms for abuse.

That's the poor practice and interpretation of what the actual rule is saying. They way I see it they are two different issues. What it says in the book is that the refs have to be more certain of what they're calling. This has nothing to do with no-calls and what not, that's simply the poor practice.

The way I interpret it is that during the course of the game there are situations that you think you saw something, but aren't 100% sure because of the fast pace and all, but you're quite positive you're making the right call and you make it.  During certain times, the rule is simply saying that you have to be even more certain of the call you're about to make, if you're not sure then don't call it and let the game play out. It's quite different because it's one thing for the refs to see a foul, know that it is a foul, and not call it for the sake of the game, and it's another thing to kinda see a foul, and not be sure of it hence not call it.

It's like a Type I and II Error thing. Towards the end of a game, the league simply preffers letting players get away with fouls than calling someone a foul that he didn't commit. It's like our law preffers to let a killer walk than to imprison an innocent man.

[nickagneta]

TP4U Roy for a subject that I feel is tremendously important for this game as time goes by. I think this subject really warrants more than a couple of pages of posts.

Whenever a person becomes a fan of a game it is usually at a young age where people's minds are naive and innocent. They play and follow the game for the love of the game and for the love of the competition. The idea of being on a team or just competing singularly against another team or individual is exhilarating, and hence, we fall in love with it.

That love of the game is then further enhanced as we grow into following a team and become fans of that team and route them on. Allegiances are developed, rivalries created and heroes attained.

And through all of this we take something for granted. That the rules of the game will be followed and policed fairly and without prejudice.

As kids, and even now as adults, we play the game and self police ourselves and the people we play with. Sometimes, although I think it is more of the exception rather than the rule, there are differences on a certain call but a fair concensus usually wins out and the game continues.

In CYO ball, AAU ball, high school and college we learn that we don't have to police ourselves and that officials are there. We assume these people, because all of them have to pass a test of some kind, to be experts on the rules and the game in general. We grow up with the idea that referees know more about the rules and are impartial.

However, the older we get and the further our skills and knowledge of the game progresses we learn that referees are human too and make mistakes or just don't see things. The game is faster and the players more skilled and catching every minor infraction sometimes just isn't possible. So we realize that less infractions are probably going to be called. And the players take advantage of that knowledge.

But through all of this upbringing and education of the game and how officiating is linked to the game, our assumptions are always the same. That being, although referees are human and make mistakes, they are fair, impartial and consistent.

So here's what's so wrong about the NBA. If a poll was started here and asked if we believe that NBA officiating is fair, consistent and impartial, IMHO, I think the numbers would say that about 95% of the fans believe that the NBA's officiating isn't any of those things.

How sad is that?!?!

The pinnacle of basketball competition probably has the most biased, inconsistent, and partial officiating than any other level of basketball officiating that we have experienced.

And now we have confirmation from the league that the officials are taught to be this way.

If the Tim Donoughy situation has taught us and the heads of state at the NBA anything it is that officiating can and has been compromised. That it is seriously affecting the integrity of the game and the way that NBA basketball is being perceived by it's loyal fandom.

Something must be done! If the NBA can not see that the officiating in it's league is starting to affect the outcomes of games and the outcome of who they crown champion, all they need do is watch every game of this postseason and count the number of obscenely wrong calls and just how many of these games have been adversely determined by not the players of the league but by the men that police it.

The NBA has admitted they tell the refs to call games differently depending on the situation. The NBA has admitted that the pre-knowledge of who officiates a game is a determining factor on the point spread and over/under of the game and now release the names of the refs during the morning of the game(read this on this site don't know how true it is). The NBA has acknowledged they had a compromised ref and that other refs have broken league rules reagrding gambling. The NBA has acknowledged that a pivotal playoff game has affected the chances of their defending champion to defend their title.

If the NBA doesn't do something about what is occuring with their officials, the game we all love may be irrepairably damaged and never recover.

Do something David Stern! Before its too late!

[Bahku]

I can't believe the NBA is saying this, and then going on about their business. What they're admitting to here is highly unethical, and borders on illegal. The descriptions of fouls as laid out in the rule book are not nearly as grey as this suggests, and there should be very little "open interpretation" that goes on at any level, regardless of the circumstances or environment.

I'm truly amazed at this whole thing, not because I didn't know it went on, but because they're being so brazen in this declaration without any intimation that they're going to do something about it. If this goes unchecked or un-investigated, this league is in for a very uncertain future. This is truly amazing ... and discouraging.

[Who]

NBA referees do a great job and are very consistent in their calls.

[Eja117]

At this point the NBA would have been way better off just saying

"Everyone messes up. Refs mess up. Deal with it".

[Who]

If you all of a sudden give officials some amorphous duty to make discretionary non-calls, you're just opening up a can of worms for abuse.

Referees have always had discretionary calls. It's part of the rule book and always has been. They're instructed to let more things go when the foul doesn't directly hinder play. Still a foul, just isn't called and it shouldn't be called because it would ruin the game, teams would spend all night at the line and there'd be no flow.

The biggest problem with Referees in the NBA is the league limiting the refs' discretion on calls. What the league is doing to referees is similar Judges and mandatory minimums. It's just a nasty idea and it forces calls which shouldn't be made. The refs know their business and do a great job calling games, let them have more discretion and we'll have games called similar to the 80's instead of what we have now. Games with more rhythm and flow.