Bill Simmons on Rondo's "Flagrant"

[PosImpos]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090429&sportCat=nba

Best breakdown of what happened and why it ought to have happened the way it did that I've heard or read yet.  Bill Simmons is great.

Only part I'm not so crazy about:

"Q: Should Rajon Rondo be suspending for Game 6 for raking Miller across the face?

A: Yes. Because he admitted afterward that it was kinda, sorta intentional. But here's why the league WON'T suspend him: The NBA would be admitting the officials blew that call. So, they'll fine Rondo and admonish him in a statement, and that will be that. Gotta keep the illusion going that NBA referees don't suck! Hold on, I'm not done."

He makes a good point, but I think a player shouldn't be suspended in a really close series unless something they did seriously crossed the line or had a huge effect on the preceding game.  As Bill Simmons argued earlier in his article, Rondo's "flagrant" did not necessarily have a decisive effect on the outcome of Game 5, nor was it totally excessive considering it was in the last 15 seconds of an overtime in the playoffs.  Therefore, Rondo really shouldn't be suspended.

[fairweatherfan]

I agree with everything except that Rondo should be suspended because he "admitted it was kinda intentional".  Of course he hit Miller on purpose, but he definitely didn't say he hit him in the face on purpose, he said he was trying to make a play on the ball (BS, but that's what he said).  But I agree that either way Rondo probably won't be suspended (knock on wood).

But yeah, this was a good article from Simmons, his stuff has dropped off lately but you can tell he loves writing about this stuff.

[illantari]

I can't believe I actually spent enough time to read that article, but I don't think it makes any sense.  You can't claim in one half that it wasn't a flagrant and then say he should be suspended in the other.

I have to admit, too much is being made of both Rondo's foul and Howard's elbow (though I think the two were substantively different types of fouls).  These things happen all the time in basketball, and yet this is one of the first times I've seen it plastered all over espn.com for the entirety of the next day.

[BudweiserCeltic]

This is all we really need to hear:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4111194

I think someone from the Celtics is paying Legler. He's the only one over at ESPN that is constantly supporting us.

[pengaloo]

Talk about national media attention. Let's hope Rajon's mental toughness comes through... he's going to need it since a good number of people may want to go after him.

[fairweatherfan]

This is all we really need to hear:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4111194

I think someone from the Celtics is paying Legler. He's the only one over at ESPN that is constantly supporting us.

Yup, Legler will always be ok in my book for being the 1 out of 10 ESPN "experts" to have the sense to pick us in the Finals last year.  He's right there too - Rondo made a wild swipe to interfere with the shot any way he could, but the swipe was consistent with at least trying to hit the ball, or barring that the arm.

[JSD]

Thank god for Simmons and him bringing up the terrible calls against Allen and... GORDON BEING OUT OF BOUNDS...

These two didn't bother to look at any other bad or non calls:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfuca1JM410

[PosImpos]

I really like how Simmons noted in the article that the NBA doesn't "fix" games but it does "orchestrate" them by assigning certain refs to certain matchups and not allowing teams to complain about them.

That's how we end up with games against the Bulls being refereed by avowed Bulls fans.

[amenhotep04]

The whole thing is so bogus.  A couple seconds left in the game, Miller is driving to the basket with no one in front of him.  If you're one of the Celtics on the floor you do everything you can to stop him from getting there. 

That's basketball.

[RMO]

The whole thing is so bogus.  A couple seconds left in the game, Miller is driving to the basket with no one in front of him.  If you're one of the Celtics on the floor you do everything you can to stop him from getting there. 

That's basketball.

Agreed.  This has been blown so far out of proportion it makes me sick.  Is it any wonder I won't go on espn.com or any other similar sports website anymore?  When did this become golf?  You can't knock anyone down without the threat of suspension, you can't even yell from the bench when an opposing player shoots a three right from there.  It's considered rude.  Can I also say how much I hate that restricted zone circle under the basket?  I think it was Kelly Dwyer who wrote awhile back about how it's created a situation in which refs MUST call something.  Whether it's an offensive or a defensive foul, something now has to be called in that situation.  This is a contact sport.  Some contact should be allowed under the basket.

[Chris]

It was only intentional in that it was trying to stop the guy from getting a layup, it was not intentional to hurt him, or send a message.  By the definition of an intentional foul, I would say that the foul of Hinrich on Perkins, where he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him down at the beginning of overtime was just as bad.

While I think either of those could be called flagrant fouls in today's NBA, there is no way they are anywhere close to a flagrant 2, and a suspension.  Certainly not in the playoffs, where the clear intent was only to prevent the basket.

[Drucci]

It was only intentional in that it was trying to stop the guy from getting a layup, it was not intentional to hurt him, or send a message.  By the definition of an intentional foul, I would say that the foul of Hinrich on Perkins, where he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him down at the beginning of overtime was just as bad.

While I think either of those could be called flagrant fouls in today's NBA, there is no way they are anywhere close to a flagrant 2, and a suspension.  Certainly not in the playoffs, where the clear intent was only to prevent the basket.

I just watched again the foul of Hinrich on Perkins and you're right, it's a bad foul, in my opinion worse than Rondo's and it's a shame that nobody talks about it because it could have been as crucial as Rondo's, as it was in overtime.