Ref lockout coming to an end

[Roy Hobbs]

An agreement in principle was reached in New York on Tuesday between the league and its veteran referees on a new two-year contract that will end the lockout of the NBA's 57 regular officials and get them on the court in time for next week's regular season opener, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions.

Link

It's probably for the best, but in a way I was hoping that we'd see the replacement refs handle some regular season games.  Several of the current veteran officials have gotten a little too high and mighty, and it would have been nice to see them knocked down a peg.

[nickagneta]

As much as the replacement refs haven't been exactly great, I don't see where they have blown any more calls per games than the regular refs. it's a shame we won't get to see them go through a bunch of regular season games.

I think with time the league would do well to replace some of the current refs with a bunch of these guys. I don't think the best of the replacement lot have been has been nearly as bad as  Salvatore, Mauer, Palmer, Rush, the Crawfords, or Kennedy have been over recent years.

[dark_lord]

this sux

[ManUp]

Sad to see them go.

They were calling the game the right way they just needed more time. All that's comingn with the old refs is less consistency with the calls.

[RAcker]

this sux

I was going to express the same simple thought, except with:

Noooooooooo!

[Tai]

An agreement in principle was reached in New York on Tuesday between the league and its veteran referees on a new two-year contract that will end the lockout of the NBA's 57 regular officials and get them on the court in time for next week's regular season opener, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions.

Link

It's probably for the best, but in a way I was hoping that we'd see the replacement refs handle some regular season games.  Several of the current veteran officials have gotten a little too high and mighty, and it would have been nice to see them knocked down a peg.

True. I wanted to say them having to sit out virtually the pre-season was that peg down we were hoping for, but I'm not sure that matters to the refs.

[zerophase]

of the game's i've seen, the new refs seemed to have been doing a good job.

[Scalablob990]

I can't wait for Crawford and Dick to come back!  NOT.  For some reason they looooove wine and gold OR gold and purple....

[Rondo_is_better]

I think with time the league would do well to replace some of the current refs with a bunch of these guys. I don't think the best of the replacement lot have been has been nearly as bad as  Salvatore, Mauer, Palmer, Rush, the Crawfords, or Kennedy have been over recent years.

I think that's bound to happen. The top 25% of these replacement refs are better than the bottom 50% of the old regime. That makes them better than the horribly flawed refs you mentioned. However, I think Rush is decent--or at least a far sight better than the other egotistical/incompetent clowns you brought up. 

[fairweatherfan]

I think with time the league would do well to replace some of the current refs with a bunch of these guys. I don't think the best of the replacement lot have been has been nearly as bad as  Salvatore, Mauer, Palmer, Rush, the Crawfords, or Kennedy have been over recent years.

I think that's bound to happen. The top 25% of these replacement refs are better than the bottom 50% of the old regime. That makes them better than the horribly flawed refs you mentioned. However, I think Rush is decent--or at least a far sight better than the other egotistical/incompetent clowns you brought up. 

TP for the star - congrats.  The problem with the refs listed there is that some of them are actually decent refs.  I am of course not counting Kennedy who may be brain damaged.  But Mauer, Salvatore, and Joey Crawford actually manage a game pretty well - I think Crawford had our Game 6 against the Bulls that I remember being very well officiated.  The problem is that all of those guys let their ego get involved when things get heated.  That's when the double standards and inconsistency get really bad.  All 3 of em have the ability to be very good refs, but they all let their heads get away from them at crucial points, and let long-term history with players and coaches affect calls.

[guava_wrench]

Once fans learned the names of the replacement refs and their teams lost some games, they would hate the replacement refs as much as the union refs.

[GKC]

I don't know...I've seen some of these refs call some ridiculous plays. We've had a huge spike in FT's and fouls, and the couple of gaffs they had at Detroit, where Tayshaun Prince had to tell the refs what to do.

And the best refs hopefully will be regulated up anyway. Again, hopefully.

As a PR move it's great though. Because mess up's by the new refs would be way more scrutinized than if the old refs did it.

[crownsy]

I don't know...I've seen some of these refs call some ridiculous plays. We've had a huge spike in FT's and fouls, and the couple of gaffs they had at Detroit, where Tayshaun Prince had to tell the refs what to do.

And the best refs hopefully will be regulated up anyway. Again, hopefully.

As a PR move it's great though. Because mess up's by the new refs would be way more scrutinized than if the old refs did it.

The reason we've had so many FT's is because they are calling the game by the rule book. They don't give any discretion. It's kind of like football. NFL officials could call holding almost every play by the rulebook if they wanted to, but that would make the game slow and boring.

Remember that when we whine later this year about no calls from the "Real" refs. 

[GKC]

I don't know...I've seen some of these refs call some ridiculous plays. We've had a huge spike in FT's and fouls, and the couple of gaffs they had at Detroit, where Tayshaun Prince had to tell the refs what to do.

And the best refs hopefully will be regulated up anyway. Again, hopefully.

As a PR move it's great though. Because mess up's by the new refs would be way more scrutinized than if the old refs did it.

The reason we've had so many FT's is because they are calling the game by the rule book. They don't give any discretion. It's kind of like football. NFL officials could call holding almost every play by the rulebook if they wanted to, but that would make the game slow and boring.

Remember that when we whine later this year about no calls from the "Real" refs. 

Isn't ticky tacky fouls worse though? Look at Dwight Howards FT attempts. And seriously, reversing a 2pt foul to a 3pt foul call much later, and still forgetting to add the points to a score board...not a good reffing job.

[wdleehi]

As much as the replacement refs haven't been exactly great, I don't see where they have blown any more calls per games than the regular refs. it's a shame we won't get to see them go through a bunch of regular season games.

I think with time the league would do well to replace some of the current refs with a bunch of these guys. I don't think the best of the replacement lot have been has been nearly as bad as  Salvatore, Mauer, Palmer, Rush, the Crawfords, or Kennedy have been over recent years.

I would agree with you except I think they call the game the way the NBA wants it called.


Make the stars look better.