I spend far too much time reading the comments from readers of game recaps and editorials. The one interesting thing I’ve learned, should I choose to believe the post-article rants, is that the teams involved rarely are responsible for their losses and, I guess, for that matter their wins.
It’s true. According to most readers, regardless of team, location, region, and possibly even sport (though I speak here of the NBA only), all games are decided by refs.
Best of all, as a Phoenix Suns fan, evidently it is my God-given right to believe it is indeed true.
It must be true because I read it everywhere from people in all walks of life. Even from someone in Beijing who thinks Steve Nash is the “chosen one” for the refs to unleash their pent up fury.
In an effort to prove his point that refs decide games, a good friend of mine sent me a link to Bill Simmons, the Sports Guy, after the recent Suns-Pistons game.
This particular Simmons' article rates the teams in the West.
Under the Suns, he writes something to the effect that the biggest weakness they seem to have is their absolute inability to get the big calls in big moments.
He goes on to actually blame the Detroit loss on those three questionable calls late in their game against the Suns.
Now that I have the proof I have been looking for, I feel better instantly and a flurry of e-mails and instant messages bounce back-and-forth between me and my friend about how much we despise the officials.
Before you know it, we’re back at game four in last year’s real NBA finals (round two of the Western Conference) against San Antonio and the whole Horrible Horry incident. It just goes downhill from there.
Shockingly, this isn’t unique to my hometown team.
Further in his article, Simmons predicts that San Antonio will lose to the Lakers in round two, thanks to the 65-10 Lakers’ free throw advantage. Simmons seems to believe that superstars benefit most from the officiating. If that is true, then it appears Kobe Bryant just may be able to win games alone after all, albeit with the help of a few folks in black and white stripes.
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The Suns lack of calls seems to perplex him because he believes the Suns have the required stars in Nash, Shaq, and, now, Amare to benefit from this conspiracy theory.
What can we Suns fans say? Ever since the coin toss in 1969, it’s our legacy.
Now, let me clarify here, once the fire and venom leaves my system and the pain of a loss is dulled by the therapy in blaming the refs, I don’t truly believe refs decide games.
It’s just so much easier to blame them than these giant men. Men whom I have come to admire and to believe are flawless in every way on the court.
It’s what makes me, or anyone, a fan, which comes from the root word '"fanatic," meaning irrational zeal, motivated or characterized by an extreme, uncritical enthusiasm.
You see, it’s neither my, nor any true fan’s fault that we look to place blame on others before ourselves or extensions of ourselves, as in our teams. Evidently, it’s in our genetic make-up to be completely irrational.
Nevertheless, ever the empathetic person, I thought I’d see just how tough it must be to be a referee just by checking out the rule book.
I figured if it wasn’t too hard to figure out, it couldn’t be all that difficult to make split-second calls in high-pressure situations with millions of people watching.
Honestly, how hard could it be?
Since blocks and charges seem to draw the most criticism, probably due more to flopping than anything else, I looked at this first. Good grief!
Check it out yourself. http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_c.html?nav=ArticleList
I pretty much got lost once it explained that the speed of the offensive player will determine the amount of space a defensive player must allow. Yada yada yada..
It doesn't go on to give any exact speeds I understand as in miles per hour, something I can wrap my head around.
It ends by saying the official must judge each incident separately and decide whether the contact was negligible or incidental. Therein lies the problem—so much of the calls are simply left to the official's judgment.
It might as well say, in every case, use your best judgment, and good luck to you.
I tried to read as much of the rule book as possible, but I kept nodding off. Fascinating it is not. No wonder these refs like making waves. It’s all the excitement they get.
Somewhere in the middle lies the truth. Refs do make bad calls. Refs do hold grudges against players. Refs dogamble. Refs even gamble on games they officiate.
Refs also try to be as fair as possible. Refs follow the rules, if they have properly interpreted them. Refs try not to be the ones who decide games (unless they have money on them. Sorry, I couldn't resist.)
I just wish, for the most part, that they would let the final plays of the game play themselves out instead of looking for every ticky-tack call that changes the pace and style of the game.
I do believe, the criticism they get from fans, does its part to keep them as clean as possible. They are in a fishbowl, though we never know how they are reprimanded when calls go bad.
As a final thought, and as a fan, it’s our job to keep watching and questioning.
Therefore, to my least favorite ref, Violet Palmer, I’ve got my eye on you, girl. I know you’ve got it in for Amare. I’m watching you.
Ps. To all the Piston fans I yelled at while blaming the refs—told you so! Just kidding. I will say this, you didn't win that game as much as we lost it. Now I feel better.
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5 months ago
I would say Forte has it out for the Suns too.....
Some of the other calls were simply called b/c the opposing team was at their home court. Dick Bavetta is infamous for doing this.
5 months ago
This is the truth, and unfortunately we have to deal with it as Suns fans.
Just think, if we always got those calls in the past and did win a title already.....would we have the pleasure of watching Shaq in a Suns uniform today? The suns would have not traded for the Diesel, we would have been happy with our team with a title under our belt.
And now we have even more of a bad ref argument when the teams play HACK-A-SHAQ! haha
GO SUNS!
5 months ago
The thing that grinds my gears is that every little whisper of defence on the marquee player is called, almost to the point of the phantom call. Then, on the very next drive, there is an absolute atom splitting collision that results in a "play on".
If this is supposed to be a man's sport, maybe the games could be called in reverse...if you graze someone from the defensive side, leave it....and if a player is fouled with phyisical body contact...call it.
While I am at it...if a shooter chooses a less than verticle plan to release the shot (jumping into the defender)....no foul please. It is rediculous that a shooter can initiate contact to bail himself out.
And another thing....FLOPS are technical fouls. Call it often and they should go away.....
OH...and one more thing....can we turn technicals into 3 shots...OR...automatic points.....officials put up with too much bullshizzle from the sidelines......
OH YEAH...I almost forgot....ALL of the teams in the West who have better Winning % than the tope two seeds in the east should be allowed in the playoffs. It is a shame that either Denver or GSW will be out....but Atlanta could make it....
What were we talking about again....?
from 5 months ago
Well OK then, tell me how you really feel? Thanks for the comments. That was enjoyable and nice to know I'm in good company.
5 months ago
The refs aren't there to make a "ticky tack" call in the final seconds of a game—they're there to make calls, and make them right. It's not our job to look up at the scoreclock and say "oh...there's three seconds left, time to ignore everything because the game is tied and this is the deciding shot". If you turn it on and off that easily then you shouldn't be an official at ANY level. Your head always has to be in the game, making the right calls and paying attention no matter the time frame, score, reprecussions, ect. It's not our fault that your player broke the rules at a pivotal moment because in our eyes you (or your player) broke the rules. We aren't supposed to care about time or score, that's the job of the player's and coaches.
For instance (we'll take baseball as I'm an umpire) if it's extra-innings and the bases are loaded and there has to be an interference call on a runner, I'm not just going to overlook that because the winning run is going to score in dramatic fashion, I'm going to call it because that's my job.
I'm not disputing that officials mess up—we're human, of course we're bound to screw up—in fact it happens more often then we like to admit, but to make those last-second calls is our job, whether they're looked upon as favorably or not.
5 months ago
The refs aren't there to make a "ticky tack" call in the final seconds of a game—they're there to make calls, and make them right. It's not our job to look up at the scoreclock and say "oh...there's three seconds left, time to ignore everything because the game is tied and this is the deciding shot". If you turn it on and off that easily then you shouldn't be an official at ANY level. Your head always has to be in the game, making the right calls and paying attention no matter the time frame, score, reprecussions, ect. It's not our fault that your player broke the rules at a pivotal moment because in our eyes you (or your player) broke the rules. We aren't supposed to care about time or score, that's the job of the player's and coaches.
For instance (we'll take baseball as I'm an umpire) if it's extra-innings and the bases are loaded and there has to be an interference call on a runner, I'm not just going to overlook that because the winning run is going to score in dramatic fashion, I'm going to call it because that's my job.
I'm not disputing that officials mess up—we're human, of course we're bound to screw up—in fact it happens more often then we like to admit, but to make those last-second calls is our job, whether they're looked upon as favorably or not.
from 5 months ago
Thanks for the other side of the story, Bryan. That's great! I guess you can say that your calls are always going to be both - favorable or not. Just depends on which team you're cheering for.
5 months ago
I too officiate Bryan (posted above Lisa). The statements I made were more in the sense of "give them a better direction of the application"
I would agree in earnest that if it is called in minute 1, call it in minute 48. What I am saying is the officials are carrying out the wishes of the league...what I suggest is the league take a look at what is or isn't a foul and let the game progress.
Jumping into an opponent in basketball is rewarded with a defensive foul. Explain how there is any logic in that.
You and I, and many others know, if OUR bosses ask us to call that a foul...we will....what I am asking is that situations like this be looked at by the league...with greater clarification.
5 months ago
I too officiate Bryan (posted above Lisa). The statements I made were more in the sense of "give them a better direction of the application"
I would agree in earnest that if it is called in minute 1, call it in minute 48. What I am saying is the officials are carrying out the wishes of the league...what I suggest is the league take a look at what is or isn't a foul and let the game progress.
Jumping into an opponent in basketball is rewarded with a defensive foul. Explain how there is any logic in that.
You and I, and many others know, if OUR bosses ask us to call that a foul...we will....what I am asking is that situations like this be looked at by the league...with greater clarification.
5 months ago
There is a simple explanation for people who cry about refs ruining every game. They don't play sports. These are the people who have sat on the couch being a 'fan' their entire life. People who actually play the game and are mature enough to look at a situation unbiased would understand how much pressure refs are actually under. Yes, a lot of calls are judgement calls. Do refs purposefully blow games? NO! The refs aren't out to get your team, grow up. Can a ref make a bad call late in a game and possibly cost a team the game, yes, but grow up it happens to all teams so stop whining.
from 5 months ago
Andrew, that was the whole point - that it's easier to blame the refs than take the responsibility. It helps the psyche and at the end of the day, it's just a game. After a 40 year dry spell, things make you wonder, that's all.
from 5 months ago
Oh! Gag me. Andrew - pull you self-righteous panties out of the bunch Lisa's article seems to have put them in. You talk condescendingly of ‘fans’ and call to attention their ‘maturity’ levels? Seriously? I have news for you sir - Refs DO BLOW GAMES - and some of them even do it PURPOSELY. Maybe you didn't hear, but there is currently a referee being indicted on Federal charges for this exact accusation! That ref also happened to have officiated Game 3 of the Suns – Spurs series last year. I don't want to get into accusations or generalizations but I imagine you are a casual fan – one whose passion is replaced by maturity - or the fan of a team with several championships - probably a Spurs fan. There is nothing ‘mature’ about being a sports fan in the first place Andrew. It’s typically something that we carry over with us from our childhood. You seem to have missed the spirit of the entire article as it was apparently below your intelligence and maturity levels. In fact, you seem to have missed the spirit of being a fan entirely. Beat it! You obviously haven’t suffered as a fan of a team that is forever the Bridesmaid, but never the Bride. I'll be on the couch watching the game - complaining of bad calls that go against my team - just as any good fan will. I hope you have run your rec league this summer. Keep the dream alive! Now beat it! One more time for good measure.
4 months ago
i hate the female ref too she makes the worst calls and is definatly biased. I am a knicks fan and ohh boy does she hate them
from 4 months ago
Hi Netta-lee, I have to agree with you. She just seems angry all the time. She actually is a lot of fun to watch.
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