Bernie Fryer, NBA Director of Officiating, Shows Why He Should Be Fired

Bernie Fryer is the Director of Officiating for the National Basketball Association.

Why is his name being mentioned now? 

Because of a rumor posted on the Yahoo NBA section that creates even more controversy.

It is titled "No Call on Gasol Was the Right Call," and it was written in the Los Angeles Times.

The play in question was the actual layup attempt that was missed on the out of bounds play by Courtney Lee. On the play, Lee slipped by Kobe Bryant, who was taken out of the play on a great screen set by Rashard Lewis.

As Lee went in for the layup and the ball bounced off the backboard, Pau Gasol came over to try to block the shot.  On the attempt for the block, Gasol's hand hit the net and then the rim.  By definition this is a goaltend—and it is clearly stated in the rulebook that this is the case.

The reasoning from Fryer—as mentioned, the Director of Officiating?  "Gasol didn't alter the flight of the ball." Really, now—is that what the rule states?

Here are the rules from NBA.com in regards to goaltending.

Section I-A Player Shall Not:

a. Touch the ball or the basket ring when the ball is using the basket ring as its lower base.
EXCEPTION: If a player near his own basket has his hand legally in contact with the ball, it is not a violation if his contact with the ball continues after the ball enters the cylinder, or if, in such action, he touches the basket.
b. Touch the ball when it is above the basket ring and within the imaginary cylinder.
c. For goaltending to occur, the ball, in the judgment of the official, must have a chance to score.
d. During a field goal attempt, touch a ball after it has touched any part of the backboard above ring level, whether the ball is considered on its upward or downward flight.
e. During a field goal attempt, touch a ball after it has touched the backboard below the ring level and while the ball is on its upward flight.
f. Trap the ball against the face of the backboard. (To be a trapped ball, three elements must exist simultaneously. The hand, the ball and the backboard must all occur at the same time. A batted ball against the backboard is not a trapped ball.)
g. Touch any live ball from within the playing area that is on its downward flight with an opportunity to touch the basket ring. This is considered to be a "field goal attempt" or trying for a goal.
h. Touch the ball at any time with a hand which is through the basket ring.
i. Vibrate the rim or backboard so as to cause the ball to make an unnatural bounce.

PENALTY: If the violation is at the opponent's basket, the offended team is awarded two points, if the attempt is from the two point zone and three points if it is from the three point zone. The crediting of the score and subsequent procedure is the same as if the awarded score has resulted from the ball having gone through the basket, except that the official shall hand the ball to a player of the team entitled to the throw-in. If the violation is at a team's own basket, no points can be scored and the ball is awarded to the offended team at the free throw line extended on either sideline. If there is a violation by both teams, play shall be resumed by a jump ball between any two opponents at the center circle.

Look at section D: "During a field goal attempt, touch a ball after it has touched any part of the backboard above ring level, whether the ball is considered on its upward or downward flight."

Can Fryer explain any part where it states in the rules that a player must alter the flight of the ball for it to be goaltending? Nowhere in the rules does it state this.

Even on NBA.com's feature of "Explaining the NBA's Most Misunderstood Rules" it has this to go over:

Goaltending: When a player shoots the ball, a defender may not touch the ball after it reaches its highest point. If so, the shot shall be ruled successful. A defender also can not touch a shot after it has hit the backboard and is going towards the rim, even if it is going up.

Once the ball is on or directly above the rim, a defender can not touch the ball. If the ball is rolling on top of the rim, a defender can not touch the ball or the rim. If an offensive player touches the ball in any of the above circumstances, basket interference shall be riled and no points can be scored. Once the ball rolls to the outside of the rim, the shot is over and anyone can touch the ball."

Even the NBA's website has an explanation for the goaltending rule among some of the most misunderstood rules that come up—yet the NBA can't even make the call correctly.  And nowhere in the two pages the NBA has setup for explaining goaltending does it state that a player needs to be looking to alter the flight of the ball.

Also, the fact is Gasol was trying to block the shot, so what is that called?  Even by Fryer's definition Gasol was trying to alter the flight of the ball, but was a little too late in getting over. That is why he touched the rim while the ball was in the middle of the backboard—before it even came down to touch the opposite side of the rim.

Therefore, by rule, it was a goaltend. Fryer should be fired for his explanation because it shows one of the many reasons why the NBA has gone downhill—not even the Director of Officiating has any clue on what the rules are. 

There's no black and white in the rules. Nowhere does it state that in order for goaltending to be called that a defender has to be effecting the shot. A goaltending call in that situation is what the rule calls for.

As a fan, it is disgusting too see this. The game official clearly made the wrong call and then the highest ranking official doesn't even get the definition of goaltending right.  It is a very sad day for the NBA and its fans!