Big Al to teammates:"We shouldn't even be talking to the refs"

[Dsinner]

I personally thought they were even worse in the Dallas game. In fact, that was some of the worst officiating I've seen in a long time.

Edited March 22, 2009 by Dsinner

[Eddielives]

What is with all of this complaining about officiating. Of course there is going to be some bad calls. These refs are human you know. But is this really anything new? We know there is a tendency to give the stars the benefit of the doubt. Are we going to blame the officials for our poor road record? Why not blame it on the fact that we are, for whatever reason, not bringing our A game to other teams homecourt. Why not put the blame on our team for not overcoming the odds and winning anyway?

[crimedog]

Can't think of a player who gets to the line a lot who doesn't try and use his pull with the refs. Even dudes like Dwight and Nash will whine when they get the chance. I appreciate Horford trying to get the guys focused, and I think him saying that is the right call because it puts pressure on the refs in the future (whether that is his intention or not) but during the game, I want our guys to try and force that. We can't complain that Joe doesn't get enough calls and then say our guys shouldn't do what they can to get calls.

[khaos7]

Let me preface this statement by saying the Hawks would have lost regardless of the refs Saturday. They played that bad. That said, I think the problem, with the NBA at least, is that people take the stance that you have to play through the refs. The problem is, you can play through the refs, limit your complaints...and still lose. The reverse needs to happen; refs need to be called to task. The refs should have limited impact on the outcome of games. However, more times than they should, they impact the game in an adverse way. I was watching the Heat/Pistons game. Affalo was guarding Dwayne Wade. He barely tapped him and the refs called a foul. I was in absolute agreement with Jeff Van Gundy (great basketball mind) who said "guys have to be able to play defense." However, if Lebron, Kobe, or Wade have the ball, the refs stand in awe and blow the whistle at the slightest touch. However, if a team is young or doesn't have star players, the refs aren't inclined to call that same call. It is sickening. Regardless of the "un-written rules", it's not right. The calls in the Dallas/Miami series and the Lakers/Blazers series years ago were atrocious. It's easy to say "players should keep their composure." However, when everything you've been taught in terms of defense, goes out of the window during the playoffs, because Kobe/DWade/Lebron has the ball, that becomes disheartening. I don't care if it's Lebron James or Mike Conley...a foul is a foul. But, it doesn't work that way and it makes watching games sickening at times. In light of the Tim Donaghy scandal, it adds to the scepticism many of us have in the games. One memory still resonates in my mind; the Hawks played the Jordan Bulls in the playoffs. After a string of questionable calls going ONE WAY, Dikembe got fed up and told a ref, "I'm not ready to go home." This stuff happens in the NBA FAR too often.

What I love in the NFL is this. Refs make bad calls in both leagues, but rarely do you hear "the Cowboys get all the calls." They could easily call pass interferece our holding on a bunch of calls to keep drives going for marquee games. But rarely does that happen. The NBA? That's another story...

I'd challenge Al Horford's statement with this. If it weren't profitable or wise to talk to refs, why does Lebron James and Kobe Bryant do it all the time? Not talking to refs has sure taken Joe Johnson a long way. Granted, it shouldn't be on a Rasheed Wallace level. However, if they are consistanly missing calls, human nature does come into play.

Edited March 23, 2009 by khaos7

[DrReality]

I'd love to see the officials graded. Didn't baseball go to that recently?

[khaos7]

It looks like the Pistons have a similar gripe...

[coachx]

:magnifier:

Wouldn't it be nice if the NBA had a system set up that graded the officials.

Any time any team, after reviewing tapes of the game, sent in to a review

board the tape. If, after the board reviewed the tape and found that there

was indeed a bad call, there would be points deducted from that official

or that group of officials calling that game.

Then, the grades of all officials would be made known to everyone.

Officials are graded after every game. That system is set up by the NBA. That is the problem. It is set up by the NBA. The NBA wants Kobe and Lebron to get "superstar" calls.

Right or wrong has nothing to do with it. Its all about the $$$ and alwayse has been. The NBA thinks it s illegal for a Lebron to committ a turnover or a foul against a 10th man (West). It is simply not "allowed."

The last thing the NBA will ever do is make a referee report cards available to the public so people can have legitimate excuses to why a team lost and the gambling accuasations would continue to fly in whenever a game has a # of questionable calls and irregular betting discrepencies.

Edited March 23, 2009 by coachx

[khaos7]

Officials are graded after every game. That system is set up by the NBA. That is the problem. It is set up by the NBA. The NBA wants Kobe and Lebron to get "superstar" calls.

Right or wrong has nothing to do with it. Its all about the $$$ and alwayse has been. The NBA thinks it s illegal for a Lebron to committ a turnover or a foul against a 10th man (West). It is simply not "allowed."

The last thing the NBA will ever do is make a referee report cards available to the public so people can have legitimate excuses to why a team lost and the gambling accuasations would continue to fly in whenever a game has a # of questionable calls and irregular betting discrepencies.

Your entire statement is is on point. Yet, it shows how sinful, disgusting, and awful the system is. The doctrine of Cash Rules Everything Around Me applies to the NBA as well, I guess.

[macdaddy]

It looks like the Pistons have a similar gripe...

quality is poor but good enough to see the foul.

I agree with them. Is that Fratello being the good company man? Blocks are a lot easier when you can put your forearm in their ribcage.

[DrReality]

Why doesn't the players union address the issue??????

[bronnt]

Why doesn't the players union address the issue??????

Why would the players' union address the issue of star players getting preferential treatment?

That's like Congress trying to indict itself.