In the last week, before a game 3 ball was jumped for, the NBA made a quick $105,000.00 off three NBA members( 2 coaches, 1 player) for comments about the officiating. David Stern is none to happy about the continued criticism being made of his referees, especially by coaches, namely Phil Jackson. Jackson seems to be fined more than anyone else in sports and it never seems to get any better. At some point one would think that the fines, for someone who is as rich as Jackson probably is, is like asking Donald Trump to pay a $1000.00 fine, it's chump change! Should suspensions be handed out to coaches who are critical of playoff calls? I for one don't know. It is clear that just a big fine isn't preventing the criticism from coming, but suspending coaches, especially during the playoffs, is more of a punishment to the team than the coach. For that reason alone, I'm inclined to lean to the no suspension side of this argument. A coach should know better! They are adults and they are supposed to be professionals and just take it like a man. As Kings fan, we all know all too well the heart ache that comes with bad calls, not just during the regular season. Dare to revisit that horrible set of games against the Lakers Conference Finals? I for one don't want to revisit it! Sterns argument is that if enough coaches start criticizing the officiating then fans will start to see a conspiracy afloat. Need we have another Tim Donaghy, the ref who was exposed for betting scandal, and who officiated those crucial Kings/Lakers playoff games. No Laker fan at the time would admit to there being any obvious blown calls...the first time it was mentioned to me was over 6 years later when the scandal broke. Laker fans got a dose of what that felt like in the 2007-2008 against the Boston Celtics when they cried foul [pun intended] about the officiating...or lack there of. Calls are bound to be missed in the live action that is sports! Some are blatantly and painfully obvious others are judgement calls. But there is nothing you can do to change it! It is what it is...sure it sucks, but as professional players and coaches you just have to take it. Sometimes there is a call that can decide a game, but more often than not, a game isn't decided by a few bad calls.
So back to Phil and his group of guys...Phil complains and whines about Kevin Durant getting "star treatment" all year long. Well, if you ask me, he's got one of those super star treated players on his team, you know Kobe Bryant right? Bryant complains about more shots and missed calls or calls than any other player I know! If Kobe misses a shot, he throws a fit because he MUST have been fouled because super stars don't miss right?! Superstars probably get more calls than the average guy, but that's not just because they are superstars. A superstar player has to take it to the rim, be aggressive, and create contact, it's why they are superstars. But what they do get is the ability to bicker a little more without getting the technical thrown at them. Although, the refs seem to be getting tired of their whiney attitudes as Superstars Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard have 13 and 16 technicals respectively as of 4/6/10. These numbers put them in the top 4 most t-ed up players in the league. I am happy to report that no Kings player appeared on the list of 24 for most t-ed up players with the 24 spot being tied with 7 players receiving 6.
Basically my point is shut up and play basketball. Sometimes there is cause for the complaint...see Stephen Jackson of the Bobcats already in the playoffs...Captain Jack was turned into a pirate with his head band being knocked down around his eyes when he took it to the rim and no call was made. He had a point when he was expressing his feelings of the no call to the refs being seen saying "How did this happen?!" empathically! He had a point, but at the same time, they aren't going to call a foul that late after it happens. There is no going back to the review booth to see none calls you can just move on and play through it. Use it as motivation if you must, get mad and take it to the rim and get the call!
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