NBA Referees, New Zero Tolerance Rule Getting Ridiculous

[Andrew]

I read that Crawford contends Duncan did say something which led to the technical but even if he did, challenging him to a fight is unacceptable conduct for an NBA official and should warrant stern action (no pun intended). Even if the NBA rescinds the technical foul the fact remains that it put Duncan out of action for the rest of the game and showed a real lack of judgement. My guess is that the NBA will fine Duncan for his remarks and won't even give Crawford as much as a slap on the wrist, which is a disgrace. I can appreciate the referees have a difficult job and the NBA should stand by its officials but they can't be let off the hook for anything and everything either.

This is the ugly side of the Zero Tolerance Policy that we hoped would be rectified after the initial flurry of ridiculous technical fouls in the first couple of weeks of the season. In theory, the policy cuts down on players standing around complaining thus speeding up the game but in reality it slows down the game as play is stopped to shoot a free throw, often for the most trivial of reasons. Instead of putting a stop to whining players, it's painted the referees as primadonnas who enforce the rules however they see fit and to me that's uglier than players complaining after a call.

The problem is that the policy isn't really a change in the rules but an approach to enforcing them, leaving it up to the individual referees to interpret the policy as they see fit. If they want this policy to work as intended they need to define what is acceptable and what isn't acceptable within the rules so that we don't have inconsistent calls where a player is ejected for raising his eyebrows or laughing while sitting on the bench while someone else is allowed to voice his displeasure at length. Above all, it needs to allow players and coaches and initial reaction to calls that are made with their actions following that reaction determining whether a technical is assessed.

[Scotty]

lol that was just stupid That Reff is tight, how old is he? 10?

[Metsis]

I don't get this shit... This is total bull. He can by no means hear the guy and it wasn't like Duncan was angrily doing anything on the bench.

I watched Duncan's after comments as well. Something about personal vendetta against him. Which I guess has to be true.

What's next... Since you can't laugh on the bench any more... Maybe they should make players wear suits when they are not on the floor???

Has to be the worst couple of calls of the season or even basketball history! We have some bad refs in Finland, but not Joey Crawford bad! And believe me, I've seen my dose of bad calls over and over.

If Stern doesn't do anything about this and supports Crawford, then the NBA players can pack their bags and come to Europe to play where bad calls are only made for plays on the court... Not for listening to jokes while on the bench.

DAMN...

[Scotty]

Found this:

Joey knew exactly what he was doing," Duncan said Sunday. "He came into this game with a personal vendetta against me. It had to be. Because I didn't do anything the entire the game."

"He's obviously got a personal problem with me," said Duncan, who sustained just the second ejection of his career.

"He looked at me and said, 'Do you want to fight? Do you want to fight?' " Duncan said. "If he wants to fight, we can fight. I don't have any problem with him, but we can do it if he wants to. I have no reason why in the middle of a game he would yell at me, 'Do you want to fight?' "
"I don't know what else he wants me to do? If he wants camera time, he's going to call the techs and get the camera time he wants," Duncan said. "... I guess I can't laugh anymore. I guess I can't enjoy the game anymore. I've got to sit there and put my head between my legs."

[Dan's Brain]

I guess I can't enjoy the game anymore. I've got to sit there and put my head between my legs.

Sounds like he'd be enjoying the game to me.

[Cornerthree]

Good news... Crawford suspended

NEW YORK, April 17, 2007 – NBA referee Joey Crawford has been indefinitely suspended for improper conduct toward Tim Duncan during the San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks game on April 15, it was announced today by NBA Commissioner David Stern. The conduct included Crawford's assessment of a second technical foul and ejection of Duncan following laughter by the player while he was seated on the bench, and inappropriate comments made to Duncan during the game.
Crawford's suspension will cover at least the remainder of the 2006-07 season, including the NBA Playoffs and Finals.

"Joey Crawford's handling of this situation failed to meet the standards of professionalism and game management we expect of NBA referees," said Stern. "Especially in light of similar prior acts by this official, a significant suspension is warranted. Although Joey is consistently rated as one of our top referees, he must be held accountable for his actions on the floor, and we will have further discussions with him following the season to be sure he understands his responsibilities."

The incidents occurred with 1:04 remaining in the third period of the Mavericks 91-86 win over the Spurs on Sunday, April 8 at American Airlines Center.

[Buckley]

That is fair...it seems Crawford won't come back.

[maes]

David Stern for president.

[cyanide]

Good! About time a referee takes responsibility for something. I wouldn't want him fired, but for him to be suspended till next season I feel is fair.

[mvpshaq32]

And then Duncan gets fined....

NEW YORK, April 17, 2007 – San Antonio’s Tim Duncan has been fined $25,000 for verbal abuse of a game official, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.
The incident occurred after Duncan's second technical foul and ejection, with 1:04 remaining in the third period of the Mavericks' 91-86 win over the Spurs on Sunday, April 15 at American Airlines Center.

http://www.nba.com/news/duncan_070417.html

[K0beStar]

Yay I get justice! Crawford suspended for Playoffs and Finals
Crawford= Pwned by Stern

[maes]

Sadly they can't give Kobe his games back...those suspensions were such bs.

[Andrew]

I'm sure we all saw Duncan's fine coming but I for one didn't expect the NBA to take such strong action against Crawford. This was an excellent ruling by the league and not just because of what transpired in the incident that led to it. The NBA finally demonstrated a willingness to make an example out of a referee in the wrong and not just because they were involved in tax evasion.

[Axel]

Unfortunately it appears Joey might not be coming back - and who can blame him? He has no credibility now. He'll look a fool if he returns, and he's not the type of character to play that part. I think the suspension might have been a bit excessive. Perhaps suspend him the first round, or the first two rounds, but for the entire playoffs? I thought it was an egregious call as much as everyone else, but if the NBA stands to lose a good official (when there are very few as it is), it could prove to be more of a detriment than positive.

[Matt]

the NBA already warned him in 2002 after the stunt he pulled that if he becomes the centre of attention again he'll be in trouble.

Now, we just need a way to get rid of Knick Bavetta.

[ThaLiveKing]

Unfortunately it appears Joey might not be coming back - and who can blame him? He has no credibility now. He'll look a fool if he returns, and he's not the type of character to play that part. I think the suspension might have been a bit excessive. Perhaps suspend him the first round, or the first two rounds, but for the entire playoffs? I thought it was an egregious call as much as everyone else, but if the NBA stands to lose a good official (when there are very few as it is), it could prove to be more of a detriment than positive.

He's the Ron Artest of Referees LOL, we don't needcheating refs in the NBA especially the Finals

[Andrew]

I was reading over some of the fan feedback posts on Yahoo! Sports and it seems a fair amount of people object to the ruling on the grounds that Tim Duncan whines to the officials. I don't know about anyone else but to me that's of little consequence and doesn't change the fact that Crawford's behaviour should not be tolerated. Whether or not the technicals and subsequent ejection are justifiable under the zero tolerance policy, there's no excuse for a referee trying to assert his authority by challenging a player to a fight.

Some even suggested that Duncan goaded Crawford into the situation so that the NBA would punish him thus benefiting the Spurs in the Playoffs, which seems like a paranoid fantasy to me. I think any referee who angrily responds to a quite natural reaction of an incredulous look after a questionable technical foul call with any threats of violence clearly has issues that the players and the league shouldn't have to put up with.

Unfortunately it appears Joey might not be coming back - and who can blame him? He has no credibility now. He'll look a fool if he returns, and he's not the type of character to play that part. I think the suspension might have been a bit excessive. Perhaps suspend him the first round, or the first two rounds, but for the entire playoffs? I thought it was an egregious call as much as everyone else, but if the NBA stands to lose a good official (when there are very few as it is), it could prove to be more of a detriment than positive.

If this was an isolated incident then the NBA woud probably make that call but his temper and decision making have been called into question in years gone by so it's little surprise they've become fed up with it and taken stern action.

[Metsis]

All around I can hear and read people saying that Joey Crawford is such a top line professional ref... Which is a terrible thing to hear and read. If you are a ref and you have time to look at the bench players laughing, you are not doing your job well... The action that you are supposed to watch is on the court and in basketball things happen incredibly fast, so you are bound to miss something if you keep your attention at the benches.

The one thing no one has brought up here is why the other refs didn't call techs on the bench and why Joey did???

The other refs didn't see a problem with the Spurs bench and neither with Tim Duncan...

Suspending him for the play-offs is a good call in my view. He needs to lose some income to kick him down a notch or two. If Crawford will return, he better keep the officiating to the action on the court, barring some angry and violent stuff going on on the benches.

Duncan fine was within sight a mile away... Although a player should be able to went if he was injusticed like that... Duncan should have been cut some slack after even Stern's posse agreed that the ref was wrong in this case...

[Scotty]

Serves him right is all i say

[grusom]

the NBA already warned him in 2002 after the stunt he pulled that if he becomes the centre of attention again he'll be in trouble.

What did he do in 2002?

[Matt]

2003 actually.....Game 2 West Finals.....he called 4 techs in 10 mins and had both Dallas coaches ejected. Stern got pissed off that he was the C of attention and warned him not to do it again.

[cyanide]

Actually, from what I've read on RealGM, they're saying that Crawford might leave on his own terms because he said something along the lines of, "If I ever was in that same situation again, I'd still eject him." He also went on to say that if he didn't agree with his employers (the league) then there might not be a spot for him. Seems like pride is getting him into trouble.

[K0beStar]

He also believes, truly believes, that he thinks he "didnt do anything wrong." I thnik Stern is going to ultimately fire him.

[Andrew]

Actually, from what I've read on RealGM, they're saying that Crawford might leave on his own terms because he said something along the lines of, "If I ever was in that same situation again, I'd still eject him." He also went on to say that if he didn't agree with his employers (the league) then there might not be a spot for him. Seems like pride is getting him into trouble.

If he's that stubborn or egotistical, then there shouldn't be a place for him in the NBA no matter how highly regarded he may be for his performance in other situations. No matter how good you are at your job, if your behaviour leaves something to be desired and you're unwilling to conduct yourself in a manner fitting then your employer doesn't have much choice but to make an example of you.

Whether he truly leaves on his own terms or if he's discreetly fired so as not to further drag his name through the mud, it would seem he's called his last NBA game until he reconsiders his approach to officiating and learns to control his emotions.

[shadowgrin]

You could ask Joe Crawford, a veteran of more than 2,000 NBA games, for an interpretation of the rules

http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_051219.html

Joe Crawford’s brother is veteran Major League Baseball umpire Jerry Crawford, and he is the son of retired Major League Baseball umpire Shag Crawford.

I just find it funny.

Most NBA Playoffs Experience: Joe Crawford, 252 games

Most NBA Finals Experience: Joe Crawford, 36 games