Refs on lockout.

[DespЏrado]

I did a quick forum search and didn't find a post confirming an actual lockout yet.

Will this be an improvement?

This piece, written by Liz Mullen, first appeared in SportsBusiness Daily’s Closing Bell on Friday.

The NBA has officially notified the National Basketball Referees Association that it has declared a lockout of the referees, National Basketball Referees Association executive director Lamell McMorris told SportsBusiness Journal Friday afternoon.

"We have just been officially locked out by the NBA," McMorris said. He added that he just received an official letter from the NBA "locking out the referees."

McMorris declined to comment further, saying he had to talk to the union members before issuing any further comment. The NBA declined comment on McMorris’ statements, but the league did announce Friday afternoon it will begin referee training camp Sunday with replacement referees because the NBRA rejected its final contract offer Thursday.

Earlier today, McMorris said the NBRA has had "initial discussions" with the Teamsters and other unions about not crossing the picket lines if NBRA members are locked out.

"We are already in discussions. We know who is not going to cross the picket lines -- the folks who deliver liquor, the folks who deliver food," McMorris said.

The referees were scheduled to report to training camp on Sunday, but McMorris said there is not enough time to get a deal done for that deadline to be met.

McMorris said he has not yet made a formal request for the Teamsters or other unions to honor the referees' picket lines. But he added of the Teamsters, "They do not cross picket lines, that does not happen. Without a doubt we will have picket lines if we are locked out. ... I don't think I need to tell the NBA that."

McMorris said that he has talked to players union executive director Billy Hunter but has not asked NBA players to honor the referees' picket lines "nor would I make that request."

McMorris said that players are concerned about the potential for increased injuries and increased fines if replacement officials are used. "The players know what replacement officials look like and they don't want to go there," he said. Link (http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Baseline/entry/view/35290/sbj_nba_locks_out_referees)

[jaffies]

edit:


------link removed------

(nevermind. It's kind of a dick move on my part. Seriously, who the fuck am I?)

[DespЏrado]

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135207

I swear I searched. Blah. Oh well relates to the Spurs as well.

[jaffies]

I swear I searched. Blah. Oh well relates to the Spurs as well.

You're right. (edited above post) my fault.

Continue.

[dbestpro]

Wouild like to see about 4 or 5 refs jump the line. The rest should stay on strike.

[Chieflion]

Wouild like to see about 4 or 5 refs jump the line. The rest should stay on strike.
57-0. Most consistent statline since David Stern's first generation of refs took over.

[exstatic]

Stupid. 57 refs are crabbing over 750K in cuts spread over 2 years, mostly in amenities like hotel and air. That's an average of 6K per referee per year. Some of these incompetents make 225K.

[ShoogarBear]

If there's a lockout, all of you guys complaining about NBA refs are going to find out what truly sucky refereeing is.

[FromWayDowntown]

If there's a lockout, all of you guys complaining about NBA refs are going to find out what truly sucky refereeing is.

That's so true.

For all the crabbing that NBA players do about the officials, the last time we had a lockout of the officials, the players were screaming to bring back the real guys. I suspect all of the fans who hate the usual referees are going to be singing their praises after seeing some replacement officiating.

[exstatic]

That's so true.

For all the crabbing that NBA players do about the officials, the last time we had a lockout of the officials, the players were screaming to bring back the real guys. I suspect all of the fans who hate the usual referees are going to be singing their praises after seeing some replacement officiating.

Last time there were no d-league refs working under identical rules for a couple of years available. These are the guys they plug in for a handful of refs every year anyway. It's their pipeline. They just have to open the spigot wide.

[timvp]

The refs should just realize Donaghy ruined any type of leverage the refs might have had. Add the old tax evasion crimes and the NBA should be able to legitimately scare these refs into thinking their jobs could disappear.

[EricB]

So u sleep at the red roof inn instead of the ritz. Suck it up violet Palmer you weren't good enough to sleep in the ritz to begin with....

[completely deck]

I don't see this lasting too long but what do I know.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

theres always going to be a shitload of people crying about refs, thats the nature of basketball

i dont see how replacements could be any worse

let those bitches strike

[exstatic]

The refs should just realize Donaghy ruined any type of leverage the refs might have had. Add the old tax evasion crimes and the NBA should be able to legitimately scare these refs into thinking their jobs could disappear.

If they stay out too long, their jobs WILL disappear. The league would save a shit pot of money by paying ALL of the refs 75K and NONE of them 225K. Wipe the slate clean and start over.

[ShoogarBear]

The refs should just realize Donaghy ruined any type of leverage the refs might have had. Add the old tax evasion crimes and the NBA should be able to legitimately scare these refs into thinking their jobs could disappear.

A few weeks with the replacement refs == Synthetic Ball II.

[timvp]

A few weeks with the replacement refs == Synthetic Ball II.

Worse than that. It'd take even competent replacement refs a few years to adjust to the speed and the physicality of the NBA.

The thing I remember the last time with replacement refs was when David Robinson was ejected for "fighting" with Frank Brickowski. That was one of the lamest calls I've ever seen.

[ShoogarBear]

Worse than that. It'd take even competent replacement refs a few years to adjust to the speed and the physicality of the NBA.


Yeah, what I meant is that the players would be in open revolution demanding that the regular refs come back.

Heck, Shaq is already coming out for the refs union.

I bash the refs every chance I get, too, but only an idiot thinks that they can just put some new people in there without a huge decline in quality. Maybe, just maybe, there'd be less star treatment, but the amount of incomprehensible nonsense and bad judgment would far outweigh that.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

i think there would be less ref showmanship, trotting down the sideline while winding up to make a call, lateass one minute late calls, i'll get you back on the next possesion calls, people dont know my name so i'll make them know it. if anything i think these guys would want to remain nameless to better their chances of making it in the future

[lefty]

Lockout = no Joey Crawford?

Tee-hee

[exstatic]

A few weeks with the replacement refs == Synthetic Ball II.

Yeah, but the longer it goes, the better they'll get. My guess is that the NBA is willing to put up with a lot of learning for the chance to get rid of the refs. If it gets the the ASG, the refs will never get their jobs back.

if they do wipe the slate clean, I'll want some changes. The refs are just numbers: tonight's refs are 37, 22, and 16. The public never learns their names. No introductions. Absolutely no fraternization with the players. No dinners, no autographs.

[Manufan909]

Yeah, but the longer it goes, the better they'll get. My guess is that the NBA is willing to put up with a lot of learning for the chance to get rid of the refs. If it gets the the ASG, the refs will never get their jobs back.

if they do wipe the slate clean, I'll want some changes. The refs are just numbers: tonight's refs are 37, 22, and 16. The public never learns their names. No introductions. Absolutely no fraternization with the players. No dinners, no autographs.

I agree with everything but not naming them. I am too young to know firsthand what replacement refs are like, but if they evenly distribute their horrible calls, it's all good.

And ditto for leftys post.

[ShoogarBear]

Yeah, but the longer it goes, the better they'll get. My guess is that the NBA is willing to put up with a lot of learning for the chance to get rid of the refs. If it gets the the ASG, the refs will never get their jobs back.

if they do wipe the slate clean, I'll want some changes. The refs are just numbers: tonight's refs are 37, 22, and 16. The public never learns their names. No introductions. Absolutely no fraternization with the players. No dinners, no autographs.

Like timvp said, the refs aren't going to get better in a few weeks. Replacement refs will suck mightily for at least a couple of seasons. It will be unwatchable.

[widowmaker]

Good, fuck Joey Crawford.

[Bender]

back in the 80s when Reagan fired all the striking air traffic controllers, everyone thought that planes were gonna start falling out of the sky when all the ATC's were replaced.

didn't happen, things went smoothly.

Lots of people would like to make a couple hundred thousand a year. What's the matter, ref's can't afford to feed their families after a 6k cut?

[Chieflion]

back in the 80s when Reagan fired all the striking air traffic controllers, everyone thought that planes were gonna start fallilng out of the sky when all the ATC's were replaced.

didn't happen, things went smoothly.

Lots of people would like to make a couple hundred thousand a year. What's the matter, ref's can't afford to feed their families after a 6k cut?
Latrell Sprewell would like to have a word with you.

[TDMVPDPOY]

back in the 80s when Reagan fired all the striking air traffic controllers, everyone thought that planes were gonna start fallilng out of the sky when all the ATC's were replaced.



man there is demand for that, but its hard to get a job in that field...

[DPG21920]

Bottom line, this is not good for the league and they are quarreling over peanuts. Makes no sense.

[TDMVPDPOY]

dunno why they complaining when stern can just easily replace them with D-LEAGUE recreational refs who want to make it to the big league....

[Bender]

Bottom line, this is not good for the league and they are quarreling over peanuts. Makes no sense.I don't have any sympathy for the ref's. They should be thankful they make so much money, and have such big benefits and retirement packages.
I don't know how many here are old enough to remember the air traffic controller strike, but there was no public sympathy for them back then. Hopefully there won't be any for the refs either.

[DPG21920]

I think the refs are being foolish. But there are so many things bad for the league right now:

1) The quality and credibility of the league is in question.
2) There is no trust between the fans and the refs.
3) There is no trust between the league and the refs and now vice versa.
4) The NBA has a huge CBA negotiation going on with the players
5) Many of the owners are unhappy with revenues

This is just another silly little problem to add to the plate, especially when the demands seem more than reasonable.

[Seventyniner]

I forgot who said this, but I read somewhere that this could be Stern sending a message to the players' union that he's willing to play hardball.

[Allan Rowe vs Wade]

I think the refs are being foolish. But there are so many things bad for the league right now:

1) The quality and credibility of the league is in question.
2) There is no trust between the fans and the refs.
3) There is no trust between the league and the refs and now vice versa.
4) The NBA has a huge CBA negotiation going on with the players
5) Many of the owners are unhappy with revenues

This is just another silly little problem to add to the plate, especially when the demands seem more than reasonable.

1. been that way
2. been that way
3. been that way
4. has happened before and will happen no matter what the outcome with the refs
5. been that way and will always be that way

[DPG21920]

1. been that way
2. been that way
3. been that way
4. has happened before and will happen no matter what the outcome with the refs
5. been that way and will always be that way

No, never before has the NBA had the "Tim Donaghy" scandal. Fans might always complain about refs, but there are actually legit trust issues now.

There could be a lockout on the horizon with the players as well and that does not bode well for the league, although I have read nothing that indicates this might happen. Just that it could. Point is, it is another problem added to the already complex problems facing the league.

[DPG21920]

Also, baseline bum made an excellent point. I don't care who's fault it is (although I think it is the refs), "they" are ruining what could be one of the best seasons in a long time.

There are so many top heavy teams that are unbelievably talented and stacked:

1) Spurs - Parker, Ginobili, Jefferson, Duncan, McDyess
2) Lakers - Fisher, Kobe, Artest, Odom, Gasol
3) Mavs - Kidd, Howard, Marion, Dirk, Dampier
4) Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Garnett, Rasheed
5) Orlando - Nelson, Carter, Lewis, Bass, Howard
6) Cavs - Williams, West, Lebron, Varejao, Shaq

Those are fantasy rosters. I would hate for some truly terrible officiating to ruin what could be an amazing year for the league.

[phyzik]

1. I think this is stupid on the part of the NBA. Yeah, the refs suck, but they are still the most highly qualified.

2. The way it should be done is let the refs sign again but infuse some youth and use the elders to train the youngins to phase out the old. I dont want to see a 75 yr old ref running down the court. Age definately needs to be addressed regardless of your personal view point.

[pjjrfan]

If there's a lockout, all of you guys complaining about NBA refs are going to find out what truly sucky refereeing is.

yeah that could be, but these temps will have an excuse, they are just starting. If they call palming and travels like they should they would certainly be an improvement.