Stern addresses flopping issue after game, says we need to do more

[Thebesteva]

EDIT: Meant to post this in the NBA forum

(Video interview inside)

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/9350408/david-stern-says-nba-needs-expand-anti-flopping-rules (http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/9350408/david-stern-says-nba-needs-expand-anti-flopping-rules)

[hooperflash]

:lol COACH SPO


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93G8VtfGJtw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[InK]

Draconian? Its not hard to stop flopping, its not a natural reaction to non existing contact. Just suspend the floppers for a game or first half of a game after repeated violations. Could anyone really get upset about that? Would be great if they did this as soon as possible, before it gets totally out of hand. Suspending a player for the first 2 quarters of the game is kinda perfect solution imo, who could possibly complain about that...

[hyhy]

Just a technical foul like FIBA would do

[Thebesteva]

Draconian? Its not hard to stop flopping, its not a natural reaction to non existing contact. Just suspend the floppers for a game or first half of a game after repeated violations. Could anyone really get upset about that? Would be great if they did this as soon as possible, before it gets totally out of hand. Suspending a player for the first 2 quarters of the game is kinda perfect solution imo, who could possibly complain about that...

The issue of course will then be when someone flops during the playoffs and it could determine a series (ie the suns bench leaving their area during the WCF). I think I agree with you though.

[elmanutres]

The only way to stop it is to fine players relative to their salary. if you fine lebron 5,000 he wont care, but fine him like a million or 2 million and he may change his mind next time he want to put up one of his oscar performances. thats the only way. Of course that stern fuck would never implement it to LeBron

[Kidd K]

I agree that anti-flopping rules should be expanded. I didn't bother reading or listening to what Stern had to say about it. . .since let's be honest, few of us give a shit what he has to say anymore.

Nonetheless, I would hope that certain kinds of flopping will eventually be more heavily penalized than others. For example, if a dude takes a charge, which is a real charge, then makes himself light and gets knocked back (not jumps back), then I'm okay with it.

If someone grabs another player's jersey then flops, or initiates contact with another players then flounders around (LeBron did this once tonight and the refs thankfully saw through it), or lands on their shoulder then grabs their head and acts like he just got hit with a baseball bat to try and draw a flagrant, or walk near a player then fall over and grab their face and pretend like someone just stole on them (Chris Paul) then those need to be more heaviy penalized.

Regular flops like ones that have been around for decades aren't as game-killing and annoying as those imo.

[milkyway21]

I agree that anti-flopping rules should be expanded. I didn't bother reading or listening to what Stern had to say about it. . .since let's be honest, few of us give a shit what he has to say anymore.

Nonetheless, I would hope that certain kinds of flopping will eventually be more heavily penalized than others. For example, if a dude takes a charge, which is a real charge, then makes himself light and gets knocked back (not jumps back), then I'm okay with it.

If someone grabs another player's jersey then flops, or initiates contact with another players then flounders around (LeBron did this once tonight and the refs thankfully saw through it), or lands on their shoulder then grabs their head and acts like he just got hit with a baseball bat to try and draw a flagrant, or walk near a player then fall over and grab their face and pretend like someone just stole on them (Chris Paul) then those need to be more heaviy penalized.

Regular flops like ones that have been around for decades aren't as game-killing and annoying as those imo.

:tu right.

Problem is D-Wade and Lebron are actually pushing for it, despite the fines. So I think they should impose flopping as an ejection from the game..to stop it or 1 game suspension. If they can suspend Duncan for slight body contact with a ref before why not flopping?

[Obstructed_View]

Manu drew a perfectly legal charge against Wade in game 1. It sucks that it was a non call. The announcers and the home crowd thought it was a flop. I don't like the idea of giving the refs that awarded a flagrant to Phony Allen the power to eject Manu on top of the no-call.

[Kidd K]

:tu right.

Problem is D-Wade and Lebron are actually pushing for it, despite the fines. So I think they should impose flopping as an ejection from the game..to stop it or 1 game suspension. If they can suspend Duncan for slight body contact with a ref before why not flopping?

Well like I was sayin earlier, I think the type of flop should determine the punishment. If they review a tape and see that there was no contact at all and the guy was faking like he got hit in the eye or grabs someone's arm or leg or jersey then pretends like they hit him (remember when Chris Paul got Bowen suspended when he hooked Bowen's leg and he tried to pull it away then Paul jumps back and holds his face?)

Flops like that I would love to see be ejectable offenses, because it's extremely shady and I honestly think that is even worse than rubbing a baseball with a nail file or some kind of oil imo. Because when you think about it, they're literally lying to officials' faces to get them to help them artificially win games. It'd be like a baseball player lying to an umpire and saying the first baseman held his jersey before he ran to 2nd, so the double play the other team just got shouldn't count. Then it gets reversed. . .based solely on lies, not reality. That's what happens in the NBA.

But taking a charge or exaggerating actual fouls by like 50% or something, I wouldn't want to see that be ejectable. Maybe a technical foul for bad taste flop attempts at most like some of the shit Durant's always doing (him bumping into a guy then flailing his arms in the air to get a call), but as it is the refs penalize guys who take charges HEAVILY by blowing the call and calling it a block 80% of the time anyway. I'd hate to see the penalty for a guy stepping up for a charge be even worse than it already is.

[Captivus]

Wake up people!
The flopping will never be addressed by the NBA. They cant.
Remember that any objective rule, like suspending a player because he flopped or increasing a person salary because he works more hours or checking if the goalkeeper walk forward during a penalty, or making drug tests in the Tour de France, or giving the coaches of any sport the possibility to ask for a replay, all of this will only lead to one result: The best team will win more games.
And that’s not something the NBA or any other sport organization wants. Once you go objective you lose power.

I’m gonna go one step further:
Once you start making objective rules that anyone can understand there’s no reason for an organization to even exist.

[rascal]

Manu drew a perfectly legal charge against Wade in game 1. It sucks that it was a non call. The announcers and the home crowd thought it was a flop. I don't like the idea of giving the refs that awarded a flagrant to Phony Allen the power to eject Manu on top of the no-call.

That was a flop on Manu. Manu hits the floor and wade hits the basket. No way should manu have fallen to the floor on that flop.

[Spurminator]

This press conference was before the game.

[wut]

yeh I was going to mention this too, the comments on flopping were prior to the game, it wasn't due to anything that happened in the game.

[wildbill2u]

screw more stringent penalties, flops aren't a serious problem. let the refs call them as they see them.

[3 Legged Dog]

Stern cannot be serious. If he were, then Tony Allen would have gotten more than a $ 5,000.00 slap on the wrist.

[MeloHype]

Stern never fines the players anyway

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

$5K fines aren't shit. Need to bump that up to like $50,000 and give a suspension on the third violation or something along those lines, tbqh imo.

[SAScrub]

Flopping is not a player issue, it is an officiating issue. The NBA is addressing it from the wrong end. If you fine/suspend/discipline the ref who blew the call, they will get their shit together real quick.

[Raven]

Just a technical foul like FIBA would do

true.

[SAScrub]

Just a technical foul like FIBA would do
Can we trust the same refs who fall for the flop to now issue technicals based on flops?

[hyhy]

Can we trust the same refs who fall for the flop to now issue technicals based on flops?

When players flop now, its mostly either refs falling for the foul, or a no-call. In this scenario, its a no-lose situation for the players to flop, no incentive(deterrence) not to flop. With technical fouls, at least it deters players from doing it.

Aside from that, I believe for fouls that may seem to be flop, or a real hard foul, the refs should be able to review the call just like how a flagrant foul can be reviewed. Then after that, they can either call the foul, or award a technical to the other team.

However, this should only be for the ugly unnecessary flops, and not those whereby players try to draw charges, as those were either blocking fouls or offensive fouls.

[davidbowie]

manu flopped hard on defense last night and it was so embarrassing. i know he was trying to get something going, we were in a slump, but when it's not called he just looks like a fool laying on the floor with the playing going on lol

[SAScrub]

When players flop now, its mostly either refs falling for the foul, or a no-call. In this scenario, its a no-lose situation for the players to flop, no incentive(deterrence) not to flop. With technical fouls, at least it deters players from doing it.

Aside from that, I believe for fouls that may seem to be flop, or a real hard foul, the refs should be able to review the call just like how a flagrant foul can be reviewed. Then after that, they can either call the foul, or award a technical to the other team.

However, this should only be for the ugly unnecessary flops, and not those whereby players try to draw charges, as those were either blocking fouls or offensive fouls.

That just seems to me that is putting MORE judgement in the hands of people who have shown to have really poor judgement. The NBA reviews the game, sees the flop that worked, takes $2K from the ref and sits him for two games. Maybe make him in eligible for post season, or perhaps send him down to the d-league to call a few games.

You think that ref is going to fall for another flop?

[Obstructed_View]

That was a flop on Manu. Manu hits the floor and wade hits the basket. No way should manu have fallen to the floor on that flop.

You're an idiot. Wade hit him right in the chest. The refs didn't call it because he didn't extend his arm. You can charge without pushing off.

[dbestpro]

Be careful what you wish for. The refs already are in love with the superstar call. A tech on a flopping call would give them one more weapon in their belt to call the game unfairly against players with low jersey sales.

[rascal]

You're an idiot. Wade hit him right in the chest. The refs didn't call it because he didn't extend his arm. You can charge without pushing off.

Flop all the way. He falls to the floor on that. lol

[rascal]

manu flopped hard on defense last night and it was so embarrassing. i know he was trying to get something going, we were in a slump, but when it's not called he just looks like a fool laying on the floor with the playing going on lol

Manu is a joke with his flopping at times. There is good reason why he is called a flopper.

[hyhy]

That just seems to me that is putting MORE judgement in the hands of people who have shown to have really poor judgement. The NBA reviews the game, sees the flop that worked, takes $2K from the ref and sits him for two games. Maybe make him in eligible for post season, or perhaps send him down to the d-league to call a few games.

You think that ref is going to fall for another flop?

Thats why i recommended reviewing in-game itself.