Spurs fans are like all other fans.

[tlongII]

They complain about the refs when they are in trouble. I've read many times on this site that the Spurs and their fans are "above" complaining about the officiating. That certainly wasn't the case last night. When the Spurs have a clearly superior team the officiating is not a problem. This year the Spurs are vulnerable and I expect to see much more complaining about the officiating before they are dispatched by the Mavs.

[Trainwreck2100]

It was shit both ways, just wait till Joey Crawford refs, then Dallas is screwed spurs win Dallas complains we say "Fouls and FTs were even" and laugh because precident was set by them.

Also as I said before the refs are not the reason they lost but they called the game shitty both ways.

[LEONARD]

Based on what I've read here over the past few months, I'm shocked at all the complaining :oops

[NoMoneyDown]

I'm sure if you did a scientific review, you'll find that the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of Spurs fans are not biased complainers like that. Sure, there will be some, however, for the most part, most Spurs fans understand that things like officiating - whether in our favor or not at the time - are all part of the game. Now there are exceptions, like the 50 FTA's Dallas had in a series a couple years back that REQUIRED complaining.

[sixeightmkw]

I'm sure if you did a scientific review, you'll find that the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of Spurs fans are not biased complainers like that. Sure, there will be some, however, for the most part, most Spurs fans understand that things like officiating - whether in our favor or not at the time - are all part of the game. Now there are exceptions, like the 50 FTA's Dallas had in a series a couple years back that REQUIRED complaining.
good post

[Carie]

From the posts I've read, most of the long timers aren't blaming the loss on the officials. They're just complaining about a poorly officiated game, and it was. The same way they're complaining about the Spurs' fans.

[MadDog73]

Notice how tshlong only shows up when the Spurs are losing?

Who knows, maybe he'll be our good luck charm, like a certain Laker fan was last year...

[A-Train]

I don't care about the refs unless the officiating is so poor that the calls are outside of a reasonable doubt. For example, TD's 3rd foul was a blocking foul. That could've gone either way. I didn't have a problem with that. The foul I did have was the 2nd foul, which was not even a touch foul. That certainly was not the only bad call or non-call I saw in that 2nd quarter. The Spurs were hosed in that quarter by the refs. It was bad enough that the Spurs have moved away from the rotation and defense that got them the 1 seed in the first place. With the refs on their nuts it's not surprising the quarter went as it did.

[sixeightmkw]

The same can be said about Damp and diop. There were plenty of fouls called on them that weren't even touch fouls. Diiop got a clean block once and they called a foul on him. Again, calls go both ways.

[CosmicCowboy]

Spurs didn't lose because of officiating. They lost bacause on 5/9/06 the Mavs played better ball. That doesn't mean we can't comment that it was a badly called game...

[Spurminator]

I'm not sure how anyone could suggest that was a well-called Playoff game. I watched the game with a bunch of Mavs fans and we all complained about the same amount... We even found ourselves complaining about calls that FAVORED our respective teams. It had just become comical at that point.

[Kori Ellis]

No one is saying that the officiating cost the Spurs the game. The Spurs got beat by the Mavs, not the refs. People are just saying the officiating sucked. In another thread, I even mentioned that it sucked IN FAVOR of the Spurs very early in the game.

[A-Train]

The same can be said about Damp and diop. There were plenty of fouls called on them that weren't even touch fouls. Diiop got a clean block once and they called a foul on him. Again, calls go both ways.

I remember that one, he hit the offensive player across his body with his arm. Just because you manage to hit the ball with your hand doesn't make it a clean play. Too much contact to expect to not get called.

[mikejones99]

Too many Spurs fans seem to get sand in their vaginas when they lose.

[samikeyp]

All teams have fans who whine and fans who don't.

[mikejones99]

Spurs are the champs and may get another so most of these fools have no reason to be bitching so much.

[ducks]

gee another bashing the ref thread
I AM OUT OF HERE

[SpurYank]

Let's face it and own up: We have our share of chronic complainers. I didn't think the refs cost us the game at all. It was Stackhouse from the corner, Devin running free and making big plays, Dirk doing his usual thing, and Josh showing us what he can do. NVE's early exit was a little stupid if you ask me. Perhaps he didn't feel like playing. I think THAT incident cost us psychologically more than anything else. We went downhill immediately after that.

But cheer up. We have faced better players and came through with wins. Pop and his staff will find a way. It's their M.O.

[fyatuk]

The referees ruined the game for the fans, not the Spurs.

The suck..er blow

Exactly. Most people seem to realize the Spurs were going to lose anyway because they just plain weren't playing well. But the crappy officiating made the game hard to watch and not very enjoyable.

We want to see what these 2 teams can do against each other, not watch Javie & co mis-call a foul ever 10-15 seconds (as it seemed).

[RonMexico]

From the posts I've read, most of the long timers aren't blaming the loss on the officials. They're just complaining about a poorly officiated game, and it was. The same way they're complaining about the Spurs' fans.

I'll admit it was a poorly officiated game overall (for both teams), but it was especially damaging to the Spurs because of the timing and impact of the calls - like when 2 obvious fouls by Dirk (and they were pretty obvious - not really judgment calls like block/charge) in the first half (when he had only 1 foul at the time) went uncalled and then Duncan ends up getting his 3rd at a pivotal point in the second quarter. Then Devin Harris jumps into Ginobili with his elbow (Ginobili required stiches), but it's called a block and Harris gets a 3-pt play out of it. Also, the Spurs are making a small comeback, but the Mavs are on the break, and then Brent Barry gets called for the 2nd worst block call of the playoffs (I'm still partial to the Kobe over Nash dunk because of my fandom) - a huge momentum-shift possibility for the Spurs that goes in favor of the Mavs. (And Barry was planted at least a second before Howard got there/went up - a really bad call by Javie, which no doubt intensified the "Javie Sucks!" chant from a relatively knowledgeable and fair SA fan-base.)

In all honesty, it seemed as if the refs had a quick whistle all night long (2 quick techs on Pop and Avery; Van Exel gets ejected), but the most extreme example was the inadvertant whistle play where the ref jumped the gun thinking Ginobili (who is a smart player and was just trying to shield off the Mavs) was going to touch the ball and then didn't. The call forced a timeout and jumpball, which also affected the Spurs momentum after just getting a stop at the other end. I mean, I'm in no way a Spurs fan right now (not until the Suns are eliminated), but I just don't like seeing a team that is struggling in a game have to endure officiating that impacts their momentum in such a way, especially when the Mavs seemed to have an answer at the other end for every Spurs score - they needed every break to go their way and it seems like these plays and calls just took the life out of them.

[piston priest]

People act like a complaining team is a bad thing, where in reality, sometimes that is the difference between a good team and a championship calibur team. If you look at all the best teams in the league, they do their fair share of complaining. Detroit, Miami, Dallas sometimes and to a lesser extent, San Antonio. I just don't see how its that bad, as long as you don't say something so bad that really ticks the refs off. That would be a different story.

[Spurs Dynasty]

Spurs didn't lose because of officiating. They lost bacause on 5/9/06 the Mavs played better ball. That doesn't mean we can't comment that it was a badly called game...

THANK YOU ! These visitors/gloaters dont get it. We played like crap, absolutely. HOWEVER.... pauses..... the officiating was the worst I can remember and anyone who says otherwise if fooling themselves or blind. And bad officiating can effect players and the outcome of the game, but I don't believe the refs "cost" us the game, but they had an effect.

Dont quote number of fouls on each team either, it is the number of BAD CALLS/NO CALLS , person called on and the timing of the call that matters.

[Spurs Dynasty]

I'll admit it was a poorly officiated game overall (for both teams), but it was especially damaging to the Spurs because of the timing and impact of the calls - like when 2 obvious fouls by Dirk (and they were pretty obvious - not really judgment calls like block/charge) in the first half (when he had only 1 foul at the time) went uncalled and then Duncan ends up getting his 3rd at a pivotal point in the second quarter. Then Devin Harris jumps into Ginobili with his elbow (Ginobili required stiches), but it's called a block and Harris gets a 3-pt play out of it. Also, the Spurs are making a small comeback, but the Mavs are on the break, and then Brent Barry gets called for the 2nd worst block call of the playoffs (I'm still partial to the Kobe over Nash dunk because of my fandom) - a huge momentum-shift possibility for the Spurs that goes in favor of the Mavs. (And Barry was planted at least a second before Howard got there/went up - a really bad call by Javie, which no doubt intensified the "Javie Sucks!" chant from a relatively knowledgeable and fair SA fan-base.)

In all honesty, it seemed as if the refs had a quick whistle all night long (2 quick techs on Pop and Avery; Van Exel gets ejected), but the most extreme example was the inadvertant whistle play where the ref jumped the gun thinking Ginobili (who is a smart player and was just trying to shield off the Mavs) was going to touch the ball and then didn't. The call forced a timeout and jumpball, which also affected the Spurs momentum after just getting a stop at the other end. I mean, I'm in no way a Spurs fan right now (not until the Suns are eliminated), but I just don't like seeing a team that is struggling in a game have to endure officiating that impacts their momentum in such a way, especially when the Mavs seemed to have an answer at the other end for every Spurs score - they needed every break to go their way and it seems like these plays and calls just took the life out of them.

Kudos. Excellent post !! Very few of the Mav posters will agree, if they even understand your points.

I still believe in the Spurs but last nights game was a travesty. We will see you in the WCF when you advance.