ESPN Insider: Will NBA whistle Crawford?

[zocool16]

Could you post the article by chris sheridan about whether the league will or will not suspend Joey Crawford? Thanks.

[Kori Ellis]

Will NBA whistle Crawford?

A little over a year ago, a little birdie who has been around the NBA almost as long as I have been alive told me a little story about Joey Crawford, who ejected Tim Duncan from Sunday's Mavs-Spurs game for laughing -- yes, laughing -- from the bench.

For the blow-by-blow of what happened Sunday, including Duncan's claim afterward that Crawford challenged him to a fight, be sure to check out Marc Stein's latest blog entry (http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64368).

What I'm here to give you is a little Insider background, as well as the following quasi-prediction: It would not surprise me if Crawford loses his whistle for the upcoming postseason.

Here's why:

That little birdie I spoke of before told me that Crawford was summoned to the league office in New York by Commissioner David Stern nearly four years ago following his antics in Game 2 of the 2003 Western Conference finals.

Crawford had called four technical fouls in the first 10 minutes, 11 seconds and ejected Mavs coaches Don Nelson and Del Harris. Here's the way I reported that story way back then when I was the pool reporter who interviewed Crawford in the officials' locker room after the game.

Stern, from what I was told, was livid that Crawford had become the story of Game 2, and Crawford was told that if it ever happened again, the consequences would be serious.

Well, it sure looks like Crawford is the story again, and I'm eager to see how Stern and NBA vice president Stu Jackson handle this.

Nothing infuriates Stern like seeing the words "conspiracy theory" in print, but Stein has already gone there, and a lot of others are going to be going there, too -- especially if Crawford ends up being assigned to a Spurs game during the playoffs.

The easiest way to prevent that from happening would be for Stern to give Crawford an early summer vacation, explaining to the 56-year-old how undignified it is to be challenging players to fights, and how he was warned before to knock off the shenanigans.

Yes, Crawford has 31 years of NBA experience. Yes, he has worked 38 NBA Finals games, 266 postseason games and more than 2,000 games overall. And yes, he is from the first family of American officiating (Joey is the son of retired Major League Baseball umpire Shag Crawford and the brother of veteran ump Jerry Crawford).

He can be a joy to be around on his good days, but Crawford can become bigger than the game itself when he's feeling ornery, and his temper might one day end up having an effect on which team wins the championship. San Antonio lost yesterday's game by missing its final nine shots over the final 6:30 with Duncan unavailable. I dare say the Spurs' finish would have been different had Duncan not been booted, and it'd be a disaster to have the same thing happen if these teams meet in the Western Conference finals.

After all the debate about the officiating we went through last June following Dirk Nowitzki's questionable foul against Dwyane Wade late in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, does the league really need to put itself in harm's way by assigning the bombastic and confrontational Crawford to officiate?

I don't think Stern and Stu Jackson are willing to take that chance, which is why I've got a hunch we may have seen the last of Joey Crawford until next season.

[Testing]

I highly doubt Crawford will be suspended from refereeing all post season games :rolleyes

[Mr. Body]

So does ESPN say. They vette all their columns; this is well supported.

I can see Crawford barred from Spurs games in the playoffs. A bit less chance they bar him from any games -- they simply don't have enough good referees - but it wouldn't be surprising.

[Kori Ellis]

I highly doubt Crawford will be suspended from refereeing all post season games :rolleyes

I guess it will probably come down to his alleged "Do you wanna fight?" comments. With reports of players on both sides hearing him, then it might get a little sticky.

[mardigan]

Taking him off Spurs games would be taking him away from some of the biggest games that are going to happen this playoffs. Make him ref Toronto games

[ducks]

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64368

[SpursWoman]

they simply don't have enough good referees


And not suspending him will alleviate this problem how? :lol

[kskonn]

I guess it will probably come down to his alleged "Do you wanna fight?" comments. With reports of players on both sides hearing him, then it might get a little sticky.


It should be really interesting, I had a couple of friends from other cities call me and tell me that some stations had audio where they could hear JC making the "do you want to fight?" comments. If that is true then he is screwed.

[Kori Ellis]

It should be really interesting, I had a couple of friends from other cities call me and tell me that some stations had audio where they could hear JC making the "do you want to fight?" comments. If that is true then he is screwed.

Well I heard that JC was mic'd last night. So they should have a lot of it on tape.

[Bandwagon Bill]

Well I heard that JC was mic'd last night. So they should have a lot of it on tape.

Where's that evidence been over the last day? We should be hearing that, and if that's the case TD shouldn't be fined or suspended because his assertion of a vendetta would be proven correct.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Well I heard that JC was mic'd last night. So they should have a lot of it on tape.

I was wondering about that. Wonder if Joey has the capability to turn off the mike...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Where's that evidence been over the last day? We should be hearing that, and if that's the case TD shouldn't be fined or suspended because his assertion of a vendetta would be proven correct.

If it ever gets out. The league probably confiscated that tape immediately.

[Kori Ellis]

Where's that evidence been over the last day? We should be hearing that, and if that's the case TD shouldn't be fined or suspended because his assertion of a vendetta would be proven correct.

I'm guessing the league is reviewing it. I have no idea how much audio there is. I just heard that several players on both sides heard him say it. And that he was mic'd. It should all come out soon - however, normally the NBA doesn't make a formal announcement when a ref gets in trouble.

We'll see how they handle this.

[Bandwagon Bill]

Conspiracy Theory? The NBA confiscating tapes to hide evidence of a personal grudge between an official and a player? This is the basketball version of Nixon.

[LilMissSPURfect]

If it ever gets out. The league probably confiscated that tape immediately.


somehow i think that LEONARD poster has a copy of it already too

[50 cent]

I was wondering last night if JC was mic'd. That would be one hell of an interesting exchange to listen to.

I want to know what Pop and Finley were saying to Crawford as well.

[LilMissSPURfect]

I was wondering last night if JC was mic'd. That would be one hell of an interesting exchange to listen to.

I want to know what Pop and Finley were saying to Crawford as well.



they were letting joey in on the joke!!

it went something like this:

Q. Why did Ron Artest leave the game early?

A. Because he wanted to beat the crowd.


:lol :lol :lol



http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4/gulygeek/r2884998388.jpg

[Darkwaters]

If it ever gets out. The league probably confiscated that tape immediately.

Conspiracy...