Spurs Brazil
10-09-2007, 04:18 PM
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2007/10/mike_monroe_twe.html
Mike Monroe: Tweet, tweet
The Spurs got their annual pre-season lecture from NBA referees about the emphases that have been stressed to the refs to call this season. The annual meeting gives players and coaches an opportunity to interact in a friendly environment, rather than the antagonistic one that usually ensues once the games begin and the refs hold sway over the course of play.
Perhaps because the Spurs are defending champs, the league sent its best referee, Steve Javie, to head up their pre-season instruction. Javie stopped for a few minutes to chat with three media types who were waiting to interview the Spurs. Spurs fans seem to love to hate Javie, epseically one season ticket holder with leather lungs who always mis-pronounces his name as "Jaffey," but nearly every player and coach in the league will tell you they would rather see him than most any other ref. He's entering his 17th season tooting the NBA whistle, and has been a fixture in The Finals for a long while.
Javie asked us how our summers had gone, and after a couple of perfunctory answers, Dallas Morning-News beat writer Eddie Sefko asked Javie, "And how was the summer for you guys?" a not-so-subtle reference to the shocking revelation about ref Tim Donaghy's gambling on games. "Aw, that was just one jerk," Javie said.
We weren't certain he meant Donaghy or Sefko.
When we finally were ushered into the arena at American Airlines Center, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, assistant coach Bret Brown and Spurs veteran Robert Horry were huddled with Javie and fellow ref Pat Freher, going over some specific questions.
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said it was a useful session with the refs.
"It's always good to talk to them, understand their point of view and what they are going through on every play." Ginobili said. "You understand how tough it is for them, too.
"Then they gave us some other points of emphasis they are going to look at. It's good for everybody. They were talking about some stuff about the bigs not getting so many calls in the paint when we smalls drive into them. I think it's very useful."
Mike Monroe: Tweet, tweet
The Spurs got their annual pre-season lecture from NBA referees about the emphases that have been stressed to the refs to call this season. The annual meeting gives players and coaches an opportunity to interact in a friendly environment, rather than the antagonistic one that usually ensues once the games begin and the refs hold sway over the course of play.
Perhaps because the Spurs are defending champs, the league sent its best referee, Steve Javie, to head up their pre-season instruction. Javie stopped for a few minutes to chat with three media types who were waiting to interview the Spurs. Spurs fans seem to love to hate Javie, epseically one season ticket holder with leather lungs who always mis-pronounces his name as "Jaffey," but nearly every player and coach in the league will tell you they would rather see him than most any other ref. He's entering his 17th season tooting the NBA whistle, and has been a fixture in The Finals for a long while.
Javie asked us how our summers had gone, and after a couple of perfunctory answers, Dallas Morning-News beat writer Eddie Sefko asked Javie, "And how was the summer for you guys?" a not-so-subtle reference to the shocking revelation about ref Tim Donaghy's gambling on games. "Aw, that was just one jerk," Javie said.
We weren't certain he meant Donaghy or Sefko.
When we finally were ushered into the arena at American Airlines Center, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, assistant coach Bret Brown and Spurs veteran Robert Horry were huddled with Javie and fellow ref Pat Freher, going over some specific questions.
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said it was a useful session with the refs.
"It's always good to talk to them, understand their point of view and what they are going through on every play." Ginobili said. "You understand how tough it is for them, too.
"Then they gave us some other points of emphasis they are going to look at. It's good for everybody. They were talking about some stuff about the bigs not getting so many calls in the paint when we smalls drive into them. I think it's very useful."