LakeShow
04-24-2008, 06:38 PM
Mark Heisler (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-columnist-mheisler,1,1492597.columnist):
NBA
Stern's penalty system is all fouled up (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-heisler23apr23,1,2914635.column)
April 23, 2008
If I were David Stern, I would have felt a cold shiver down my back last night.
Of course, as Stern would be the first to tell you, I'm not him, and I doubt that he shared my alarm at the sight of Washington's Brendan Haywood shoving Cleveland's LeBron James in mid-flight, earning a flagrant-two foul and probably for Haywood a suspension for at least Game 3 of their series.
Not that Stern has any use for such mayhem, but he thinks the current review procedure and its Draconian penalties -- more suspensions! -- works.
I'm here to tell you it doesn't.
If you want to see which it is, set your stopwatch to see how long it is before the next incident like this -- or worse.
Worse could be a melee, players leaving the bench and suspensions all around, like the one to Amare Stoudemire that effectively settled last spring's entire postseason with one ham-fisted judicial pronouncement.
Of course, worse could also be an actual fight or a riot too.
Even if NBA Vice President Stu Jackson treads more lightly (as opposed to last season when he suspended Kobe Bryant for hitting two defenders in his follow-through), the review procedure is still in effect.
Everyone still plays according to those rules. The Nuggets didn't say anything, but I'll bet they asked Jackson to review the play in which Anthony Carter bear-hugged Bryant in Game 1 and wound up getting hit in the eye.
Bryant said anything that happened was "purely unintentional," which makes sense, since it was Carter who grabbed him before they crashed into the basket standard.
Unfortunately, for better or worse, a replay is a little reality of its own.
ABC's replays showed nothing to indict Bryant, but if the league was to see that it showed his elbow hitting Carter -- a blow to the head, which is a major "point of emphasis" -- Kobe could well be suspended.
One thing the replay can't tell you is why something happened, whether Bryant was pure at heart or out to retaliate.
Here's the real problem:
IT'S WAY PAST TIME TO TAKE ALL INTENTIONAL FOULING OUT OF THE GAME!
Forget selective, retroactive, video-driven enforcement with every team calling the league after every loss to see if they can get someone tossed out of the next game.
Forget this gradation of fouls, which can be merely hard, hack-a-Shaq (B-O-R-I-N-G!), flagrant one or flagrant two.
Penalize all intentional fouls -- anything that's not a play on the ball -- the same way, with two free throws and possession.
Hard fouls have been part of the NBA since the Lakers were in Minneapolis. The better the coach, the more likely it was that his first rule was "No layups, make them earn it at the foul line."
It's time for all that to end.
No basketball fan ever paid for a ticket to see one player grab another. It's not even violent, which has a perverse appeal. It just slows the game down, results in more (yawn) free throws and less action.
In the really bad news for all concerned, every collision at the hoop is a melee, fight, suspension or riot waiting to happen.
You've got to block and tackle in football. This is basketball or aspires to be.
[email protected]
The NBA Playoffs: Where Hug A Shaq Happens
NBA
Stern's penalty system is all fouled up (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-heisler23apr23,1,2914635.column)
April 23, 2008
If I were David Stern, I would have felt a cold shiver down my back last night.
Of course, as Stern would be the first to tell you, I'm not him, and I doubt that he shared my alarm at the sight of Washington's Brendan Haywood shoving Cleveland's LeBron James in mid-flight, earning a flagrant-two foul and probably for Haywood a suspension for at least Game 3 of their series.
Not that Stern has any use for such mayhem, but he thinks the current review procedure and its Draconian penalties -- more suspensions! -- works.
I'm here to tell you it doesn't.
If you want to see which it is, set your stopwatch to see how long it is before the next incident like this -- or worse.
Worse could be a melee, players leaving the bench and suspensions all around, like the one to Amare Stoudemire that effectively settled last spring's entire postseason with one ham-fisted judicial pronouncement.
Of course, worse could also be an actual fight or a riot too.
Even if NBA Vice President Stu Jackson treads more lightly (as opposed to last season when he suspended Kobe Bryant for hitting two defenders in his follow-through), the review procedure is still in effect.
Everyone still plays according to those rules. The Nuggets didn't say anything, but I'll bet they asked Jackson to review the play in which Anthony Carter bear-hugged Bryant in Game 1 and wound up getting hit in the eye.
Bryant said anything that happened was "purely unintentional," which makes sense, since it was Carter who grabbed him before they crashed into the basket standard.
Unfortunately, for better or worse, a replay is a little reality of its own.
ABC's replays showed nothing to indict Bryant, but if the league was to see that it showed his elbow hitting Carter -- a blow to the head, which is a major "point of emphasis" -- Kobe could well be suspended.
One thing the replay can't tell you is why something happened, whether Bryant was pure at heart or out to retaliate.
Here's the real problem:
IT'S WAY PAST TIME TO TAKE ALL INTENTIONAL FOULING OUT OF THE GAME!
Forget selective, retroactive, video-driven enforcement with every team calling the league after every loss to see if they can get someone tossed out of the next game.
Forget this gradation of fouls, which can be merely hard, hack-a-Shaq (B-O-R-I-N-G!), flagrant one or flagrant two.
Penalize all intentional fouls -- anything that's not a play on the ball -- the same way, with two free throws and possession.
Hard fouls have been part of the NBA since the Lakers were in Minneapolis. The better the coach, the more likely it was that his first rule was "No layups, make them earn it at the foul line."
It's time for all that to end.
No basketball fan ever paid for a ticket to see one player grab another. It's not even violent, which has a perverse appeal. It just slows the game down, results in more (yawn) free throws and less action.
In the really bad news for all concerned, every collision at the hoop is a melee, fight, suspension or riot waiting to happen.
You've got to block and tackle in football. This is basketball or aspires to be.
[email protected]
The NBA Playoffs: Where Hug A Shaq Happens