I think the point is perfectly valid. If you step onto the court during an altercation you will be suspended. Change that to \’if you intend to participate in a fight you will be suspended\’ and the rule has no teeth and therefore serves no purpose.

The purpose of the rule is to keep player off of the court in the event of an altercation. I think that as unfortunate as it is for the suns to loose two players that way. It will underscore for the rest of the league that the players need to stay on the bench, and in future situations this may be avoided. Anyone can tell you that they had a good reason to do something, but that isn\’t the point here. The rule only protects the players and officials if it works.

I agree with mark, I think that the problem is too much discretion. I don\’t like the idea of refs putting their thumb print on a game. We come to watch the players, and if the refs are calling the game \’their way\’ than it interferes with the sport. For instance a ref calling less contact on one end doesn\’t make the same calls on the other because his position rotates. Therefore if the refs have too much discretion you can have two different \’styles\’ of game called within the same game.

As a fan nothing frustrates me more than inconsistency. If someone on my team commits a foul I am fine with that being called as long as it goes both ways. I absolutely think elbows to the head, knees to the groin and other contact should be automatic removal from game with review for 1 game suspension.

The players will figure it out, and the consistency will improve the product.

-g

Stern\’s decisions not only ruined a great series for the fans and handed it to the Spurs, but it rewarded the aggressor of the situation. Trading Horry for 2 starters is a no-brainer for any team. Soon we may have an \”enforcer\” on each team, some scrub that can stir up trouble and bait key players into doing something stupid. Teams shouldn\’t be rewarded for punk moves.

The Spurs/Suns is an incredible matchup but I, as a fan, lost interest after the suspensions because the series was over in an instant. Robert Horry and David Stern, co-MVPs. The only reason to watch at this point is to see if Bruce Bowen can bait Carlos Boozer into taking a swing at him.

Whats up with the Indian Stock Market anyhow?

Surely you\’ve got some sort of Anti-spam protection!

Seriously though.. REMOVE DAVID STERN.

Thanks!

(Hey Mark, why don\’t you get the owners to replace David Stern instead of worrying about the leaving the bench rule, David Stern is the worst thing to ever happen to basketball, no less the NBA)

1) The comments about \’human instinct\’ and \’reacting to a friend in need\’. The problem is these guys are highly paid professionals. \”A professional is someone who can do their best work even when they don\’t feel like it.\”

One thing I noticed more than anything else in this series.. the Spurs kept their mouths shut. When the calls went against them, they might briefly have gotten upset, but they shut-up and went about there business.

2) Not every knee to the groin or elbow to the head is a foul. Not every hip check is a flagrant 2 ejection.

If a man is pivoting with the ball, stepping with the ball, etc. With his pivot foot planted, if you catch a knee to the groin, wear a cup next time. The man with the ball has every right to create space. I\’ve got a picture (here: http://www.nbarefssuck.com/2007/02/19/tim-hardaways-hatred-of-gays-goes-way-back/) that show Timmy Hardaway leg extended right into Scottie Pippens groin on a drive. Now thats great basketball.

I loved a recent edition of Pro\’s vs. Joes. Eric Dickerson, Roy Jones Jr, Kevin Willis, & Vince Coleman. The Joes complained that trying to rebound against Kevin Willis was more punishing than a round in the ring with Roy Jones Jr. (Say What?!) Basketball is physical.

3) I agree that Udonis Haslem shouldn\’t have been suspended for throwing his mouthpiece. I\’m glad that pathetic ref isn\’t around for the playoffs and I really hope he doesn\’t come back. He\’s a detriment to the game. Now if we could just get Mr. Stern out of there. Fact of the matter Joey Crawford should have went away a long time ago.

4) If a player lands on your foot while he\’s taking a jump shot, someone is moving. Your moving into him on your close out, foul on you, or he\’s jumped forward, your set and he\’s actually charging. If you foul him, the refs should call it, if he\’s charging, the refs should call it. Isn\’t that what you want as a defender anyhow? The other player knowing your in his face on every shot! Either way, it\’s your job as a defender to be in the face of your man… and you certainly don\’t need Stu Jackson calling ou and telling you otherwise.

5) Bruce Bowen is the best defender in the league. He\’s showed it again this series. Granted, he has the luxury of just playing defense. Any good defender at any level of basketball knows that if your man is faster than you, you have to put a body on him. Bruce did that… he did it all up and down the court. He knew Nash\’s tendencies, he beat him to his spots. Nothing that he did was any more heinous than Nash\’s reach that got his nose gashed open.

Mark, if Bruce Bowen was available today for the same league minimum he signed with the Spurs for originally, would you take him? (I\’m sure you\’d have Avery\’s blessing).

6) Rules aren\’t ever black & white, that\’s why there are 3 refs on the court. Thats why their are decision makers. The problem isn\’t with the rules being black, white, or grey. The problem is that they aren\’t called consistently. Whats a foul tonight with these refs, is not a foul next game with another ref. I\’ve played in games, in which, I knew going in that I could play a little more physical because of the refs involved.

I\’ve heard it from a good source that Mark even had someone break-down the tendencies of the refs in a report. So I know, you know what I\’m talking about. I also heard that Don Nelson & Co, quickly dismissed the ideas.

7) What about using the instant replay on technicals, say like the one that Finley got last year against the Dallas Mavericks that was later rescinded. The technical free-throw from which was directly responsible for the game going into OT, Dallas one the game.. and ultimately the series. Had that technical been immediately replayed and rescinded, the Spurs would be the defending Champs right now.

Set the record straight: It\’s my understanding, and I think the media is continually getting this wrong. Robert Horry\’s 2 game suspension was not for the hip check on Nash, but rather the elbow to Raja Bell, above the shoulders.

Let\’s face it, the over-acting by Nash had more to do with his teammates leaving the bench than the hip-check itself.

Let\’s get the NBA straightened out… http://www.NBARefsSuck.com

You CANNOT convince me that IF Dirk got body checked and JOSH and STACK instinctively moved towards him …but never made it that far…and were suspended in a pivotal playoff game that you would be sayin…I understand the rule, it\’s cool…Yeah, RIGHT!