So I’m sitting on the plane reading Referee Magazine. Yes, I subscribe. Yes, I read it faithfully. The articles are actually pretty good except when they try to take the refs against the world, everybody hates us, perspective. I digress.
So, the pages are turning quickly. It’s riveting. I get to an article on one of the leagues long time fixtures, Joey Crawford.
In this article about Joey, he admits he has anger management issues.That he has a hard time accepting that players, coaches and fans aren’t yelling at himthey are yelling at the uniform. He makes the point very clearly that he can not stand when people disrespect his profession. Suggesting that technicals are issued because of that disrespect.
This isn’t anything new to anyone who has watched his games, but it is an admission that league policy is not the basis for what he does. That’s not good. Joey certainly does not have a grasp on the bigger picture of what is going on in the game,the league and the impact of those technicals. To him a tech is a way to handle a perceived slight of his profession. That’s personal. That’s not business. The two shouldn’t mix. The game is not about Joey and his issues. It’s about the teams on the court and the rules in the book.
Healso admits that tossing Nellie and Del out of our playoff game in our series against the Spurs last year was a mistake. That the league didn’t like it, his employment was at risk, and the league explained to him that they need to be the ones to take control of an issue when a coach, or player doesn’t exhibit appropriate behavior. Joey agreed with this assessment saying he now understands the leagues perspective. It will be interesting to see which Joey shows up in the playoffs this year. The Joey that understands, or the Joey who can’t handle the disprespect he perceives he is receiving.
The good news is thathe is honest about it and he says he is working to correct it. That would be a huge plus for the entire league. Skills wise, Joey is one of the best. The bad news is that if he does get all of this under control, he won’t feel the need to do his famous “pants readjustment” as his way of tellingyou he is upset at you.
Also of interest, in a sidebar to the article on Joey, was a list of 4 officials currently in the league that all went to the same high school in Philly. In a league of 60 officials, 4 went to the same high school. Did they have a great officiating program there? A great trainer in the area? Was there something in the water? Or, is it a reflection of how the league recruited new officials into the league? I think I know the answer, but until I’m sure, we all can just guess.
Meantime, if you don’t have your subscription to referee magazine, get itnow!
This is one reason why your team is not going to make it anytime soon – their focus is way off. I’d also like to thank you (as a spurs fan) for keeping Nelie around. That insured us being better than you thru at LEAST nash/fin’s career.
Comment by wow powerleveling -
When I pay to see an NBA game there are two things I want. One is to see a game that is called fair, clean and consistant (near pipe dream in today’s NBA). And two I want the referee’s to seen but not heard.
Comment by runescape money -
There are certain things that do need to be looked at in NBA officiating. I have watched several games this season, and especially in the playoffs and quite frankly I think that high school and college officials do a much better job of officiating than NBA officials. Too bad that they dont have the checks to go along with it.
At least high school and college officials know the definition of a traveling violation. I dont think the NBA refs have ever even heard of this rule based upon watching the playoffs. We also know what a foul is! I understand that there is going to be some contact when you have 10 bodies playing and some of that contact is incidental. However, some of this contact going on in the paint is just plain rough. Then they wonder why the opponents react and then you have confrontation.
I mean for instance, yesterday, 4/29, in the clippers game, there was a play where you had two players going for a rebound, and one of the players had his hand on the other guys privates. Then after the play, the clippers player shoved him and got a technical foul given to him. The tv station replayed that several times and showed what happened, and made comments regading it.
I mean I feel that he was correctly assessed the tech, but they should have went to the monitor to see what caused that. Not one of the three officials seen that. I mean come on! That should have been a double technical situation. I could see where an incident like that could cause some punches to be thrown and then your game goes down the toilet.
I have officiated basketball for 6 years and honestly I feel like our varsity crews call the game of basketball the way that the rules intend it to be called. I think I speak for alot of officials when I say that the NBA refs make all of us look bad. What you call and don’t call in the big leagues, the players, fans, and coaches expect us to let it go at our level as well. That is not good for officiating, the players, nor the game of basketball.
Comment by bballref -
It’s all about the cialis pill..
Comment by cialis -
The cialis man being the difference between western open.
Comment by cialis -
Today was a complete loss, but maybe tomorrow. My life’s been dull recently. I haven’t been up to much today. My mind is like a fog. Not much exciting going on worth mentioning.
http://www.phonebell.net/
Comment by long distance call -
LED flashlight, aluminum flashlight, 2 AA flashlight,China
Comment by wang -
Buy cialis and achieve satisfaction in your life.
Comment by buy Cialis -
Mark,
As long as you keep your critism of NBA referees constructive and with technical back-up I will support you 100%. I do believe that there will come a day, that because you challenge the man (the NBA) and it’s officiating, that I may be able to sit down and watch an NBA game without a referee trying to become part of the entertainment. When I pay to see an NBA game there are two things I want. One is to see a game that is called fair, clean and consistant (near pipe dream in today’s NBA). And two I want the referee’s to seen but not heard. As long as the NBA has Mark Cuban everyday there is a better chance I will be able to see my version of the NBA. Thanks
Comment by Ken Maren -
Yeah… I think i’ll put my subscription in right now 🙂
ha… I’d rather subscribe to Reefer Magazine, if there is such a thing.
Comment by Brian Smith -
Damn After Nash got his fourth foul with a couple minutes left in the 1st half, I
was writing YOUR entry in my head.But they won and they covered the spread.
I guess that was a well officiated game?
Comment by Deep T -
Wow, so much happens when you leave this forum for a little while. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I like it! Anyway,Mr. Cuban,if you’re abducting any of us in this forum randomly, I’d look to put in a request. You may call or e-mail at anytime, even in the middle of the night, waking my wife and children ( they’ll get over it). If you want to get crazy, you can even come to my house, knock me unconscious and drag me away in the dead of night, letting my family think I’m being dragged off by some seedy hitmen. Or a drug cartel. Or some renegade stalker hillbillies who spotted me washing my car without my shirt on to have their way with me! You want to talk about good reality television, that’s it!!
_________________
Dan Parent (archieboy)
Comment by Dan Parent -
…movie review. Well since Cuban insists on boring us with more of his referee “dribble” I thought I would “pass” over a movie critique that might interest those with a life.
Saw the movie “Man On Fire” and it was tremendous. It really gives the phrase “revenge is a dish best served cold” value and character. It makes you start to think that there are times when certain criminals and terrorist perform such hideous cruelty on others that the only real way to fight them is with the same terror they practice on the innocent.
It really makes you wonder if at a certain level of crime, terrorism or atrocity, if there should be a completely different rule of punishment of an eye for an eye for some of these inhumane people.
Anyone that can get on a bus full of children and detonate a bomb in the name of their religion (any religion), their people, or their country and brutally end the life of innocent people that have nothing to do with harming them deserves the same in return, and to die a painful slow death.
Comment by Critique -
What is going on I try to read Mckeevers Blog and I keep getting your site?
Comment by DAN -
thanks for posting again. the three day absence of not reading any new posts was tough.
Comment by Ashwin K -
look on the bright side: the chaos avoided by a lack of officiating is outweighed by the occassional chaos caused by officiating. I call the situation the NBA is in, “Humoristic,” a word meaning “you can’t live with them, you can’t live without them, so just let it be.”
Comment by matt kohn -
My lord, cuban. Never have I known an organization so infatuated with the refs as yours. NOR have I ever known a champion (in any sport) to whine their way to the top of the mountain. This is one reason why your team is not going to make it anytime soon – their focus is way off. I’d also like to thank you (as a spurs fan) for keeping Nelie around. That insured us being better than you thru at LEAST nash/fin’s career.
Once the spurs were (nearly as) obsessed with the refs, whined just like nash or bradley on EVERY call – but then they got through it. Now they have 2 trophies.
As much as you’ve helped the mavs organization (and it’s been LOTS), you’re hurting them now with this nonstop banter. You need to take the torch and refocus the team on winning, not whining…
…But I know you won’t, and that’s fine by me. Go SPURS Go.
Comment by Ken -
interesting article, it’s one of the reasons I quit watching NBA games, the refs have just way too much influence on who wins the game. The games most popular players get away with murder, the rest of the teams due to the refs are spoting the lakers almosr 20 a game by letting shaq play bowling with opposing players, Kobe travel and maul people on defense it has sort of become a joke.
Comment by bob -
congrats to jamison, but John above me is right: Jamison should’ve started all season… he’s played well in every game and brought everything… Walker disappeared after the first 2 months (when he was carrying the team)
– Brian
Comment by Brian Dimm -
Al Harrington should have been 6th man, not Jameson. Actually, Jameson should have been startijg for Walker. Walker is probably one of the most overrated players in recent history. I’m sure Pierce is glad that guy left Boston.
Anyway, Harrington was more valuable on a MUCH better team.
Comment by John -
I know that High School they teach a great course on how to cover the “spread”
Put up stats on calls made in the last 2 minutes of the game that directly impacted the SPREAD.
Need more proof look at the end of the Knicks game last night.
Come on follow the money . Thats your story.
Comment by Deep Throat -
Here’s a much better officiating site: http://www.officiating.com
And a great officiating discussion forum: http://www.officialforum.com
Comment by Bradley Batt -
An inherent problem in all organized athletic events is the element of necessary human involvment. Without it, the sport would be a mess, and with it, human judgement will always influence the outcome. And in my opinion, the style or tolerance of the ref doesn’t really matter – players know what to expect and will naturally push it to the limits. Oddly enough, this is very similar to many aspects in our life – one that comes to mind is our government – without it we would have complete chaos, but with it, we must live with the decisions of man, which unfortunately errs in judgement often. So who we choose to ref is the greatest challenge – 4 from the same high school is absurd
Comment by Micheal Gilbert -
Mark, why are you so obsessed about refereeing? Come on, the Mavs are getting their butts kicked by the Kings!!!! Officiating is a problem but officials are not the reason for the 2 consecutive L’s…I don’t care if the 3 secs calls are down 23.3564% in the playoffs, i wanna know what do you have in mind to improve the Mavs.
GO MAVS!
Comment by Jacinto Barreiros -
It’s always interesting to see the officiating side of the league, because in all actuality, they control it. My question is… Do refs get groupies? If so, why?
Comment by JayOrDan -
I saw Joey at the Mavs Vs Sonics game here in Seattle. I’m a Joey fan and was cheering for him when he walked thru the entrance for the locker rooms. He seemed amused.
Comment by Travis McPherson -
Mark you are such a geek. How about obsessing about creating a winning championship team. That way you can cancel your referee magazine subscription. One and Done baby!! Freako
Comment by Kings Fan -
Marky Markman, cubester, the cubaninator…..
you are really starting to warp peoples heads over on the board. They are seeing invisible munchkins and your blog has subliminal messages. can you shed a little light
http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=282
yah yah ayh == ref stuff is important, yah yah yah == definately == yah ayh yah = I couldnt agree more == yah yah yah == cool, yeah me too
so what do you say? maybe a little INFO about casting????? wet our pallets? keep the dogs at ease???
Comment by wedgie -
And by ways of Paul’s link, here is the crawford interview: http://www.referee.com/more/Samples/non_subscribers0504/free_joecrawford.html
Comment by MG -
Here is the correct link:
http://www.referee.com/
Comment by Paul Bradley -
Wow Cubes, I hope you really don’t spend as much time as it seems trying to figure out the rubic’s cube that is NBA Officiating. I play rec league hockey and have the same problems. It’s a “ref culture” problem, not an NBA one. It sucks that you have to adapt the way you play the sport to match the way games are officiated, but it’s similar to the way that society views general elections. No one votes for the candidate the think best represents them, they vote for the person who they deem more likely to win that isn’t as bad as another guy that might win.
Do you think that is going to change anytime soon? Maybe when refs call games based on the action and not the players.
T
Comment by Travis Richardson -
hmmmmmm! AMAZING!
CANNOT LINK TO MAGAZINE
WOULD THAT BE JAR MAN?
Comment by Pam Palmer -
4 refs all went to the same high school? HMMMMMM…… sounds a little fishy to me. To this day every time the Mavs draw crawford (name purposely not capitalized) I bring up to my friends the game against the Spurs. That was quite possibly the most blatant display of personal animosity shown by a ref that I have ever seen. BUT on the brightest possible side, at least he is man enough to admit that he was wrong. Perhaps this could finally be a turning point in his sometimes biased career, but I doubt it. Have to go to class now, but you can bet I will be watching the Mavs on Saturday and Monday. Thanks for enlightening the masses about the officals and when I hit the link to referee magazine, it came up unavailable.
Comment by Michael Roberts -