Last night I witnessed the demise of the NBA. I recorded Game 2 of the Finals because I chose to go watch my co-workers attempt to play basketball. I thought that maybe having the injured teammate on the sideline cheering for them could inspire them to win a game. Sure enough, we were up 8-0 right out of the gate. Next thing you know, it's halftime and we're down 37-15. Yeah, we're that bad. Not to mention all the injuries we've acquired in just 5 games. A knee to the head, jammed finger, torn MCL (?), tooth through the lip, fractured wrist, and bruised ribs. The MCL was me and the tooth through the lip and fractured wrist were the same guy in the same game.
Anyway, now you know why I recorded Game 2. So Tracie and I came back to my apartment and I started up the game. I was half paying attention while I was baking cookies (Yes, I was baking cookies. Turned out pretty good too.) and helping Tracie burn cd's on my computer. After Tracie had gone home, I noticed the game was starting to get good, so I put away the computer and decided to watch the end of the game. There were four minutes left. Over the next 1 minute and 20 seconds the referees made it very obvious that the Lakers are going to win the championship. On four consecutive plays the referees calls were so horrid even the announcers couldn't believe some of them.
Foul #1: Kobe Bryant drives baseline, throws up a prayer of a shot while being defended by Mikael Pietrus and it's blocked by Dwight Howard. Whistle blows. Foul on Pietrus, I'm stunned. They show the replay and it's clear as daylight that Pietrus jumped straight up and never touched Kobe. Clear enough that Jeff Van Gundy mentioned on the broadcast that it was a terrible call. Kobe makes 1/2 free throws.
Foul #2: On the ensuing offensive possession for the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu is handling the ball at the three point line with Trevor Ariza defending. Hedo starts to drive, stops, while still dribbling, takes a step back, shoots, IT'S GOOD...whistle blows. Offensive foul. They called Turkoglu for pushing off Ariza, but again, as the replay shows, didn't happen. Basket doesn't count. Lakers ball. If you're counting, that's a three point swing.
Foul #3: Lamar Odem brings the ball up for the Lakers, finds Kobe coming off the screen around the free throw line. Kobe catches, shoots, NO GOOD. Whistle blows. Foul on Mikael Pietrus, his sixth, he's out of the game. It didn't look like there was any contact on the play, but I couldn't tell. They never showed a replay. Kobe makes both free throws. 5 point swing.
Foul # 4: On the next offensive possession for the Lakers, Pao Gasol has the ball about ten feet from the basket, sees Kobe cutting to the free throw line, passes him the ball, Kobe falls to the ground. Whistle blows. Foul on Turkoblu for pushing Kobe to the ground. They show the replay, absolutely no contact on the play. Kobe tripped over his own feet. Jeff Van Gundy responds by saying the officials can't get every call right. Kobe makes both free throws. 7 point swing.
Now here's an interesting fact. In those four minutes, those were the only fouls called. No fouls were called on the Lakers at all. I went back to watch the last 4 minutes again, just to make sure, and I was right. No fouls on L.A., yet it looked like a boxing match the way they were hitting the Orlando players. I counted at least 5 fouls they could've/shoul've called on the Lakers, but didn't. What's really sad is that the Lakers, with the 7 points the officials gave them, still couldn't beat the Magic in regulation. In fact, they almost lost it on an inbound play with .6 seconds left.
So the overtime starts and the officials are still looking for ways to help the Lakers win. Magic have the ball and Hedo Turkoglu is backing down on Ariza toward the basket. It's then that Ariza grabs Turk's arm and starts to pull him to the ground. Odem comes around and knocks the ball out of Hedo's hands. Whistle blows. Finally the Magic get a call!...Nope. Out of bounds. Lakers ball. At this point I'm furious and that was all the Lakers needed to pull away in this game.
Now it's no doubt that I cannot stand Kobe Bryant or the Lakers, but I wasn't the only one to notice these things. I had pretty much made my plan to write this blog last night, and by this morning, had just about all of it down in my head. Now go check out what Bill Simmons had to say about the game, especially the last 4:47 of regulation and the overtime. You'll realize I am not alone.
A few weeks ago, My dad and I discussed that if someone had enough money, they could start a racing series to compete with NASCAR and probably put them out of business if they ran things the right way. Well I'm starting to feel the same way about the NBA. Someone could start up a league, get some rich businessman to start some teams, and start luring the NBA players in. Europe is already starting to do this by offering more money to the mid to low-tier NBA players. Of course the key to this is finding non corrupt referees, which is one of the biggest problems in the NBA.
So if you have, or know anybody that has the money. Let's get this thing started up and save American Basketball before it's too late.
Anyway, now you know why I recorded Game 2. So Tracie and I came back to my apartment and I started up the game. I was half paying attention while I was baking cookies (Yes, I was baking cookies. Turned out pretty good too.) and helping Tracie burn cd's on my computer. After Tracie had gone home, I noticed the game was starting to get good, so I put away the computer and decided to watch the end of the game. There were four minutes left. Over the next 1 minute and 20 seconds the referees made it very obvious that the Lakers are going to win the championship. On four consecutive plays the referees calls were so horrid even the announcers couldn't believe some of them.
Foul #1: Kobe Bryant drives baseline, throws up a prayer of a shot while being defended by Mikael Pietrus and it's blocked by Dwight Howard. Whistle blows. Foul on Pietrus, I'm stunned. They show the replay and it's clear as daylight that Pietrus jumped straight up and never touched Kobe. Clear enough that Jeff Van Gundy mentioned on the broadcast that it was a terrible call. Kobe makes 1/2 free throws.
Foul #2: On the ensuing offensive possession for the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu is handling the ball at the three point line with Trevor Ariza defending. Hedo starts to drive, stops, while still dribbling, takes a step back, shoots, IT'S GOOD...whistle blows. Offensive foul. They called Turkoglu for pushing off Ariza, but again, as the replay shows, didn't happen. Basket doesn't count. Lakers ball. If you're counting, that's a three point swing.
Foul #3: Lamar Odem brings the ball up for the Lakers, finds Kobe coming off the screen around the free throw line. Kobe catches, shoots, NO GOOD. Whistle blows. Foul on Mikael Pietrus, his sixth, he's out of the game. It didn't look like there was any contact on the play, but I couldn't tell. They never showed a replay. Kobe makes both free throws. 5 point swing.
Foul # 4: On the next offensive possession for the Lakers, Pao Gasol has the ball about ten feet from the basket, sees Kobe cutting to the free throw line, passes him the ball, Kobe falls to the ground. Whistle blows. Foul on Turkoblu for pushing Kobe to the ground. They show the replay, absolutely no contact on the play. Kobe tripped over his own feet. Jeff Van Gundy responds by saying the officials can't get every call right. Kobe makes both free throws. 7 point swing.
Now here's an interesting fact. In those four minutes, those were the only fouls called. No fouls were called on the Lakers at all. I went back to watch the last 4 minutes again, just to make sure, and I was right. No fouls on L.A., yet it looked like a boxing match the way they were hitting the Orlando players. I counted at least 5 fouls they could've/shoul've called on the Lakers, but didn't. What's really sad is that the Lakers, with the 7 points the officials gave them, still couldn't beat the Magic in regulation. In fact, they almost lost it on an inbound play with .6 seconds left.
So the overtime starts and the officials are still looking for ways to help the Lakers win. Magic have the ball and Hedo Turkoglu is backing down on Ariza toward the basket. It's then that Ariza grabs Turk's arm and starts to pull him to the ground. Odem comes around and knocks the ball out of Hedo's hands. Whistle blows. Finally the Magic get a call!...Nope. Out of bounds. Lakers ball. At this point I'm furious and that was all the Lakers needed to pull away in this game.
Now it's no doubt that I cannot stand Kobe Bryant or the Lakers, but I wasn't the only one to notice these things. I had pretty much made my plan to write this blog last night, and by this morning, had just about all of it down in my head. Now go check out what Bill Simmons had to say about the game, especially the last 4:47 of regulation and the overtime. You'll realize I am not alone.
A few weeks ago, My dad and I discussed that if someone had enough money, they could start a racing series to compete with NASCAR and probably put them out of business if they ran things the right way. Well I'm starting to feel the same way about the NBA. Someone could start up a league, get some rich businessman to start some teams, and start luring the NBA players in. Europe is already starting to do this by offering more money to the mid to low-tier NBA players. Of course the key to this is finding non corrupt referees, which is one of the biggest problems in the NBA.
So if you have, or know anybody that has the money. Let's get this thing started up and save American Basketball before it's too late.
imagine there's no contact. it's very hard to do. no extra step, no carrying. no lifting up your shoe. imagine all the ruh-uh-les, called how they used to be - ee - ee.
ReplyDeletei may say you're a dreamer. but you're not the only one. perhaps someday some will join you, and new basketball will have begun.