bjournal::juxtapoz

Not sure how many of my intermittent visitors (though, I don’t think Google Analytics tracks RSS feeds) are (were) watching the Rockets/Lakers game, but Kobe Bryant was just called for a technical foul (I’ll post a video later). There are a couple of things to comment on:

1. Whichever Van Gundy is calling this game is an idiot. Artest got bumped in the head and ran off the court. Later, when Kobe and Ron-Ron were talking, the video tape clearly showed a cut on Artest’s tongue, which nobody commented on since Van Gundy was too busy flapping his trap about how Artest “overracted” and “sold the foul.”
2. The officiating in the NBA, and definitely in the playoffs, is terrible. Awful. Atrocious. Pathetic. As an example, on the play we are talking about, Kobe ran right into Artest, and in addition to the head-butt technical, the result of the play was that Artest got called with a foul. I didn’t mis-type that. Kobe got a technical for head-butting Artest, but Artest got a foul called on him for being in Kobe’s way on the same play. There are a number of reasons for sub-standard officiating:
   1. The rules are ill-defined.
   2. The way David Stern wants the rules to be enforced is sometimes contrary to the way the rules are written.
   3. The refs are human (and may be unethical)
   4. The refs and David Stern think the refs’ responsibility is to control the game
3. Anybody who plays the game knows what a foul is what a foul isn’t.

From my perspective and sensibilities, there is an easy solution to the problem of bad officiating: get rid of officals. The “foul/contest + observer”* mechanic of ultimate will take the place of officials. Many people would be skeptical of such a plan, but I must say that I have never played in an ultimate game where the officials had a significant impact on the outcome of the game (mostly because there aren’t any).

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest arguments against removing officials would be players like Kobe who think that every time they are touched, even if they initiate the contact, that it is a foul. I believe that the reason Kobe, and players of his ilk (which is a lot, by the way, I only chose Kobe because we were already talking about him, and he is being particularly whiney tonight) are sensitve to being fouled is because of officials. In fact, if you look at basic basketball strategy, much of it is centered around getting fouled. That seems wrong to me, and if you think about it, it is wrong. The game is about players.

Officials (observers), would still be necessary, of course, especially during the transition. They would be used to reset the shotclock, rule on twos and threes, call three-second and illegal defense violations, etc. Of course, they would also be there to resolve disputes and to intervene if necessary, and the League would review players’ foul/contest behaviours, and issue penalties if needed.

Think about it. Players controlling the game.

* A player calls a foul, the offending player can say ‘contest’ if they feel there wasn’t wrong doing, and the observer settles disputes, should they arrive. A contested foul results in a “do-over” essentially.

Tuesday: to be honest, today is Wednesday, and I can’t really remember any thing significant, other than the Celtics game.

Wednesday: The season finalé of Lost wasn’t the best two hours of TV, but it was close. Been battling a cold, but I’ll be alright.

Shared by Oz
In a continuum of funny comics, this one is notable.

At 8:50 to play in game 5 of Orlando vs. Boston, Mickael Pietrus cut behind the Celtics defense, leapt in the air, and dunked the ball. This shot put Boston down 77-63 with 8:48 to play. Over the next 4 minutes and 52 seconds, Glen Davis and Stephon Marbuy scored all 16 Boston points (they averaged 10.8 per game combined during the regular season), as compared to 8 from Orlando, and only four from Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu (who averaged 37.4 PPG during the regular season).

And even though Orlando was still up with 3:56 to play, the game was over as Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins, all of whom were not on the floor since 8:48, came into the game, and Orlando mustered three points for the remainder of the game, all on free throws intentionally given.

It may have been one of the most stunning and masterfully-coached sequences I’ve ever witnessed. Boston knows how to finish, Orlando doesn’t (hint: give the ball to Dwight Howard).

Monday: you can actually tell that summer is nearly here. The students are restless.

Saturday-Sunday: made two excellent breakfasts, watched the Best Picture nominees and the NBA playoffs, and enjoyed the rainy weekend.

Make sure you stick with it until the bitter end… the part with Mike Tyson (actually Mike Tyson).

I am watching Dallas/Denver, game 3, and Josh Howard just got a technical foul for hitting a ball into the stands after the play was over. I suppose that it goes down as a “delay of game” type penalty, and it isn’t the first time that I’ve seen a player penalized for it. The theory, I think, of throwing a shot like that back— after the play is over— is an assertion of toughness: any time you come in here, we’re planning on turning you away. The Celtics won a championship last year with that sort of mentality, and I think it is a winning one.

I have a huge problem with penalizing a player for it. The way I see it, the offensive player continuing after the whistle has blown is the one delaying the game, though I have definitely never seen a player penalized for it. In fact, right after he got a penalty for it, Chauncy Billups shot the technical free throw, ran up to get the ball, grabbed it out of the net, and put it back in the basket. Delay of Game, Technical Foul? Not a chance.

We like to call that a double standard.

Thursday: Herky-jerky day. That’s about it, really. It is probably obvious by now, but I love the NBA playoffs.