A reader named indyjones1024 tried to drop the whammy on me in today's When is a flop a flop? post. Here's what he had to say:

"Here's my definition: In basketball, a 'flop' occurs when a clearly biased observer (read: basketbawful) overreacts to an embelishment [sic] of routine physical contact displayed by a player of the team the observer unabashedly dislikes (read: Spurs or Lakers), during a basketball game in which said team in [sic] competeing. A 'mental' or, some might say, 'moral' flop is committed when said observer fails to acknowledge, let alone denounce, examples of flopping committed by the teams he favors (read: Hornets or Suns), choosing instead to endlessly harp on those examples that 'prove' his bias against certain teams (read: Spurs and Lakers) is justified. This is often accompianied by photo graphic 'evidence' that proves his assertions."

I responded to this comment by creating yet another new term: The "critic flop." This happens when a quibbler tries to censure someone else's (read: my) opinion without providing specific examples of similar skulduggery (read: wholesale flop-a-paloozas by one of "my teams").

I also issued Mr. 1024 the following challenge, and I'm opening it up to everybody else who reads this site: Find an example in which either the Hornets or Suns were on the receiving end of multiple flop-style offensive fouls in a single minute -- or even a couple of minutes -- during a critical stretch of a crucial home playoff game. And the calls should put two of the opposing team's best players in foul trouble.

If anybody can do that, then I hereby promise to write a special post all about it, crediting my vanquisher and apologizing for my unforgivably biased rhetoric.

Okay. This is everybody's one-time chance to make me eat crow. Good luck.

Rules and restrictions: Entries where evidence is cited as "I remember this one time when..." will not be accepted. Winning entries must have some manner of verifiable evidence (video, AP recap, play-by-play, game log, etc.). Entries must meet the criteria described above because the incidents in last night's Hornets-Spurs game precipitated the discussion. Also note that I will not get into a semantic argument with entrants. As long as each play displays "an embelishment of routine physical contact," I will deem it an acceptable flop.

Note: The graphic accompanying this post is not indyjones1024. It is, in fact, a picture of yours truly rocking an Indiana Jones costume last Halloween. You might not be able to tell, but those are movie-accurate clothes and props, including Indy's vintage British Mark VII gas mask bag. And just in case you're wondering: Yes, I will be wearing this costume, plus the leather jacket, when I go see Indy IV next week. [/geeking]

Labels: challenges, critics, fan submissions, Indiana Jones, officiating, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs