referee-costume


Proposed NBA Post-Lockout Refs:
Way more bad calls. Way less fan complaints.


As I have been pondering the possibility of anointing an Actual Score NBA Champion, I visited a Web site that was called to my attention when the idea first arose, www.refcalls.com (thanks Stephanie G). The prevailing opinion was that I needed a good arbiter to help decide fair calls vs. bad calls, and that this site would provide a valuable service in that regard.

Anyway, when I went to check that site today, I found that the second-half analysis of Game 1 of the NBA Finals is "no longer available due to a copyright claim by the NBA." Refcalls has indicated it is doing what it can:

"We noticed on Thursday morning that our video has been taken down by YouTube. We are working on this. It makes you wonder if the NBA feels a little threatened by our work since there are thousands of YouTube videos with NBA footage in them that continue to run. Stay tuned."

I just thought I would toss in my two cents to the NBA:

First, You reveal your collective selves to be petty and insecure with a ham-handed move like this.

Second, fans don't need refcalls.com to generate ire over NBA officiating. In fact, I would argue refcalls.com does you a service. I suspect there are plenty of fans who visit the site only to come away realizing either: how difficult it is to make a given call without the benefit of slow-motion instant replay, or: that the questionable calls in a given game, when laid out in video form, are not as egregious as they remember in their mind's eye. Granted, I'm sure just as many folks visit the site and go away saying "yup, refs suck," but you know what, those people already thought that NBA refs suck.

Third, don't make yourselves ripe for satire. I satirize. And I have Evil in my name. Seriously.

Let refcalls.com continue doing what it's doing, and worry about more important things. Were you aware that there's an impending lockout? And you want to alienate fans even further with dime-store moves like this?

You're the NBA, for God's sake. In the words of one of your former stars and current commentators:

"You're better than that." - Mark Jackson

Editor's Note: Removal of this post is pending, due to the use of an NBA-sanctioned catch phrase.

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34 Comments:
Blogger Caleb Smith said...
Well said Evil Ted.

Note: Rhyme was unintentional

Blogger Evil Ted said...
Revenge of the Sith, Caleb Smith.

Blogger Ash said...
Your rhymes are trash.

Blogger TransINSANO said...
If the Mavs won, I was thinking of making a "Revenge of the Stiff" poster in honor of Dirk, but I'm not sure he's stiff enough?

...

Is it still an unintentionally dirty quote when you kind realize its dirty halfway through?

Anonymous Omedee said...
Your rhymes are trash.

I agree, it's all rehash.
But let's not divulge from the subject at hand,
The almighty Stern has put forth a demand!
His plans and schemes he wants none to see,
Rigging the Finals for the Miami Three!
We can cry and complain, growl and pout...
But all we can wait for is the impending lockout.

Blogger Fishy said...
JVG just said that Barea could release a DVD on how to run the pick-n-roll because he's "just that good"... I immediately thought Nash should do that first

Anonymous sixtyeight said...
Well said! Talking about refs, how comes every player can tap-dance to set their foots before an open 3? LeBron did that tonight, but that's not only him, never saw refs calling a travel in those situations...it's annoying and offensive to educated basketball fans.

Blogger TransINSANO said...
Ugh, if the Mavs keep playing the Heat evenly in first halves only to lose decidedly in the second, this series is going to become progressively more depressing.

Blogger Caleb Smith said...
My rhymes you bash?

Blogger Caleb Smith said...
Haha, gotta love JVG - he just called Mark Jackson's catchphrases "trite cliches."

Anonymous Aaron said...
holy f**k! a steve nash sighting at the nba final with a young hottie all over him! now we understand the truth to his divorce!

Blogger Ragib said...
Yea Ash. Wade is washed up.

Anonymous Aaron said...
even though Dallas won, LeBron and Wade got more highlights. You know...the important things.

Anonymous Anonymous said...
So... should Dirk's new nickname be Larry or Bird?

Blogger Ragib said...
Ahhh. Epic miami choke fail fail fail FAIL CHOKE SHIT. sigh

Well, I guess we'll get a post totally grilling them for this breakdown, like the one Chicago should have had for Game 5.

Anonymous Anonymous said...
holy....shit....

Blogger AnacondaHL said...
Dirk's legacy: cementing nicely, just needs to sun dry a bit.

Blogger stephanie g said...
Dallas has perfected the possum rope-a-dope strategy. This is like the 4th or 5th time they've done it this playoffs. Feels good man.

Also no one will ever forget Bosh's unique way of signaling an alley oop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssXA8ZxHAYY&feature=channel_video_title

Anonymous Jabari said...
And the Heat, like the Thunder before them, suffer from an acute case of premature celebration.

(Is there a pill for that?)

Blogger Unknown said...
The association is practically pretending Miami won; they haven't posted any Mavs highlights on their YouTube channel.

As much as I relished the Dallas win, I'm betting the Hand of Stern will intervene sooner or later.

Also, good to see I was about King Crab choking. It's like Christmas, happens every year without fail. Or, in this case, with a lot of fail.

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Espn is the king of hyperbole. As every victory in any series COMPLETELY SWINGS ALL MOUMENTUM, I mean why even play the rest of the games? Espn is telling me that Dallas not only came back from 15 down, but also found a sustainable energy source, cured cancer, and has paid of our national deficit all on our own. Series over.

And does anyone else notice the hardcore cock sucking that goes on when Magic Johnson is on the set? Wilbon and Barry cannot get enough of him

Anonymous Blizzard said...
Someone needs to check with Tom Haberstroh. Have the Heat won a game by 5 points or less yet?

Anonymous Wouter said...
My God, what a comeback! Major props to the Mavs (well, Nowitzki), playing like a man posessed during these playoffs. Why Miami didn't use that foul to give during the last posession I do not know. A team can go cold pretty much every game, but failing to realise an important fact like that is pretty much inexcusible. I'm glad game 3 is on Sunday already because I gotta admit: this one stung while watching.

Blogger TransINSANO said...
Return of the Dead-Eye

After scoring that final layup I wish Dirk would have stared at the metallic splint on his hand and realized what a monster he's become.

And LeBron James caught Kevin Durant's case of premature celebration. It's okay, it happens to lots of guys.

Anonymous AK Dave said...
Dallas still hasn't played their best ball. Terry and the bench has been subpar. I get the feeling that the Mavs have taken Miami's best shot and guess what? They are still standing.

Anonymous Tom said...
Rick Carlisle, unintentionally dirty quote machine: "The penetration is a problem because it leads to more problems."

Blogger Ragib said...
Eric Spolestra has a history and I'm guessing some sort of philosophy of never using his fouls to give. I remember 6 games over the last 3 years it could have saved the game and perhaps we lost because of it, 2 in the playoffs. This one and last year in the playoffs against Boston, the one where Paul Pierce hit the buzzer beater.

Anonymous bing said...
Dallas in 5 would be a strange end to this season.

Anonymous nillemaster said...
and now imagine the mavs are playing without a hundred turnovers per game...

Blogger Wormboy said...
Come on now, people. Teams rarely win the 3 straight at home in a closely matched series. Miami takes at least one in Dallas. In fact, Dallas MUST win at least two or they are doomed.

Anybody think Dirk or Terry are gonna be complacent about this? And we know Kidd won't.

Also, kudos to the entire Mavs defense: the amped up the pressure and two of the best slashers in the game were settling for contested off-balance outside jumpers.

Oh, and nice ghost foul to send Bron to the line on that last drive. BS call, shouldn't even have required Dirk to make that last play.

Anonymous ChrisLTD said...
Aside from stealing game 2, it's a great sign for the Mavs that they were able to turn around the rebound situation. That combined with better bench shooting at home could be the decisive factors.

Better non-Dirk shooting will have other positive effects as well. Because the Heat wont be able to double Dirk as much turnovers will go down as we see less frantic Mavs perimeter passing.

Anonymous Anonymous said...
marion and lebron both finish with 20 and 8. Who played better?

Anonymous Anonymous said...
I'll just leave this this here

Anonymous Aaron said...
Tom Haberstroh from ESPN will tell you the Heat did not lose a "close game" last night because to him "a close game" is a game that is between 5 points or less at the 5 minutes mark. It was certainly NOT the case last night!