Ref criticism

[Agent_Bond34 0]

This post pretty much stems from the fines in the NBA over the criticism of the officials, guys like Pat Riley, etc have all been fined JUST BECAUSE they criticized the referees.

 

Is this REALLY something players, coaches, etc should be getting fined for?

 

What do you guys think?

[Guest CanadianChris]

Yes. If they feel really strongly about a call or a referee in particular, they should go to the league office. They do not deserve to be undermined to the media, particularly because officials don't do interviews. The league is snending a message that they will publicly support their officials, which they need to do to uphold the credibility of the game.

 

If a league won't support its officials, what's the point of having officials? Just go out there with no officials and have everyone play thugball all night (which I'm sure Riley would LOVE).

[moral suasion 0]

I agree. I think that one of the crappiest aspects of mainstream sports is that players don't respect the refs. They act like they have more authourity than refs. This is especially a problem in the NBA.

 

I think disputing a major call is ok to some extent, but some guys ask for a foul every time they miss a shot. Other guys just whine. It's rediculous.

[Guest NoCalMike]

I dunno, because usually speaking out in public is going to get more accomplished in the long run, than doing it behind closed doors. Speaking in public brings the issue at hand out there for everyone to see and examine. Writing a letter to the league office would be and has been an insufficient way to get your opinion across. I am all for player accountability, however there should be officiating accountability as well. I personally think the NBA just wants to shut the players up because the NBA will dictate certain things they want done through the officials. I agree the officiating situation is the WORST in the NBA.

[Guest Lethargic]

I just don't understand how in this country, a person can be fined for speaking their mind. Last time I checked we have the right to freedom of speech, call me crazy but I think that also applies to coaches and atheletes. Once again, this is one reason why sports today just aren't as fun as the old days. Nobody is allowed to speak their mind out of fear of retribution from the league. Why should Rasheed Wallace get fined for not talking to the media after a demoralizing loss? That's EXACTLY what I want to see from a player on my favorite team. I wanna see them so pissed off after a loss that they don't want to see or talk to anybody. I don't want them to happily stroll up to the press conference and give a speech. I want them pissed off that they blew the game. I wanna see some emotion.

 

As far as referees. It's OK for everybody to question how the players play. It's OK for everybody to question how the coaches coach. It should be OK to question how the referees referee. It's that simple. They don't want the refs getting ragged on? Guess what, if the refs do a good job, nobody will say anything. But as long as they let the refs get away with murder like they did in that Lakers/Wolves game the refs DESERVE to get bashed. It's real simple. Do a good job, nobody will say anything. Except George Karl, but he's an idiot. Who, I might add, did NOT get fined for his little outburst last week, which is amazing.

[Guest CanadianChris]

I just don't understand how in this country, a person can be fined for speaking their mind. Last time I checked we have the right to freedom of speech, call me crazy but I think that also applies to coaches and atheletes.

Ok, you're crazy. You know, every time someone uses the "right to free speech" argument for something it obviously doesn't apply to, it makes people listen to the argument that much less for a valid application.

 

Coaches and players are employees of the league. As such, they're bound by the rules of that league. If the league wants to put in a rule that referees aren't allowed to be trashed in interviews, that's their right. It happens all the time in other businesses. Reporters are sanctioned for writing inflammatory, racist, sexist, hateful, etc. opinions. Government employees are sanctioned for making embarassing statements in public. There is no such thing as free speech in private enterprise...if you represent a company in public, you damn well better conform to the rules of that company.

[Guest DrTom]

While the league needs to support its officials, it also can't create the perception that those officials are above reproach. And by issuing gag orders and fining people for daring to breath a syllable of criticism, that's what they're doing. The league can still take a public stance of supporting its officials, but instead of issuing a fine for derogatory comments and sweeping them under the rug, maybe they should actually listen. Teams can certainly lose games to bad officiating, and if that's the case, the players and the coach should be able to say so.

 

Note that it's *not* a free speech issue, though, as has been correctly pointed out.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Since the leagues won't allow coaches or players to speak out against officials without a fine, the league in question should have someone in charge of complaints against officiating. Allow the coach or player to meet privatley with that person, too discuss their problems with the official.