From: edm@wrs.com (Ed McClanahan)
Subject: Re: blatant bad reffing <long>
Organization: Wind River Systems, Inc.
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 20:28:19 GMT

As a devote Blazer Fan, you can take these words with whatever
amount of Salt you desire...

I agree that the reffing is often bad - but bad at both ends.
What hurts is when the visibly bad calls happen at the end
of a game in a way which seems to determine the outcome of the
game.  I sit back, take a deep breath, and remind myself that
a basket is a basket is a basket - no matter what point of the
game it occurs.

It does seem to me that the refs have done an about face this
year...  Early in the season, we were all talking about the
Shaq Rule which "opened up the middle for the Big Men".  In fact,
the early season games I saw, the refs seemed to be calling things
alot closer.  If a defender barely places two hands on an
offensive player who receives the ball - it was almost an
automatic whistle in the early part of the season.

Things appear to have changed dramatically...  Many examples abound,
but let me focus on one "no-call" that just eats me up everytime
I see it (not called)...

I did not see the Bulls-Spurs game but the ESPN highlights showed
Scottie Pippen make one of his rare hoops in the game.  (I believe
he was something like 5-for-17.)  Anyway, it was a delayed fast
break, Scottie receives the ball, takes two steps ending in what
is called a jump-stop (both feet), then hops to both feet, then
jumps and shoots (and makes it as the defender stopped defending
back on the fourth step w/out a dribble).  Suffice it to say that
Scottie took 6 steps w/out dribbling - and with his athletic ability
would have been able to WALK around THREE DEFENDERS let alone ONE.

I have Season Tix to the Warriors.  I was happy to see Marcialonis
back.  He is performing an amazing feet, especially when you see
him with obvious problems even walking.  I don't quite understand
why he is playing - but I have to admire his grit and ability to
score (and sometimes defend) obviously gimpy.  This is in contrast
to players like Drexler who's scoring and defense disappeared when
he came back too soon.  Anyway, it seems the refs "admire" Marcialonis
as well.  They seem to grant him huge leeway every time down the
floor.  I happened to attend both the Utah and Seattle games last
week.  Marcialonis could have been guilty of "zone defense" atleast
TWENTY TIMES in those two games.  But more annoying than that, the
refs would "look the other way" when Shroonie would drive and have
to take an extra step because his weakened leg couldn't push off.
At one point, Shroonie took the ball right of the free throw line
and drove two steps w/out a dribble, ran smack into a lost defender
who hadn't moved in 5 seconds, bounced off, took another step, and
passed the ball to Tim Hardaway - again, no Travelling call.

Ironically, I think the no-Travelling calls will, in the long run,
tend to elevate weaker players to the achievement level of such
great ball handlers as Pippen, Jordan, Hardaway, Drexler, etc...

On another note, the Warriors seem to get a much better treatment
from the refs at home.  This is most apparent with Mullin.  Away
from Oakland, Mullin often swipes at ball handlers as they drive
past his stagnant defensive position.  More often than not, Chris
is called for a foul.  At home, this is almost never called (I
haven't seen it called once this year).  Now, I don't think Chris
is executing the swipe-steal THAT much better at home to account
for this difference.  When this seeming injustice bears its ugly
face I again sit back, take a deep breath, and remind myself that
every team plays 41 at home and 41 away.  Lest you doubt, consider
the home/away records of Seattle and Utah...

Sorry to rabble on so...

Ed "will Clyde make the All-stars this year" McClanahan
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  Edward McClanahan
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro