Don't Ask About The Refs

Written by wendell maxey | 30 April 2009

Hear any good stories about NBA refs lately? If you are like everyone else following the league, it’s pretty much open season on zebras. That goes for Portland, Houston, Dwight Howard, but apparently not Rajon Rondo.

With every game and nearly every playoff series, a new conspiracy theory is born about NBA officials - even comments about comments on officials.

Take Wednesday for example, and a quick story I ran over at HOOPSWORLD on Houston’s Rick Adelman. 

During his Game 5 postgame presser, some wizard actually tried to lure Adelman into talking about the officiating and Houston’s scant trips to the foul line. Seriously? You’re gonna go there? The guy just forked over big bank, yet the grenade was lobbed from the right side of the room nevertheless.

Smooth.

The look on Adelman’s face was priceless – his response even more money.

"I mean, you can't be serious,” Adelman burned. “Unless you want to loan me some money I'd be glad to say some things. I'm not going to say anything."

Yet when I started receiving replies about that story early Wednesday, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Still rolling them.

“[H]ow about adding some of the remarks your Portland coach made to this article,” one reader wrote.

Love how Nate McMillan is “my” coach. Love how the only “remarks” McMillan made after his fine was a story about his late mother telling him long ago to “shut your mouth and do your job.” Love how some people just don’t get it. Love how this story was about Adelman responding to an incredible ludicrous question – but even then the point is missed.

Love how conspiracy theories about NBA officials are the new black.

Look, some officials and officiating crews have been shoddy in the playoffs thus far. Let’s be honest. Likely will continue to happen as we proceed to the NBA Finals. A mentor of mine tried to convince me today the officiating will improve by the Finals because it will be the best crew available working the series.

Sorry coach. Not buying that bill of goods. At least not yet. At least not until I see the NBA Finals go down without people finger pointing the refs for a bad call here and a missed call there. Players miss shots. Coaches make poor adjustments.

And officials – all of them at one time or another – will botch calls.

It happens.

pic via: business week