Now that NBA commissioner has instituted a zero tolerance rule for complaining to officials, players are now whining about not being able to whine. Gimme a break.
I for one am all for this rule. Complaining about the officiating in the NBA has become too commonplace. Refs are going to make bad calls. It’s just a fact of the game. But I don’t need to see a player hollering, throwing his arms up, and rolling around on the floor everytime a whistle blows.
Take Rasheed Wallace of the Pistons, who has four technical fouls in four games so far this year. The man goes nuts after every call or no-call. It’s pathetic. He looks like a little kid out there, throwing a tantrum after mom refuses to buy him that new toy. Act like an adult for once, ‘Sheed.
In addition to his on-the-court protests, Wallace had this beacon of wisdom on the new rules:
“I know they’re going to have to do something about this crazy zero-tolerance law. That’s retarded. In my mind, it’s kind of like a slave and master or father and son. You’ve got your little son and (you say) don’t say nothing back to me - and to me, that’s totally wrong. It ain’t like that in any other sport.”
Take a moment to try and make sense of that rhetoric. Just forget everything you know about sense or proper English.
Is showing respect to the referees too much to ask of this guy? Is it also too much to ask to play basketball and not throw all sense of composure out the window when you disagree with a call? I think for Rasheed Wallace, it just might be.
All these players are claiming that the new rules “take the emotion out of the game”. If I remember correctly, guys like Jordan and Bird played with as much emotion as anyone in the NBA, but they didn’t look like kindergarteners. They channeled that emotion into the game itself, not at the referees.
Charles Barkley used to always say that NBA stood for No Babies Allowed. It’s apparent that several managed to make it in anyway.
November 8th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Well said, Kenster. They need to play the game and quit sweating the refs on their calls.
It’s all about sportsmanship and character.
They should also supply the refs with a stepstool they can climb up on to smack the whiners.
November 8th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
Not just a stepstool. A can of mace.
Give those crybabies a REAL REASON to whine.
November 8th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
I’m tall enough without a stepstool AND have the pepperspray. Just point me in the right direction…
November 8th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
Did I mention I live in the greater Detroit area so I’m also in the near vicinity of these crybaby thugs.
November 8th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Crybaby Thug = Ja Rule
February 2nd, 2007 at 8:47 am
Ken you’re WAY off. Bird and Jordan were franchise players who had the referees by the balls. First of all they didn’t need to tantrum over disputes, but to say that they didn’t constantly barage the referees shows your ignorance of the game because they were masters of it.
February 2nd, 2007 at 7:31 pm
No, I’m not way off. All players are going to argue a call. The difference is how they do it. Guys like Jordan and Bird didn’t erupt verbally, untuck their jerseys, and roll around on the floor ala a guy like Rasheed Wallace. And a majority of players today know how to not get tossed from a game over an official’s call. The other guys need to grow up and play ball.