It didn't matter to Bucks bettors who were happy to see Manu Ginobili's shot drop at the final buzzer Wednesday night. It prevented an overtime and assured that Milwaukee -- which was getting 7 points -- would cover the number. Spurs bettors would have loved to see the shot miss and take their chances in overtime.
But what sucked so much about Ginobili's shot was that referees Scott Foster, Eric Dalen and David Guthrie all refused to call an obvious travel call on Ginobili just before he got off the game-winner.
No shock there. Despite what referees tell you about calling the game the same in the final minute as they do in the first 47, everyone knows it's a lie. No referee wants to be the one to make a call to decide a game, so the no blood/no foul/no travel/no northing edict goes into effect with the games on the line.
The interesting question to ask is if Ginobili gets the same no-call if the game was in Milwaukee. Jordan would have. Bird. Bryant too. James probably. If the NBA really believed in calling the game fairly, Jordan would have gotten called for a pushoff on Craig Ehlo.
So Ginobili gets the call at home, Spurs fans go delirious, the Bucks get screwed over and life goes on in the NBA, where bad calls -- and bad no-calls -- happen. Especially in the final seconds.
It didn't matter to Bucks bettors who were happy to see Manu Ginobili's shot drop at the final buzzer Wednesday night. It prevented an overtime and assured that Milwaukee -- which was getting 7 points -- would cover the number. Spurs bettors would have loved to see the shot miss and take their chances in overtime.
But what sucked so much about Ginobili's shot was that referees Scott Foster, Eric Dalen and David Guthrie all refused to call an obvious travel call on Ginobili just before he got off the game-winner.
No shock there. Despite what referees tell you about calling the game the same in the final minute as they do in the first 47, everyone knows it's a lie. No referee wants to be the one to make a call to decide a game, so the no blood/no foul/no travel/no northing edict goes into effect with the games on the line.
The interesting question to ask is if Ginobili gets the same no-call if the game was in Milwaukee. Jordan would have. Bird. Bryant too. James probably. If the NBA really believed in calling the game fairly, Jordan would have gotten called for a pushoff on Craig Ehlo.
So Ginobili gets the call at home, Spurs fans go delirious, the Bucks get screwed over and life goes on in the NBA, where bad calls -- and bad no-calls -- happen. Especially in the final seconds.
It happens in every sport, but I had a ard time figuring out why Sac' Pooh hit a 3 w/ 1 second on the clock to kill my Hornets -5 teaser. He sucks all year long, but when the game is out of reach, he can hit a BS 3?
It happens in every sport, but I had a ard time figuring out why Sac' Pooh hit a 3 w/ 1 second on the clock to kill my Hornets -5 teaser. He sucks all year long, but when the game is out of reach, he can hit a BS 3?
The funniest thing to me about NBA referees is that they have the "slowest" game out of the major four sports to call. It's the only sport where the athletes are not at a full sprint...nor is a ball/puck traveling at 50-100mph as it is in baseball/hockey/football.
Basketball is, and always has been, a primarily stationary sport. The problem IMO is that much like the NFL and MLB...the refs are too old. They are too slow. The athletes today are much bigger and faster than they were 15-25 years ago.
I'm familiar with the subject because I was a basketball ref throughout my high school and college years...and I know what is required. The greatest compliment a ref can ever get is when someone says "I didn't even notice you out there". In other words...there was nothing I can possibly complain about. Unfortunately for the NBA...this rarely happens.
The funniest thing to me about NBA referees is that they have the "slowest" game out of the major four sports to call. It's the only sport where the athletes are not at a full sprint...nor is a ball/puck traveling at 50-100mph as it is in baseball/hockey/football.
Basketball is, and always has been, a primarily stationary sport. The problem IMO is that much like the NFL and MLB...the refs are too old. They are too slow. The athletes today are much bigger and faster than they were 15-25 years ago.
I'm familiar with the subject because I was a basketball ref throughout my high school and college years...and I know what is required. The greatest compliment a ref can ever get is when someone says "I didn't even notice you out there". In other words...there was nothing I can possibly complain about. Unfortunately for the NBA...this rarely happens.
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