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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 67111 Location: Where the action is
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Posted: 09/01/17 6:53 am ::: Poor WNBA officiating still the bane of league’s existence |
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http://spokesman-recorder.com/2017/08/31/poor-wnba-officiating-still-bane-leagues-existence/
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There hasn’t been a game this season that I’ve watched either in-person or on television where I can honestly say the game was remotely well-officiated |
_________________ I'm sick and tired of the stories that you always tell
Shakespeare couldn't tell a story that well
See, you're the largest liar that was ever created
You and Pinocchio are probably related
Full of criss-crossed fits, you lie all the time
Your tongue should be embarrassed, you're a threat to mankind
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 63930
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Posted: 09/01/17 8:09 am ::: |
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Eh, not one of my favorite authors, and he's obviously still stinging from the missed call from last year's Game 5.
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But this season the zebras have been in overboard mode, stopping play to check nearly every stinkin’ call. This has brought games to a momentum-killing halt. |
That's not really the refs' fault. It's new league directive to review every possible hostile act.
He points out that players complain about the calls, but when haven't they complained about the calls, whether they deserve the call or not. Complaining and flopping have become part of the game.
_________________ Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 67111 Location: Where the action is
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Posted: 09/01/17 8:15 am ::: |
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Shades wrote: |
Complaining and flopping have become part of the game. |
Complaining and flopping have always been part of the WNBA. Anyone who saw the histrionics of Mery Andrade knows that.
_________________ I'm sick and tired of the stories that you always tell
Shakespeare couldn't tell a story that well
See, you're the largest liar that was ever created
You and Pinocchio are probably related
Full of criss-crossed fits, you lie all the time
Your tongue should be embarrassed, you're a threat to mankind
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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 11215
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Posted: 09/01/17 10:14 am ::: |
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I couldn't resist, so I sent him the following email:
First, a little background: I covered the WNBA from the beginning though not in person since the Monarchs were folded. I cover college basketball, write about women's basketball and am a major NBA fan.
I also coach girls at the high school level, and have done so for many years. My teams have been very successful and pretty horrid, so I've seen the gamut of officials.
1) Have you ever officiated?
2) Where would these better officials come from? Where are they officiating now?
Many, if not most, WNBA refs work college during the winter, and my understanding is that every WNBA game is reviewed by a supervisor. So how would going full-time make them better? Did you talk to the WNBA head of officials before writing the story? How about WNBA officials?
And finally,
3) The quality of the officiating closely mirrors the quality of play at all levels, so what's the basic complaint?
Generally, fans only focus on egregious errors by officials, while ignoring or not noticing similar errors by players. (Defensive mistakes in the WNBA are extremely common, and in the NBA too, and probably more common than blown calls, but for obvious reasons, fans and sportswriters don't notice them. Offensive mental errors are also very, very common, but fans and sportswriters will gloss over those mistakes by their team, and credit their team for forcing the other team to make them, but they focus on officials. Note the on line threads about games, and how people go nuts about refs, but say nothing about continued inability to defend the pick-and-roll, to mention just one area of coaching focus.)
Looking forward to your response, especially about your discussions with WNBA supervisors and officials.
_________________ Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 14097
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Posted: 09/01/17 10:59 am ::: |
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I see the article as being somewhat disingenuous from the standpoint of specificity. It's easy to articulate any general statement such as "there's a dozen blown calls each game," or whatever general statement you prefer without providing specifics. It doesn't lend itself much to the credibility of the article if supporting evidence isn't provided. And no, players complaining isn't supporting evidence.
I've thought this year there's been more consistency myself, especially with respect to what does and does not constitute a foul on penetrations to the rim. Players that drive and take a tumble don't seem to me to be as likely to automatically draw a call. Is it perfect? No and it won't be. But if you take my team, they were a huge minus in FTA early and are now a plus. Obviously defensive scheme and positioning is a huge part but I'd think being able to adjust on both ends to how games are called couldn't have hurt.
Oh and I'll criticize the Libs' defense when I think it's warranted. 😉
_________________ The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.
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jap
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 7944
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Randy
Joined: 08 Oct 2011 Posts: 10911
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Posted: 09/01/17 3:08 pm ::: |
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The article is hyperbolic anyway - Poor officiating is not the "bane of the WNBA's existence" anyway. I can think of a many problems that are far more pressing and destructive to the league's success.
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