the air

I came across an article on MSNBC.com which talks about two of the most heated debates in the NBA today:

• the new synthetic ball
• zero-tolerance policy towards arguing calls with referees

I thought I was the only one who noticed an increased amount of technical fouls being handed out during many games, but this article confirms that there literally has been an increase in the number of technical fouls handed out. I agree with the principles behind the policy, however, I disagree with the power that the referees have. To me, it seems that there are some referees in the NBA who simply love to call technical fouls on players if they even give them a dirty look or whisper something under their breath. I understand why the NBA doesn’t want its players arguing or creating a major scene with the refs, but at the same time, the refs should exercise some constraint before calling a technical. I’m not a big fan of Kobe, but if a questionable foul or call is made against him, I think it is only fair that Kobe question the call, as long as he does it with great respect. However, these refs simply call technical fouls even if the player is civil.

As for the new ball, I really don’t have an opinion. However, I do agree with the Players’ Association that the issue of introducing a new type of ball in the game should have been discussed with the players thoroughly. Again, this emphasizes my point that the NBA acts as an irresponsible corporation simply because they have no competitor and no federal regulations. In addition, I think David Stern has improved the quality of the game and made NBA games one of the hottest shows in the US, however, his anti-player stance is detrimental to his legacy and his reign.

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