Interview with NBA Director of Officials

[Folsom Al]

Just thought I'd share this .... posted at another Kings website:

Eric (Sacramento, CA): Last week, the outcome of two games in Sacramento were influenced by non-calls related to basket interference or goaltending. How doy ou see the league addressing this, given the fact that the speed of the game is so fast that the officials cannot always keep up with the flow of the game - especially in critical moments? Can some sort of replay be instigated in the closing moments of games?

Ronnie Nunn: (4:24 PM ET ) First of all, we currently use instant replay when the game clock goes to zero for the release of shots, on whether a player's foot is on a line, etc. We do not have goaltending in that profile of plays. Goaltending is the second most difficult play in basketball to judge -- the first being out of bounds plays. In the case of the first goaltending situation in Sacramentor with Amare Stoudamire's block, the play was VERY close and considered marginal, borderline and ultimately inconclusive. Referees are instructed to not whistle plays that are in those categories. Unfortunately, he did miss a call on a flick off the backboard where a goaltending call should have been the response. We must get better at recognizing and anticipating plays off the board. Meanwhile, we are not given credit for the many, many, many calls made in all goaltending scenarios.

 

[gangdogu]

Ronnie Nunn: (4:24 PM ET ) ... We must get better at recognizing and anticipating plays off the board...

No you need to get better at calling a foul on either team on the court. It doesn't matter if you are a Spur, a Sun or a King. Unless David Strern wants you to whistle this way...

 

[VF21]

Ronnie Nunn is very good at toeing the official NBA line. Notice while he says goaltending isn't in the "profile of plays" for instant replay, he carefully avoids any comment about WHETHER or not it should be, especially in critical moments.

His last comment is just dumb. Drivers aren't given credit for all the times they drive without causing an accident either. Why? BECAUSE that's what they're supposed to do. To say the officials aren't given credit for good calls is just inane.

 

[uolj]

Agreed. It is really annoying how defensive the official responses are from the referees or the league when people ask legitimate questions about mistakes.

True, there are tons of wackos or just really excited/upset people that inundate them with conspiracy theories and angry attacks, but when a question like the one above is so nicely put and they still have to come out with the "we get a lot of calls right, nobody remembers that!" line it truly bothers me. The question isn't about the calls that are correct, the question is about the calls that are wrong. Of course some calls are correct, of course we know that you get a lot right, duh!

 

[gangdogu]

BECAUSE that's what they're supposed to do. To say the officials aren't given credit for good calls is just inane.

VF, after following the NBA for so many years, you can't expect officials to make smart comments. They're already unable to do their job properly so don't expect too much from 'em.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Unfortunately, he did miss a call on a flick off the backboard where a goaltending call should have been the response. We must get better at recognizing and anticipating plays off the board. Meanwhile, we are not given credit for the many, many, many calls made in all goaltending scenarios.

Gee Ronnie, how unfortunate they did miss that call and it cost a team a game AND dropped them a position in the standings. 'must get better at recognizing and anticipating plays off the board? Here's a little tip, when it BOUNCES off the back board before anyone touches it, chances are it hit something, since the glass is the only thing there, that's probably it!
Gold stars all around for the many, many, many calls in goaltending scenarios you do make. Give yourself a raise.

 

[Rowdyone]

If goaltending is the second most difficult play to call why isn't it in their profile of plays reviewable? Isn't the idea to get calls right when their's no further time? Stoudimire's "block" happened after Miller let loose of the ball above the rim so by definition was on a descending path and therefore automatically goaltending whether he wants to argue if it was in the cylinder or not. As far as not given credit goes, talk about whining!! If I go to work Monday thru Thursday but skip Friday I've been there 80% of the time and, according to Nunn, should be given credit for what I did do not for what I didn't. Don't think I'd have a job for long....and come to think of it neither should they if that's their attitude.

 

[iheartBrad]

i didn't know they used IR to determine whether or not a players foot is on the line? Does that mean at an end of game situation? It must. And if goaltending is the second hardest call to make...then WHY NOT review it using the instant replay at an end of game situation

We must get better at recognizing and anticipating plays off the board

and where does that leave NBA teams in the meantime?

 

[iheartBrad]

Meanwhile, we are not given credit for the many, many, many calls made in all goaltending scenarios.

i didn't notice this comment until just now

I will give credit when credit is due...and the thousands of times that officials have made the correct calls WILL get totally overshadowed by the one time (or in this case two times in a week)that they make a incorrect call/no call....besides no one remembers the "correct calls" only the "incorrect calls" or the "no calls"...and RN should really know that by now

 

[SaCKiNgS24]

like VF said getting the calls correct is their job!

 

[xrzn]

Goaltending is the second most difficult play in basketball to judge -- the first being out of bounds plays.

You'd figure the most difficult play in basketball to judge is a foul.

 

[B-52]

Thanks Al, I've only E-mailed them about 10 times to get some sort of reply (and vent) I guess we have to wait while they sort it out. trade all of them to the NBDL