Roughly a decade ago, I had an epiphany. I came to a
conclusion that many sports fans never quite come to
understand.
The lesson was learned at a particularly hard stretch of
two of my favorite professional teams. My favorite
NBA team had been eliminated from the
playoffs. My mind had wrapped around a conspiracy
theory. The base of that theory being that my
favorite team was not the defending champions so they
never got the calls and that everyone hated them
because they were from a small market. Later that
year when my favorite MLB team went through a tough
patch I bemoaned their situation with a conspiracy
theory that was based on the league and fan base
wanting them to do badly because they were the defending
champs and from the biggest market. While each theory
was comforting at the time and individually made
sense, together and side-by-side they contradicted
each other and canceled out the other one.
It seemed so simple. I still was a fan of my team but
didn't let the bias affect the outcome. I knew there
would be bad calls – I knew there would be adjustments
– I knew it would all equal out because the power
behind the game was trying to stay out of the
spotlight, trying not to be the story. I figured
deep down everyone knew this. That we, as fans, just
tormented ourselves. Then I sat behind a guy for more
than six hours at a Summer League. For three straight
games the referees (different staffs for each game),
singled out this guy and the team he was cheering on,
and gave the other team the benefit of every call. So
maybe everyone didn't get it. Of course then there
are the guys in the upper bowl on the second to last
row that saw the call better than the official on the
court. There are also the radio callers the day
after a loss, actually pretty much every day until the next win.
So maybe most fans don't get.
At this point I found myself at odds with almost every
fan base including my own. I became an apologist. I
defended officials in almost every sport in just about
every league. Well except figure skating. I incurred
wrath and ire from friends and family as I defended
leagues against conspiracy theories and referees
against calls.
A tie went to the league. I erred on the side of the
league. I gave them all the benefit of almost every
doubt. I celebrated the games.
I don't explain this to try to make me seem like a
better fan. I explain it to say that I am more of a
fan of the games, the stories, the subtlety and
nuance.
That's why this years NBA playoffs has bothered me.
Officiating has been, in my mind, at an all time low.
It's been bad and had an air of being opinionated.
The worst of all is that it surrounds one team.
I am not sure whom to blame, the team or the League.
I am not saying that the team struck a deal or plotted
out its course. I am not saying that the league is
promoting the team or purposely advancing the team to
the next level. I am just saying it's gone to far.
The Spurs and Suns series will always have an asterisk
in the minds of the majority of NBA fans. The Spurs
over the line play was rewarded. They advanced. They
used the letter of the law while killing the spirit –
and advanced. To be honest I was still defending the
league at this point. Then the commissioner went on a
national radio program and acted like a child
defending the leagues decisions and officiating. He
acted so out of character and so petty that he stole
the story and the spotlight. Now I have to say that
he was wrong – on every instance: wrong on the
penalties, wrong on the defense--both style and
substance.
Game 4 of the Western Conference finals between the
Jazz and the Spurs was out of control. The
officiating was lopsided, atrocious, and worst of all
guided by flopping and acting. The Spurs once thought
of by me, and many I know, as a solid fundamental
basketball team are now just taking advantage of
their reputation and clout and playing garbage ball.
There is nothing to love in the elbows and dirty play;
nothing to love in the flopping. There is nothing to
love in the no calls. There is nothing to love in the
way the league has handled or not handled the "acts"
of the Spurs.
The worst part is I thought the Spurs would have
beaten the Suns straight up. I think they would have
beaten the Jazz straight up. I think they can win it
all. Straight up. But after the way they have played
this post season. Also considering the
leagues/officiating allowance – I won't be watching
the Finals. I have no desire to watch that style of basketball.
I have no desire to see the acts and the sideshow. I have no
stomach to see the league turn a blind eye as if nothing is wrong.
I am not dropping the NBA and Basketball altogether.
I can't wait for the draft and summer leagues. But
for this year I won't watch a minute of the finals. I
won't check the Internet or watch NBATV. I simply
won't care for a few weeks.
I know – I am one fan. It can't hurt that much if a
fan like me boycotts the finals. But it should. The
last time the Spurs and Pistons played it was the
lowest rated finals of the last decade. No one was
interested. I was though. I watched the whole thing because
I am a fan of the game. That's why it should
hurt that I am not watching. If someone like me, who defends
the league to a fault, thinks there is something wrong - You
know it's bad. I am the leagues core
fan – I am the base. You lose me – you can lose it
all.
Like I said though, I am an apologist. I still say Jordan didn’t push off of
Russell. I defend the league. I am sure they will be back better then ever
next year. And when they are, so am I.
Of course there are Spurs fans and other NBA
apologists like the ABC, ESPN television crews (You
got to love Barkley and Smith on TNT – they are nobody's
yes men), who will point a finger at me and all
those like me and say we are poor sports and that
their team is just better. That's fair. But you are
standing alone and pointing at everyone else. If you
really believe it then don't respond. Do what your
team and the league are not doing. Stand up without
flopping.
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