Matt Moorer (NBC Sports.com): Sorry, The Gauntlet Has Been Set, Blazer Fans

[ABM]

From: NBC Sports Blog Talk

With NBA Playoffs looming, Portland should have kept their heads
Sat Apr 10,2010 9:50 AM ETBy Matt Moore

Portland, Oregon may not be a big fancy city, but one thing it does have is incredible basketball fans. Smart, passionate, devoted NBA basketball fans. The collective IQ at a Blazers game is probably higher than the average. But last night it plummeted to Neanderthal levels, and it's got nothing to do with getting mad at the official.s It's when they did it.

Last night during the Blazers-Mavericks game, fans became so incensed at a serious of what vast majority of people would call bad calls. Ticky-tack control fouls, foolish technicals, absurd unevenness, and pretty much one of the worst balances of the season, officiating wise. Yet, probably not the worst, and even if so, something that happens routinely in the NBA. And Blazers fans, with where they're at, have to keep a calm head.

They did not.

As Blazers Edge covers expertly in their recap, fans started throwing things on to the court. Okay, not cool, but that's nothing too bad. Worthy of ejection if busted, and not acceptable, but that happens about as frequently as these types of games occur. But they also started throwing things into the Mavericks' huddle.

Too far.

I'm not going to waste your time or mine on why this unacceptable, the possible dangers of doing so, nor am I going to mention the words 'Ron Artest" or "Malice at the Palace." But let's just all agree that throwing things at people is a good way to get things out of hand in a hurry.

But if we're looking for a long-term effect of this, try this on for size.

The Blazers may be screwed come the playoffs. Sure, there are a handful of regular season games between now and the postseason. But the real consequences will come in the playoffs. With that kind of atmosphere, in what will probably end up with a series against just those Mavericks they played DodgeBeer with last night, or the Los Angeles Lakers.

You know, because LA doesn't usually end up on the positive side of the officiating.

The Blazers fans have now set a tone that the refs have to respond to. And respond they will, most likely in the form of setting an early tone, delivering quick fouls and technicals, to make it clear that such behavior will not be allowed again. They have an obligation to set a tone, and while the officials have seen their fair share of these kinds of incidents, their hand is still forced in this instance.

Which is bad news for the Blazers. They need a scrappy first round. They need to rely on heart and ability, because their talent is severely limited by injury and other factors. They are in a position of needing to play the kind of game the officials now cannot let go because of their behavior last night. You create an environment of chaos, and unfair or not, the riot police is going to come to restore order and put people back in their homes.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the tantrum the collective of Blazers fans (and personnel) will needle the refs to go back the other direction. But if they find themselves with Dirk Nowitzki or Kobe Bryant at the line 40 times in a round one game, they'll have to deal with the fact that they, at least partially, were at fault.

The season of unfortunate circumstances for the Blazers continues.

 

[Masbee]

I can't follow this.

Is he saying it is the fans fault that Kobe Bryant or Dirk will be sent to the line 40 times?

This implies that Kobe WOULD NOT have been sent to the line 40 times if only the fans were different?

Really?

They have the whistle?

 

[ABM]

I can't follow this.

Is he saying it is the fans fault that Kobe Bryant or Dirk will be sent to the line 40 times?

This implies that Kobe WOULD NOT have been sent to the line 40 times if only the fans were different?

Really?

They have the whistle?

He's probably talking about all the other guys, as well.....in addition to the established stars.

 

[Driew]

Basically the fans have given the league enough reason to send the stars to the line as much as possible. If this hadn't happened we still would've seen the bigger market get to the line more (LA) but there would be doubt because it was obvious that Lakers got the benefit of the whistles etc.

 

[Ed O]

Refs were bad. Fans were moronic.

It's one game. The loss is a bigger deal than any other factor, and I doubt (a) fans will be so classless moving forward, and (b) the refs will have some sort of vendetta based on a single game.

Ed O.

 

[TripTango]

Matt Moore needs an editor. Beyond that, I'd also say he's reading too much into last night's drama. It was a tough loss, but is he really suggesting that the Portland FANS are going to significantly hurt the team going into the playoffs? I really don't see much of a connection.

Of course, if it is true, we are fortunate to miss out on homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, right?

 

[Rodolfo]

The solution to people throwing shit on the court? Don't sell beer to drunk people!

 

[D-Rock]

I certainly don't condone throwing anything, but the fans have every right to express their displeasure with the officiating last night. Portland fans are passionate and will express disagreement maybe more readily than some other fans, but there's no way it gets as bad as it did if the refs didn't consistently suck. These articles talk about how it was badly officiated on both sides of the ball, but the most egregious calls or non-calls went against the Blazers repeatedly before the crowd really started to get out of control. The refs set themselves up for that. I get that refs have to keep the game under control, but as Mike said repeatedly last night, the game was beyond control before the refs started trying to control due to their ineptitude. If the events of last night result in more BS officiating as opposed to less, then I just don't know what to say.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

So the gauntlet was not set when the Laker fans acted on national TV even worse for the Cavs game?

 

[BlazerCaravan]

The solution to people throwing shit on the court? Don't sell beer to drunk people!

Maybe another solution would be not to call a game so shitty even a drunk person could tell they were being jobbed.

 

[illmatic99]

Wonder how this will affect reffing in LA.

[video=youtube;mJ_6WhF500c]

 

[GoBlazersGo]

Maybe another solution would be not to call a game so shitty even a drunk person could tell they were being jobbed.

Precisely the point, my friend!

 

[jlprk]

The Blazers fans have now set a tone that the refs have to respond to. And respond they will

Really? Then respond we will to their respond we will. We outnumber them. Everyone bring your gun to the next game and wait for my duck call exactly 2:10 into the game. Listen up for a shrill green mallard sound, followed by a fake splashing sound. It was the last sound heard by a lot of ducks.

The solution to people throwing shit on the court? Don't sell beer to drunk people!

...or sell it in bottles instead of cups.

I certainly don't condone throwing anything

With your name? You're a disgrace to all rocks.

 

[TP3]

That might be the most absurd article I've ever read.

 

[Rhal]

That article is so fairly stupid. He says that the NBA will give a bunch of quick ticky tack calls and techs because of this game to keep the crowd under control. Thats the EXACT reason that the crowd got out of control last night. If they have that first quarter every time we play playoff teams at home their will be a riot at the rose garden.

 

[C_note]

Nice stab in the dark attempt by a clueless writer, but I completely disagree. Sure, things got out of hand...but, if he is right about the refs calling things tighter in our playoff series, I think that's EXACTLY what we need and plays right into our hand.

We are nowhere near being a team known for physical play...and are much more talented than he gives us credit for. If games are called tight, I'd actually give us the advantage over most match-ups in the west...

 

[OddEnormous]

This guys right.

The only way the NBA can teach Blazers fans not to overreact to terrible refereeing is for the refs to call premeditated unwarranted fouls next time.

 

[Natebishop3]

Or the fans didn't go far enough..... just once I would love to see the fans storm the court because of some shitty calls, tar and feather the officials, and then leave having satisfied themselves.

 

[julius]

Wonder how this will affect reffing in LA.

That's the first thing i thought of too.

 

[oldguy]

Maybe another solution would be not to call a game so shitty even a drunk person could tell they were being jobbed.

This.

There is no excuse for throwing stuff on the floor, especially at the other team. None. Those people need to grow up.

If the league/officials decide to retaliate with more lopsided officiating, I'll bet it gets loud and ugly. The league can ultimately win, by jobbing the Blazers out of their series. But the league will give themselves a black eye, too.

The league really needs to consider a whole playoff series where the entire crowd boos at every bad call. Chants of 'bullshit', or 'these refs suck', on regional or national TV wouldn't seem to help the league overcome the growing perception that the game has left the realm of competition, and into the realm of entertainment.

DON A GHY, DON A GHY, DON A GHY!

Go Blazers

 

[BlazerWookee]

Really? Then respond we will to their respond we will. We outnumber them. Everyone bring your gun to the next game and wait for my duck call exactly 2:10 into the game. Listen up for a shrill green mallard sound, followed by a fake splashing sound. It was the last sound heard by a lot of ducks.

Funny, I thought the last sound heard by a lot of ducks was a jail door slamming shut?

 

[Pinwheel1]

What a stupid take by this guy. The refs are going to teach the fans a lesson? How absurd. What it will do is make sure the refs assigned to the game will have their shit together. And thats all we ask. If it was a player (See Sheed) that pissed off the refs then he would have a valid argument. But the fans?

Yes the Blazers need to play scrappy, but having the other team play physical on Brandon hurts us more. Quick fouls will not hurt us. What happened last night will more likely help keep it fair. (unless they want to see a riot) Personally I am pround of our fans for standing up to the ineptitude of the officials.