OT: If you ever wanted to know what it takes to become an NBA ref...

[Strenuus]

In light of the atrocious officiating we saw tonight (and many nights with many different teams) I'd thought I'd share an article I found last night.

http://www.sportsonearth.com/articl...-referee-tryouts-in-new-york-city-for-the-nba

Here at Basketball City, it's not even about getting the calls right; Borgia admits that he's barely taking note of the calls referees are making, and most of his judgments are intangible. Authority, body language and posture are more crucial, for now. "If somebody makes a call, and you believe through their signals and through their presentation that they're right, does it matter if they got it wrong? Videotapes prove if they got it wrong. They're actors."

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Dviss for head NBA official!

 

[e_blazer]

And here I thought that you just had to be flexible enough to stick your head up your ass.

 

[BigGameDamian]

You have to keep in contact with the mafia behind closed doors.

 

[EGame]

I knew it. Now the question is where can I apply and sign up to ref every blazer game.

 

[dviss1]

Damn shame.... This reinforces why is never want to go higher than D-1. You always have to look and act the part. That goes without saying. But get the fuckin' call right! Jesus...

 

[Strenuus]

Damn shame.... This reinforces why is never want to go higher than D-1. You always have to look and act the part. That goes without saying. But get the fuckin' call right! Jesus...

That's why I quoted that part. It irked me, too.

 

[dviss1]

That's why I quoted that part. It irked me, too.

I referee with this perspective:

1. I only have an hour and half invested in this game.

2. Even though I only have an hour and half invested in this game the teams (players and coaches) have hours and days invested in it.

I try my hardest to be perfect because of this. I am not perfect and I, like every other human, make mistakes.
However when you attempt to be perfect, you can get close.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Step 1: Sell your soul to Adam Silver
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit!

 

[riverman]

I still think having more ex nba players taking up the profession will help the fans connect with the refs more and move away from the conspiracy theory paranoia that Donaghy(sp?) etc have given the fan base. Though these corrupt refs have given the profession a black eye, I think it's time for some new blood calling games. I know Joey Crawford has bad blood with Tim Duncan. I wonder if they'll retire at the same time?

 

[Boob-No-More]

I referee with this perspective:

1. I only have an hour and half invested in this game.

2. Even though I only have an hour and half invested in this game the teams (players and coaches) have hours and days invested in it.

I try my hardest to be perfect because of this. I am not perfect and I, like every other human, make mistakes.
However when you attempt to be perfect, you can get close.

Excellent approach!

Just curious, are their any current NBA refs you think do an exceptional job calling the games? We constantly hear people bitching about the refs (and we do it, too), but one thing replay has shown is how many times they actually get the call right in real time. It certainly shows that some, if not all, of the current NBA refs are capable of making the correct calls most of the time.

BNM

 

[BBert]

I still think having more ex nba players taking up the profession will help the fans connect with the refs more and move away from the conspiracy theory paranoia that Donaghy(sp?) etc have given the fan base. Though these corrupt refs have given the profession a black eye, I think it's time for some new blood calling games. I know Joey Crawford has bad blood with Tim Duncan. I wonder if they'll retire at the same time?

I suppose. For example, Reggie Miller 'cheated' as a player, he is IMO a 'corrupt' corporate mouthpiece as an announcer who routinely condones or covers up the same type of 'cheating' he himself was so good at, and I wouldn't trust him at all as a referee.

 

[BBert]

There used to be a ref, his name escapes me, who played briefly for the Blazers, and I swear, whether it was overcompensating due to his connection to the team or some kind of vendetta due to his connection with the team, he was IMO always a little biased against us. I can't pull his name out of my memory bank at the moment.

 

[BBert]

If I could think of his name, I'd add it to the "forgotten Blazers" thread.

 

[riverman]

I think Brandon Roy would make a good ref, I agree Reggie Miller would be awful. It's not a profession for everyone.

 

[dviss1]

Excellent approach!

Just curious, are their any current NBA refs you think do an exceptional job calling the games? We constantly hear people bitching about the refs (and we do it, too), but one thing replay has shown is how many times they actually get the call right in real time. It certainly shows that some, if not all, of the current NBA refs are capable of making the correct calls most of the time.

BNM

Off the top of my head I'll say Bennie Adams, Bennett Salvatore, and Monty McCutchen.

Some of those old dogs (save Bennett), Joe Crawford, Eddie F. Rush, and Ken Mauer need to be taken out back and shot....

 

[dviss1]

I think Brandon Roy would make a good ref, I agree Reggie Miller would be awful. It's not a profession for everyone.

Brandon roy would make a terrible ref. He simply cannot run the floor. That's the main issue with many of the old dogs. They are NEVER in position and they REGULARLY call outside of their primary area of jurisdiction. That is why NBA officiating isn't consistent and why flops are called.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

There used to be a ref, his name escapes me, who played briefly for the Blazers, and I swear, whether it was overcompensating due to his connection to the team or some kind of vendetta due to his connection with the team, he was IMO always a little biased against us. I can't pull his name out of my memory bank at the moment.

According to this article, Haywoode Workman is only the third ex-NBA player to become an NBA ref, joining Bernie Fryer and Leon Wood. Fryer is the only one of those who ever played for the Blazers. The article has an interesting quote about him from Henry Bibby.

I thought I’d get some calls from him because we were friends. He’d always tell me to stop shooting outside shots and go to the basket, and maybe you’ll get a foul. I wanted a favor from him, and he wasn’t going to give me one. We were friends, but once he stepped on the other side, we weren’t friends anymore.

 

[riverman]

Brandon roy would make a terrible ref. He simply cannot run the floor. That's the main issue with many of the old dogs. They are NEVER in position and they REGULARLY call outside of their primary area of jurisdiction. That is why NBA officiating isn't consistent and why flops are called.

Interesting. I would think BRoy could move enough to keep up with Joey Crawford or Dick Bavetta. It's not like he's going to need to be explosive or make hard cuts, leap, etc.

 

[dviss1]

Brandon roy would make a terrible ref. He simply cannot run the floor.

According to this article, Haywoode Workman is only the third ex-NBA player to become an NBA ref, joining Bernie Fryer and Leon Wood. Fryer is the only one of those who ever played for the Blazers. The article has an interesting quote about him from Henry Bibby.

Leon wood is a piece of SHIT who needs to retire. When Joel P. got his broken wrist slapped by Tyson Chandler, Leon wood was in the lead position (the position on the baseline). The fucking play was RIGHT IN HIS LAP.... WTF is this MF doing??? The cardinal SIN of officiating... This MF is ballwatching Brandon Roy at the top of the key. He is actually LEANING into the paint to see him!!! MF!!! The Trail (the referee nearest to halfcourt) had to come in and make a late call.... Stop spectating and do your JOB. You get paid $110K to START.... That is Referee 101.

Same thing on the Harden flop on Wesley Matthews when Harden grabs his face and ISN'T TOUCHED... (What a bitch...) The referee commits 3 BASIC sins... When an airborne shooter jumps you must do what's called "stay with the shooter" and watch him jump and land. After he lands you then quickly shift your view to determine if the 3 point try is good.

1. He doesn't stay with the shooter.

2. He watches the ball (spectating instead of officiating)

3. He GUESSES on the contact.... :MARIS61:

The point I'm trying to emphasize is that these things are referee 101. If you have made it to the NBA level as an official, how did you do so with so many holes in your game? This is easy shit for a veteran.

 

[dviss1]

Interesting. I would think BRoy could move enough to keep up with Joey Crawford or Dick Bavetta. It's not like he's going to need to be explosive or make hard cuts, leap, etc.

You ever referee a game? This happens all the time. Joey Crawford and Dick Bavetta have done TERRIBLE jobs for the last 10+ years and have not been able to keep up with the speed of the game. Ask yourself this:

What happens if I'm the Trail official and there is a mid court steal?

I better fucking BUST ASS to the baseline and beat that play or I'm gonna make an out of position call if there's contact.

 

[riverman]

You ever referee a game? This happens all the time. Joey Crawford and Dick Bavetta have done TERRIBLE jobs for the last 10+ years and have not been able to keep up with the speed of the game. Ask yourself this:

What happens if I'm the Trail official and there is a mid court steal?

I better fucking BUST ASS to the baseline and beat that play or I'm gonna make an out of position call if there's contact.

The pace of an NBA game far exceeds my middle school stint as a ref but there are 3 refs and I know I can out run many of them. You would probably know a lot more about it though and I respect that. So if BRoy couldn't do it, there are others like Michael Finley, Rip Hamilton, etc..ex players who would bring a different perspective to the job.

 

[dviss1]

The pace of an NBA game far exceeds my middle school stint as a ref but there are 3 refs and I know I can out run many of them. You would probably know a lot more about it though and I respect that. So if BRoy couldn't do it, there are others like Michael Finley, Rip Hamilton, etc..ex players who would bring a different perspective to the job.

One thing I will say (not breaking my arm patting my back but I've been super athletic for years) is I am probably the fastest, most fit, official in the PBOA/NAIA. I make it a point not to let these kids beat me up and down the floor. Refereeing 6A Varsity boys as well as some D3 ball lets you know how athletic these kids are. So when I talk about how slow and old these cats are it's from a perspective of someone who's pretty damn fast (38 years old and running the 100 at under 11 seconds).

 

[PtldPlatypus]

One thing I will say (not breaking my arm patting my back but I've been super athletic for years) is I am probably the fastest, most fit, official in the PBOA/NAIA. I make it a point not to let these kids beat me up and down the floor. Refereeing 6A Varsity boys as well as some D3 ball lets you know how athletic these kids are. So when I talk about how slow and old these cats are it's from a perspective of someone who's pretty damn fast (38 years old and running the 100 at under 11 seconds).

You can pat yourself for that. A sub-11 second 100 meters is pretty damn fast. That's basically a 4.5 40.

 

[e_blazer]

If I could think of his name, I'd add it to the "forgotten Blazers" thread.

I believe that Bernie Fryer is the guy you're thinking of.

Oops. I see Platypus beat me to it. Day late and a dollar short is the motto of my life.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

One thing I will say (not breaking my arm patting my back but I've been super athletic for years) is I am probably the fastest, most fit, official in the PBOA/NAIA. I make it a point not to let these kids beat me up and down the floor. Refereeing 6A Varsity boys as well as some D3 ball lets you know how athletic these kids are. So when I talk about how slow and old these cats are it's from a perspective of someone who's pretty damn fast (38 years old and running the 100 at under 11 seconds).

I'm 20 and I'm pretty sure, no, positive I couldn't do that... #whiteguyproblems