JordyG
Stake in my pocket, Vlad to see you
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2016
- Messages
- 13,102
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I agree Scoop. Though I would say most referee's don't have the keen "hindsight" that we fans have either. Back in Jordan's day and before, the game was far more physical. The physicality of the game today in the playoffs is more or less how regular season games were played in Jordan's day. The playoffs were wars. Then as now though refs seem to pick and choose which foul to call and when.Shorty Dee, I seriously respect your opinion, but I don't think he's overrated. I'll not try to dissuade you from your position, I'll just share a thought about LeBron. Many learned basketball pundits who have been watching and covering the NBA for the past 40+ years, have no problem mentioning His Airness, Michael Jordan and LeBron in the same breath. While many will argue which is the greatest player of all time, most would put LeBron right next to Jordan on the NBA's "Mount Rushmore". IMO, James has earned that distinction.
Now, back to your original thought. The players in the NBA only do what the referees let them get away with. Yes he travels, but so does everyone else in the league. Officially, you can take 2 steps after you pick up your dribble. In today's game in the NBA, you can take an extra step, and the refs won't call it. Yes, LeBron and the other super stars in the league get some calls that rookies and 2nd year players don't get, but not gross traveling violations. They'll call those.
If a player can get pushed down from behind right in front of a ref (it happened several times in the Boston/Cleveland series); and Dramond Green pushing and shoving Houston players down nightly, while these are clearly a personal foul violation, yet those fouls aren't called. Why do you think the refs are going to call a minor 3 step traveling violation? It's like "palming" which players often do when driving to the basket. That violation is also seldom called. The only way they could carry the ball more than they do is if it had handles.
Most referees don't have the keen eyesight that we do. The coaches and us (the fans in the stands and on TV) see EVERYTHING. Sometimes the action happens so fast, they miss a violation or two. When confronted by the coaches about a missed call, sometimes they simply say "I didn't see it". For what it's worth, my wife doesn't like LeBron either. She was pulling so hard for Boston, her arms hurt.
People today seem offended that LeBron complains to the refs so much. But those people seem to be new fans that don't remember guys like Rick Barry who started complaining during warmups. He would complain before, during, and after the same shot. Larry Bird was no silent Sam either. People seem offended that LeBron has taken his own professional life in his hands and controls his own destiny. They of course ignore the fact that he plays as hard as anyone. Ever. And rarely misses any court time due to injury. Unlike most of the guys his detractors root for. Some are also offended that he is also unafraid to reveal his social awareness. It is as it is.
