The Refs Stole The Game

[malevocalist#]

Wait a minute guys! This has to be resolved! If MN has any brains at all they file a protest with the League! Whether it was reviewed immediately or 12 hours later it makes a difference in who is WNBA Champions!
The Linx were ahead Nneka makes a basket that looked after the shotclock hit :00 as they turned to go downcourt the ref near the scorers table signals for a review, why WASN"T it reviewed? And whether it was not reviewed before the next play was run THE REVIEW was called for, so it HAD TO BE REVIEWED SOMETIME!
Even after the game the refs had to go to the table and resolve whether the shot was before or after the:00!
The WNBA CANNOT have a rule that says if it's not reviewed immediately it's unreviewable!
Maybe the shot WAS in time and that makes the Sparks the Champions or it was after the :00 and MN wins the Championship!
I cannot believe the League will let this stay and just say they didn't review it, game over, LA wins!
How does the Linx lose on a ref mistake!
I am so pi--ed! I was rooting for the Linx but if the review showed the shot was good then congrats to LA, great game, but to me right now MN is the WNBA Champions!

I saw the play over and over. The ball was clearly still in her hands. There is No (if). No buts.

Respectfully Submitted.

 

[malevocalist#]

If the ref DIDN'T signal for the review and play continued I can understand no review! But clearly he signaled for the play to be reviewed so it HAD TO BE REVIEWED AT SOMETIME!

But it never was.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I saw the play over and over. The ball was clearly still in her hands. There is No (if). No buts.

Respectfully Submitted.

malevocalist- - I agree with you, 150%, you're preaching to the choir!
The Linx were robbed of a Championship!

 

[Checkmate]

Refs miss calls...unfortunately it happens. One play does not cost a team a game. Those 14 plays where Minny gave up offensive rebounds probably had a bigger impact.

The refs should not miss crucial calls because they neglect to use the replay immediately . It was a very close call.

 

[DaddyChoc]

And, in the last game, near the end of the game, the refs failed to call an 8 second backcourt violation against Minnesota. Fun game to watch. Some great shots were made by both teams.

yup, that was a fairly important game as well

 

[DaddyChoc]

did we want Maya to win another title it that bad or just didn't want CP3 to win one.

the Lynx screwed up when they lost game one, bottom line!

 

[geneticrex]

Bottom line.............

An entire crew CANNOT miss a call so obvious. It's not like that was a 'judgement' call, as with the typical foul. Watching with my brother, you could see in real time the ball was not released as the clock expired and we both said it almost simultaneously. The replay was absolutely blatant. That is wasn't reviewed at such a critical time, in a game so close, with the championship hanging in the balance................is laughable and only serves to make a mockery of the title.

There can be only 2 explanations.

1. The officials are incompetent to a degree that simply can't be tolerated.

2. Money changed hands in a fashion so suspect, a call to the FBI is in order.

 

[DaddyChoc]

 

[geneticrex]

A whole lotta whining going around... Im just saying

Never confuse the dissemination of fact with 'whining'. It isn't prudent. Even for a Duke aficionado.

 

[jimazee]

Bottom line...

An entire crew CANNOT miss a call so obvious. ...

There can be only 2 explanations.

1. The officials are incompetent to a degree that simply can't be tolerated.

2. Money changed hands in a fashion so suspect, a call to the FBI is in order.

No politics

 

[Ukonnfan]

One question I have is; if the announcers were saying the shot would be reviewed and the basket most likely would be taken away, who told them and why?

 

[JSB60]

Lynx still had the game in their hands with one defensive rebound at the end.

 

[malevocalist#]

Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve was livid in her postgame news conference following her team's loss to Los Angeles in the decisive Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday night.

After congratulating the Sparks for winning the WNBA championship with a 77-76 victory over the Lynx, Reeve lit into the officiating.

"It's really unfortunate that players continually put themselves out there, playing and competing at a really high level," Reeve said. "Whether it was the 8-second call in L.A. or the game today, doesn't matter, OK? The game today, it's not fair to the players. It's not enough just to apologize or send out a memo that they got something wrong, OK? These players are so invested, and something must be done about the officiating in this league because it's not fair to these great players we have

 

[UConn990411]

What I love most about that Reeve quote is Her acknowledging the missed 8-second call that her team benefited from, which was equally horrendous.

Missing a subjective call is one thing, but refs are trained to always be cognizant of time-related rules such as shot clocks and backcourt violations. It's inexcusable to blow these calls at anytime when a giant clock is doing your job for you, so I don't even have a word to describe screwing them up in the closing seconds of multiple championship games.

And do you know what the scariest part is? These are supposedly the top officials the women's game has to offer.

 

[uconnever]

Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve was livid in her postgame news conference following her team's loss to Los Angeles in the decisive Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday night.

After congratulating the Sparks for winning the WNBA championship with a 77-76 victory over the Lynx, Reeve lit into the officiating.

"It's really unfortunate that players continually put themselves out there, playing and competing at a really high level," Reeve said. "Whether it was the 8-second call in L.A. or the game today, doesn't matter, OK? The game today, it's not fair to the players. It's not enough just to apologize or send out a memo that they got something wrong, OK? These players are so invested, and something must be done about the officiating in this league because it's not fair to these great players we have

Im glad she said it and everyone is noticing it. Last year on here i wrote about it in a thread. i wrote about how i tried and tried to support the wnba, but the officials and even some players are just not up to an expected standard. Last year i watched almost the entire season and became outraged at the terrible officials and lazy play. I then wrote on here about how i wont be suprised if the wnba is soon no more. Last night was another prime example. At most jobs, last nights mistake is unacceptable. Here they apologize and go right back to work. Watch next year.....same story. All the little girls dreaming deserve a more refined league. Its not gonna be around much longer.....i give it under 10 years.

 

[geneticrex]

No politics

More of a tongue-in-cheek organized crime (which I happen to have a modicum of experience with) reference, than politics.

Although the similarities are unmistakable.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I complain about WBB both college and WNBA have the worst officiating of any sport! Incompetence is not even strong enough to describe what happens in every game!
One of the main problems are the supervisors evaluating the refs, both in college and the pros are retired refs, that have been working with their "Friends" for over 20 years or so and retire to be the supervisor of a Conference or a league! How do you tell your best friends that they stunk up the court and embarrassed themselves in that game by making horrible calls?
Another problem especially in college is the refs work 5 to 6 games a week all over 1/2 the country, with air travel, hotels, meals, plus the games themselves! It has to take a lot out of 30 to 50 year old refs both mentally and physically!

 

[ricky]

the refs missed a much easier call in game 4. all they had to do was count to 8 for a back court violation. that allowed 2 points and greatly impacted the end of that game. the shot clock violation tonight was a much harder call. both teams had chances to win with bad calls going on. the sparks ended up prevailing. i have to say i am very very happy for parker. she has had a ROUGH year with losing Pat, which was much harder on her than the olympic snub. glad to see her really smile and mean it. it's been awhile.

That entire game you mentioned was a poorly called game in favor of LA. That game and game 5 proves LA can't beat the Lynx without plenty of ref help. But you need to understand that the WNBA in a business and LA needed something to get fan support there. Lynx winning was getting bad for this league. So the business decision was to spread the excitement to this huge base.

 

[easttexastrash]

Sorry. But that one play cost that team the game. Don't know which game you were watching. But that one play happen under a minute left.

That would have put the lynx up 2 points with under 50 seconds.

So tell me again. What game was you watching?

"One play don't cost you the game?" like hell it don't.

What cost Minnesota the game was not blocking out the MVP of the league at the end of the game and letting her grab an offensive rebound and out hustle everyone else and making what turned out to be the winning shot. Grab that rebound and you win the championship, pure and simple.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Whenever folks use language along the lines of, "the refs stole the game," I am reminded of Notre Dame fans. 'Tis the classic losers' lament. Sure, the refs can play a part, as do turnovers, missed shots, etc. The Lynx don't have any excuses. Congrats to L.A. on a gritty performance!

 

[malevocalist#]

Whenever folks use language along the lines of, "the refs stole the game," I am reminded of Notre Dame fans. 'Tis the classic losers' lament. Sure, the refs can play a part, as do turnovers, missed shots, etc. The Lynx don't have any excuses. Congrats to L.A. on a gritty performance!

You act like the refs have never done damage. Sell that fish downstream.

 

[DishNSwish]

Guys, the rule is in the last two minutes, it has to be reviewed IMMEDIATELY, before play continues.

The refs gestured for review, then gave Minnesota the ball who inbounded it. At that point it was no longer reviewable.

Reeve was not clear on this because she then called time out to ask them to review it, using her final timeout and preventing them from advancing to half court after Nneka's final shot.

I don't mind the blown call on the shot, mistakes happen like that. To not know the rule that in the final two minutes it has to immediately go to review and instead let Minnesota inbound and blow that rule, is inexcusable.

 

[malevocalist#]

Guys, the rule is in the last two minutes, it has to be reviewed IMMEDIATELY, before play continues.

The refs gestured for review, then gave Minnesota the ball who inbounded it. At that point it was no longer reviewable.

Reeve was not clear on this because she then called time out to ask them to review it, using her final timeout and preventing them from advancing to half court after Nneka's final shot.

I don't mind the blown call on the shot, mistakes happen like that. To not know the rule that in the final two minutes it has to immediately go to review and instead let Minnesota inbound and blow that rule, is inexcusable.

Well said.

 

[JellyBean]

I don't care what no says. That basket when the clock went to zero should have never counted.

So true. I was at the game. After that shot went in, coach Reeves was yelling at the officials "Review the shot! Review that Shot!!" She, along with the rest of us fans at the game last night, were amazed that the officials just ignored her.

 

[BroadwayVa]

malevocalist- - I agree with you, 150%, you're preaching to the choir!
The Linx were robbed of a Championship!

Simple explanation---The WNBA in conspiracy to make up to Parker for not playing in the Olympic --gave her a WNBA Championship as door prize!!! If one is a conspiracy--isn't the other??