The Low's
Sour Notes Volume 1 Track 2

WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK….

Well, I guess I better get ready to hand over my cash and watch the other team shoot the FT because I’ve just about had it with the NBA and its officiating. Amazing that now opposing coaches can "request" a better chance against the best regular season team so far this year and lo and behold: The Detroit Pistons are now the "crying-est" team in basketball and as we all know…

"There’s no crying in basketball!"

First let’s start with a novel idea. NBA OFFICIALS ARE NOT INFALLIBLE.

My goodness, I sincerely wish David Stern and the rest of the NBA brass would stop pretending that these guys don’t make mistakes. Simply running out the line that "…our officials watch hours and hours of game film." doesn’t make them UN-incompetent.

These referees either A) have an agenda, or B) are stupid/blind.

I cannot believe that on a night in and night out basis more calls are missed or incorrect than in an NBA game. The refs are human and they make mistakes. They are human and they get pissed. They are human and they hold grudges like REAL PEOPLE. This entire facade of the NBA officials being some super-human race of perfect, non-feeling, and objective to a fault beings is neither funny or believable.

Moving on….WHO GETS TO RULE THEMSELVES???

Are you kidding me? This has to be the best joke since, "…now Michael Jordan steps up to the plate…" How do you have an entire group of guys that get to decided when they’ve done a good job, what they need to do to improve, and how to punish themselves?

Let’s think about this folks. Could you imagine the NBA Players Union deciding how much cash they’ll dole out for fines or letting MC Artest decide how many games he will sit out because he decided to "Keep – It – Real" (Big up to Ali G).

No one and I mean no one gets to govern themselves at work (except the Bush Administration). I really would like to have someone suggest to the Commish that the officials be subject actual independent review as opposed to that 1/2 hour masturbatory session it foists upon us on NBA TV once a week showing us how hard they work watching games.

Hell, I watch more games on tape than NBA officials those guys "…ain’t got nothin’ on me!" (Thanks Denzel). For once I would like to know that a ref other than Dee Katner has made a bad call.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t buy into this solo conspiracy against the Pistons. However, there has got to be something done about the worst officiating in professional sports.

I can turn on NBA League Pass on a night by night basis and constantly see a player getting T’d up, fans ready to toss their $10 beers, and coaches having aneurysms right there on the sideline.

You mean to tell me that over 400 players and more than 60 coaches and assistants have NO IDEA what it is they are looking at on the floor?

Only some 60 year olds that manage to run a couple miles a day and a few 35 year old guys who are pissed that they sucked just enough to never get in the League are the only ones qualified to recognize a foul?

I swear, no matter what logo sits on the side of your head when you leave the house or what colors you bleed, you could be brought to near heart attack status by simply watching the NBA Officials do their thing on a nightly basis.

Riddle me this o’ Czars of the VCR:
Why is it in the rule book if you aren’t going to call it?

Why should there be conditions or explanations for calls?

Why should I have to sit there and listen to Hubie Brown tell me that guy will get that call next year when he’s not a rookie?

Why do I envision a pasty Ronnie Nunn giving me the NY accent as to how their guys follow the rules and the fans/announcers/media heads just don’t understand the "real" rule?

C’mon guys, you have a lot of work to do if you want me to believe that these refs are impartial and do a great job. There may not be some great conspiracy in the sky for who is supposed to win, but these officials are human.

They will call what they feel, not necessarily what they see and the sooner you are all willing to admit that and the sooner David Stern is willing to hold them accountable, the less complaining and "whining" you will hear from NBA players, coaches, and FANS.