WOW - Joey Crawford Suspended

by Wes Cox on Apr 17, 2007 12:45 PM CDT in News

"Joey Crawford's handling of this situation failed to meet the standards of professionalism and game management we expect of NBA referees," NBA commissioner David Stern said. "Especially in light of similar prior acts by this official, a significant suspension is warranted. Although Joey is consistently rated as one of our top referees, he must be held accountable for his actions on the floor, and we will have further discussions with him following the season to be sure he understands his responsibilities."

He's done for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. As bad as what he did on Sunday was, was it really worse for the sport than the performance of the officials during the Finals last year?

Excuse my bitterness, but this decision seems to make it pretty clear that the NBA feels keeping it's stars on the floor is far more important than the quality of the calls made.

David Stern is chatting on ESPN.com now.

Update [2007-4-17 15:20:8 by Wes Cox]:

Most interesting thing from the chat.

Mark Heath, Dayton, OH: Why can't we have a HORSE tournament during the all-star break?

David Stern: We're open to it. I think we are continually looking for different ways to showcase our players skills. One issue there is competitiveness! We might get somebody so hot they will embarass everybody else. But we will look into it.

Make it happen!

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Comments

Well

i sent in about 30 questions... 5 of them were appropriate... none were answered...

by zkmavz on Apr 17, 2007 1:03 PM CDT reply actions

cuban needs to learn how to complain...

like spurs did.

cuban complained and got fined millions, and mavs still got screwed, or even more screwed.

spurs complained and got the almighty joey crawford suspended indefinitely.

by bigcat on Apr 17, 2007 1:06 PM CDT reply actions

The difference

of course, is in how a grievance is dealt with. The Spurs front office deals with such issues privately and in a respectful manner. Cuban has dealt with grievances publicly, and in such a way as to show up the league office. Having said that, Cuban's comments [or lack thereof] on this latest Crawford issue reveal that maybe he's ready to turn over a new leaf. However, we'll see what happens during the heat of the playoffs...

by Key on Apr 17, 2007 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions

As a consequence

Cuban has made the NBA a significantly better league, whereas Pops has done jackfuckingshit for anyone other than him...

by BrodyV on Apr 17, 2007 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions

hey go away

come back in the conf finals to root on the suns

by zkmavz on Apr 17, 2007 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions

that was directed toward key obviously

but i cant type

by zkmavz on Apr 17, 2007 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought

that you wanted Spurs-Mavs?

Don't tell me that you guys have never had a blogger from an opposing team before.

by Key on Apr 17, 2007 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Talk about

rose-colored glasses...

by Key on Apr 17, 2007 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Sorry, that was for brodyv's comment.

by Key on Apr 17, 2007 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions

i want the west finals to be

mavs vs grizzlies.. but that wont happen... ill just settle for spurs or suns.. either one.. its whatever

by zkmavz on Apr 17, 2007 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions

i just think

the spurs will be there

by zkmavz on Apr 17, 2007 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Pardon?

How about this- name one thing that Spurs upper management has done that has made the NBA, as a league, better.

I'll start with the one that Cuban did this year- Without Cubes commissioning (and paying for out of his own damn pocket) a group of freaking physicists to study the differences in the way the balls bounce, I can almost promise you that we're still playing with the orange roundie. By providing actual quantifiable data, Cuban changed the nature of that debate.

by BrodyV on Apr 17, 2007 5:58 PM CDT up reply actions

The Spurs

are widely recognized year-in and year-out as the top or one of the top franchises in all of sports. One example is the annual ESPN poll, which includes the categories of bang for the buck, fan relations, ownership, affordability, stadium experience, players, coach/manager and championships. Since the poll began in 2000, the Spurs have been recognized as the overall top franchise. The Spurs have a reputation as an organization that exemplifies character and class. It is a model franchise that other NBA franchises consistently seek to emulate. Can you think of a better way to represent the NBA well?

by Key on Apr 18, 2007 1:18 AM CDT up reply actions

The only thing that comes to mind...

is having your star player scream obscenities at an official after he's ejected on a national game. That's class.

I mean seriously though, it's a poll. I agree that the Spurs are a great franchise with a great coach, but what do you expect the folks from a city that has no other legit pro franchises to say?

by DitchThePlaybook on Apr 18, 2007 8:23 AM CDT up reply actions

That's all

you can come up with is someone swearing after he was ridiculously thrown out of a game for laughing on the bench? Can you think of a franchise that's had less indiscretions than the Spurs?

Btw, that poll wasn't a SA poll, but rather a national ESPN poll. And there have been other national surveys that came up with the same basic results.

by Key on Apr 18, 2007 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Citations, please.

Just post the links to those highly-scientific polls here in the comments.

/of course i'm knockin around with you here - i think everyone who is mavs fan has a level of respect for the spurs if you actually care about the game - not just the peripheral hype that we're subjected to by the national media outlets. the mavs haven't won the championship yet, and i think this is their best chance with the best team they've ever put on the floor. all sins are forgiven when you hold that trophy above your head. there's no faking it there.*

*unless you are the miami heat and had it donated to you.

by DitchThePlaybook on Apr 18, 2007 6:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Remember When?

This is from John Sheridan's blog via Daily Dime.

What I'm here to give you is a little Insider background, as well as the following quasi-prediction: It would not surprise me if Crawford loses his whistle for the upcoming postseason.

Here's why:

That little birdie I spoke of before told me that Crawford was summoned to the league office in New York by Commissioner David Stern nearly four years ago following his antics in Game 2 of the 2003 Western Conference finals.

Crawford had called four technical fouls in the first 10 minutes, 11 seconds and ejected Mavs coaches Don Nelson and Del Harris. Here's the way I reported that story way back then when I was the pool reporter who interviewed Crawford in the officials' locker room after the game.

Stern, from what I was told, was livid that Crawford had become the story of Game 2, and Crawford was told that if it ever happened again, the consequences would be serious.

Signature! I don't need no stinking signature!!

by DerekSTheRed on Apr 17, 2007 1:23 PM CDT reply actions