One FIBA idea that works, and a second I'm not sure about

Those crazy fellows at FIBA are at it again.

Less than a week after some cockamamie half-baked idea to ruin the qualification process for the world championships and the Olympics (it’s somewhere in here) they were at it again yesterday.

They want to increase the number of teams in the Olympics to 16 from 12 and they are going to petition the IOC to add three-on-three basketball as a full medal sport in time for the 2016 Rio Games.

The first move I’m all for, as long as the four teams they add come through some solid qualification process like another “last-ditch” tournament rather than going strictly by geography because that way you get teams with no real reason to be in the Games.

Yes, it will add cost to hosting the Games – FiBA figures organizers will need a second arena to get the tournaments in (and if they add four men’s teams, they better add four women’s) – but it will enhance the tournament and provide better overall competition to the marquee spectacle of the Olympics.

That’s not to mention it would probably help Canada get there, the qualification process now is hugely difficult, and that can’t be a bad thing for our patriotic bent.

There is precedent for the IOC to allow 16 teams despite their alleged limit of 12 per “team” event; the men’s soccer tournament has 16 teams and that seems to work out quite well.

I’m all for more, better basketball games at the Olympics; this is a way to accomplish that.

The three-on-three thing?

Hard to get behind, actually.

It’s beach volleyball for basketball, a bastardized version of the game without the uniqueness of being outside in the elements.

(I'm told the world tour and championships have been outside, which is a mitigating factor but, still ...)

Yes, it probably is good for kids to play because it promotes all around skill development but in an Olympic program already bloated with dubious sports, I think it’s more a niche game that should be played at FIBA world championships rather at the Olympics.

I can hear some of the screams now: “Hey, Smith, you were all over beach volleyball and it’s a bastardized version of that sport, what’s your issue with three-on-three basketball.”

Simple.

There are enough differences – in style of play, strategy, venue – between beach volleyball and the indoor game that makes it almost an entirely different sport. Not sure that’s the case in basketball; certainly not to the same degree.

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Apropos of absolutely nothing, this came up on the iTunes shuffle yesterday and I can’t get it out of my head.

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We’re way late starting the call for mail this week.

Click. Write. Send.

Not sure when we’ll do what since there’s a Saturday afternoon game I’m not going to but we’ll get it done when we can.

Help a fellow out, would you?

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A knuckleballer wins the Cy Young?

What is the world coming to?

(I keed, a little; trick-pitch-throwing old guys should be pitching in some Buffalo rec league or somesuch, no?)

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Just wondering?

Anyone miss the pucks?

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Man, there is an extraordinary amount of anger and bitterness towards the officials around these parts these days.

Yes, there’s normally a fair amount – I especially love the ones that suggest the league is pulling the strings on bad calls against the HOTH – but you’ve gone over the top.

Now, I didn’t see the Utah game that closely and was told by many that it was poorly handled but I have seen every other game and a word: Chill.

Sure, you see contact and no call and get all up in arms.

I’m pretty sure that if I asked diehard fans from every other team, they would have seen specific instances of non-calls that would rile them, too. And, yes, just as many.

If there’s been one trait all season is that they are letting a lot more go, especially when people drive and are met by stationery defenders who stay upright at the inevitable contact. I’d say you should just get used to it.

As for the plethora of alleged blown calls and the inherent whining from fans and TV viewers? Expend your energy some other way, you’ll feel better.

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You know I’m okay with the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, been a couple of the places I’ve seen or heard about thanks to the show and they’ve been pretty good.

But, holy crap.

This is a bit old but did you see the New York Times review of Guy Fieri’s joint at Times Square?

Man, I wish I could write something like that after some dreadful Tuesday-night-in-February-no-one-wants-to-be here game. Wouldn’t that be classic? And fun?

“Dear Raptors and Other Team.

“Do you really think people should have to sit through that kind of carnage and not leave en masse?

“Did you intend to miss all those shots, throw the ball around like it was radio-active all night, play with all the flow of sludge and energy of a slug?"

Yeah, that’d be a gas.

One more Fieri note:

I know a guy who knows a guy who runs a joint that was on DDD one time and let’s just say the personable nature of the congenial host that comes across on TV might not be reality.

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Hey, Alex.

It’s a slow couple of days for the rest of the week – I think they’ve beaten the mega-deal about as much as they can – so how about a Blue Jays manager today or tomorrow so there’s something else to talk about.

But if I know managers and coaches and the like, I’m betting there is far more interest in the Blue Jays job now that they’ve redone there lineup in such drastic fashion.

Guys who have been successful with great teams in the past will all of sudden sit up and take notice and a job they might not have had any interest in before this week somehow becomes far more interesting and I bet agents are reaching out to the Jays pretty quickly.

Two words:

Phil. Jackson.

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So, how were Dylan and Knopfler?

Was Bob in good voice?

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Comments

[Jc]

Bob was......Bob. More sounds than words but the spirit was there. Knopfler was great.
Funny you wrote about the refs today. I was just going to ask if you thought most of demar's "non-calls" were times where he ran into the upright defender. Maybe not most but many. Is this the sort of thing the coaches would show him on video so that he won't get frustrated or do they not want to deter him from driving?

Blogger's note: It would be part of video

[Spins]

Love the blog, and a critical review in February would be entertaining. The problem with the refs in the Utah game wasn't the officiating; it was the Raptors constantly looking for a call that wasn't going to come. I mean, once you see the officials are "letting them play", you need to look for someone, anyone (hello Amir) to step up and give a hard clean foul. No need for it to be flagrant, but send the message. It is a man's game.

[Peter]

I was with you on all of the FIBA stuff until you said that if they go to 16 men's teams, they should go to 16 women's teams. I don't know enough about women's basketball worldwide, but if there aren't 16 women's teams that can play Olympic level basketball, then I'm not in favour. We've seen this in women's hockey. I'm all for equality between men and women, but at the Olympic level, I don't think it should be about male and female equality as much as it should be about a consistently high standard of play.

Blogger's note: I think there are 4 more teams in the world worthy of expanding a women's Olympic tournament

[ChrisR]

Here's an idea. Put the whistles away. Only call hard fouls or technicals and let everything else go. In my opinion, all the "ticky tack" fouls are very annoying to sit through, and destroy the flow of the game. Yes, they would score half the points, but every game would be a highly entertaining "battle".

PS. I am not a pucks or pigskin fan, but I do enjoy the players having more to do with the outcome than the officials.

[marc in panama]

Hola Doug,

Previously when responding to Raptors fans about the lack of calls going in favor of the Raptors here in your blog, you have stated that this young team would have to continue to go to the rim, take their lumps and earn the respect of the refs, and then at some time down the road, the calls would start happening. When, amigo, is that time?? when will a guy like DeRozan start to "get his"? How is it that a Tyler Hansbrough gets the "benefit of the doubt" if you will by the refs as evident by the lack of calls against him on Monday night? It was obscene what the guy got away with. Is it because he was a college star? I'd bet these refs watch college ball, is that where their first impressions of players are formed? Hansborough was a college darling from UNC who was almost Tebow like with the adulation heaped on him by college announcers. DeRozan has been in the Association as long, and yet he doesn't get that courtesy. Is that because he was a one and out guy? If this theory has any sand, does that mean that guys like Bargnani, Calderon, and now Valanciunas won't ever get that courtesy?

"Fans" aren't the only folks that are noticing this lack of respect of the raptors by the refs. Both TV commenting teams have made comments about the Raptors inability to get a call. Maybe comments by Matt, Jack, and Leo help fuel the comments here on the blog, but those guys see the lack of respect that the Raptors get, why don't you?

I admit, I am incredibly critical of the NBA officials and I vehemently disagree with your stance that of all the major league sports officials theirs is the hardest job, and they do the best job. I maintain that the Association has 2 sets of rules, one for the Superstars (and now the Super-teams) and another for everyone else. I think when I say I am tired of watching the team I cheer for having to play 5 on 8 night in and night out I'm not alone.

Ciao amigo,

marc in panama

[Jeff]

The only issue I have with the officiating was the blatant two handed jump on the back chops similar to what Handsborough did during Tuesday's win. That you have to call - however all the little fouls that are called around the basket are ridiculous, as some contact is inevitable (just not two handed chops - Handsborough should have been issued a technical or he will keep doing it).

This is when I miss Oakley - he would do it right back and send a message.

[LeeZ]

@ChrisR: Put the whistles away? Already been tried. See Pat Reilly's New York Knicks, circa 1993-1995 with bruisers like Oakley, Mason and ESPECIALLY Derek Harper bruising their opponents with all manner of hand checking and obstruction. Was as exciting to watch as paint drying (mind you, as a diehard Knicks fan back in those days, I loved it!). In fact, it was because of Harper that they changed the rules to disallow handchecking when the player was facing the basket.

[joeu]

Good morning, Doug.

I did read the Guy Fieri review last night - It is extremely well written, and quite enjoyable.

And I am in no way shocked that he might be a bit 'plastic'.

There's also this article, explaining why the review got written that way:

http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/195580/the-story-behind-pete-wells-review-of-guy-fieris-restaurant/

[Boko]

I was a ref in several sports once, and my rule-of-thumb was, I don't care who the player is, if it's obvious, I call it, otherwise let play continue ... and if a player or coach complained to me about a borderline call, I nailed them with a technical, star or not. Never had a real problem reffing, but got out of it when nothing mattered in the rec adult men's sports. It wasn't worth the hassle there.

[Dave B]

One of the basic rules in officiating basketball is don't watch the ball. I think the NBA refs do that too often. In the Indiana game, Hansbrough fouls on every play with his lower body and the refs miss it most of the times. That's not counting the time he pushed a player to the floor and didn't receive a penalty.

I don't believe the refs call fouls as they see them. There is always the star factor in the NBA. The idea the rookies need to earn the respect of the officials is BS. A fouls should be a foul no matter who the player is. It distracts from a great sport.

you think there is a lot of Raptors angst right now. Imagine what it would be if the Raptors had drafted Royce White. I can't see how that will end well. What a distraction for the team.

Have a great day.

[Rob.V]

Good call ChrisR, now we're talking.
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Who didn't love those old NYK-Miami no holds barred (off the top rope), knock em out-drag em out 60-58 shootouts of the 90's.
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I loved those games. No hand checking fouls - good tough ball!
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Today's game? Oh, look there's the 40th "wide" open uncontested 3 from the corner... kind of boring, no?.
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Everyone in the league can hit the 3 today. It's become an extended version of the old school mid range jumper of years past.
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Even Al Jefferson can make that shot now. The 3 ball has become as exciting as the dunk contest.
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Anyway, I'm with you (and SVG). If the whistle goes away, the flopping will disappear as well.
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As long as they let it go on both sides of the floor you'll have no complaints here... let them play!

[Mos High]

Im sorry I dont miss the hockey a tad, I know this country is a hockey but its beaten in too much. Many shows your talking one sport they always use a hockey compairson. Maybe because I live in the Metro Toronto area why I think this way. Now you can turn to the sports shows on major cable networks and actually see basketball highlights in the first 10 minutes of the program. Once hockey is back I dont watch those sports news programs, strickly internet or NBA TV.

FIBA whatever they can do to make it better for Canada to compete. 3 on 3 my opinion is nonsense, but whatever.

[UK]

Any info on Kyle Lowry yet?

Blogger's note: Maybe later today

[JPGR]

With the Raptors being 2 and 6, things aren't looking to bad when glancing at the next 5 games. I'm not one to usually look ahead and predict outcomes-however to be able to put a positive spin on November basketball (so far), I did it this time. Next five games: vs - BOS, ORL, PHI, CHA, DET. This team seems to always play great basketball against BOS, with Rondo rolling his ankle last night and a possibility of missing Saturday's game - the Raptors have a decent chance at winning that game - they are capable of grabbing this one or the one in Philly too. The games against ORL, CHA and DET should be won by the Raptors (once again by assumption) they are the better team, with or w/o Lowry. During that stretch, they could easily go 3-2 which would bring their record to 5-8,exactly where mostly everyone predicted they would be-only doing it, buy over coming injury's and against a tough schedule. If the Raps are within 5 games after the all-star break, the team full and healthy, Val and Ross with some expierence - look out! this team could be dangerous, BUT they have to stay with basics and continue to play 4 quarters of solid defense...Have Faith in this team - In Coach Casey we trust!

[Ren]

Sorry Doug, I know this is weird, but I am still on the other night's game with Indy. I have been a hard core fan forever, and I really can not remember ever having a great feeling like I had at the end of that game, especially for Jose Calderon. In a game where loyalty is often forgotten in place of money and fame, Jose Calderon continues to prove his professionalism and class. Have we ever had anyone as classy as this? For those of us who appreciate the work he does, can you please pass along our sentiments personally to him. While many rant and rave about trades, please let him know that he always has support from many as a true Raptors professional. That had to be the gutsiest display of basketball I have seen in a long time from a Raptor. It won't be heralded as spectacular, because it was, after all, just a game; but I think that is what made it so good. Even Demar mentioned why they won - he said it was all Jose.

And there is a question! In your many years of covering the team, who would you say were the top three classiest players for the Raptors, and why?

Blogger's note: Tough to pick three. Alvin, Dell, Jose? But lots and lots on that list, too

[Steve]

"Maybe comments by Matt, Jack, and Leo help fuel the comments here on the blog, but those guys see the lack of respect that the Raptors get, why don't you? "

Matt, Jack, and Leo are entertaining but you have to recognize that they are paid to be pretty big homers and pander to their audience.

If you tune into the local commentary crew (even the Heat!) for most other teams you will find them saying the same things about the officiating but it's their team being given the short end of the stick.

[AshM]

hey doug
Given rogers owning bluejays and Maplelead entertainments,
do you think in future if they wanna spend big money on say Chris Paul , they will ?

Blogger's note: If they clear the necessary cap room, we'll talk

[wuycik]

Believe Jc said all there was to say; Bob was Bob. I don't think a good portion of the audience knew that and were expecting to see some jolly front man singing his songs like they sound on the records and bantering to the audience. That's not Bob at all.

What people don't seem to realize, officiating in all sports is likely just as good/bad as it always has been. What wasn't around in the past was the slo-mo, super slo-mo, half a dozen different camera angles that the television broadcasters analyze endlessly to come up with what the correct call should be. The officials have a split second in real time to make that call from only one angle. Personally, I'm far more impressed with the number of calls that they get correct than the ones that they miss. I would like to see all their critics spend a game in their shoes and see how they would fair.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

I have to agree with many of the comments today regarding the reffing 'situation'. I don't think it's anything to ignore, or accept. It's out of whack – there's no balance between the ticky-tack stuff they are calling in comparison with the blatant clubbing they're ignoring – and it's going to stay out of balance as long as the league continues its 'star'-based officiating system.
Hansborough was operating like a fully licensed hockey goon the other night – not that he's a star – but where were the calls? Meanwhile, DeRoz continues to get pummelled every time he drives (and he gets full props because he continues to take it to the rim) – but where are the calls? After two years of this, consistently, I'd say he has some very legitimate room to question what it takes to get a call.
I fully agree with 'letting them play' and keeping the whistle at bay more often than not. And I also fully agree that every team in the league thinks they're getting the short end of the calls. So let the ticky-tack stuff go – those are the calls that are hard to take, and I'd say the Raps have in fact had more than their fair share of those. But dammit, call the outright hacks – whether it's a 'non-star' getting clubbed or a 'star' doing the clubbing. A hack's a hack – call it!
Respect for the game is a two-way street. The refs need to be respecting the game, not its perceived 'stars'.
End o' rant. Cheers. Go Raps!

[Rob]

Two years ago the raps pulled off an amazing trade that netted them a bonafide center who turned into the defensive player of the year, and another serviceable big man, in exchange for an oft injured no offense PF and an overpriced PG. It was exactly what this organization needed and the media was all over it, positive on this side, and very negative on the other organizations side. So because it wasnt "official" by the league, even though it was agreed upon and commited to by the two teams in the trade, MJ rescinded the trade in response to all the negative media flak he was getting over it...........and we got screwed in the end, MJ ended up giving chandler to dallas for a far worse deal, and also screwed his rep amongst the other NBA GM's as one who could not be trusted at his word.

Sound familiar??? Why is this Blue Jay Deal not official yet? Perhaps the commish himself will get too much flak based on the media, and is looking to nix it.....

[GM]

You can't look at individual plays in basketball and conclude the reffing is bad or biased. Because refs make mistakes. But you can look at the whole game or multiple games to get a sense of consistency. And that's where the problem is. I'm all for not calling all those flops and forced offensive moves, but it must be consistent. Yes, there will be misses for every single team, but in a given game if the misses are all coming against one team and not the other, that's a problem. The reffing is just inconsistent. Someone mentioned above that the refs are watching the ball. Good observation. I've thought that for a long time. They're not supposed to (just the outside official is supposed to). They're reacting after the fact to the way bodies move rather than witnessing it directly.

Obviously not every call is going to go to just one team in a given game. But you can't then just look at some of the bad calls going against the other team as proof that the refs aren't biased or incompetent. Just like in comedy, timing is everything. Some calls are inconsequential and are often "evening out" calls.

[GM]

And it's not just fans and homer announcers that see a problem with the reffing. It's coaches, players and owners, too. You'd hear a lot more complaining if the Kremlin didn't hand out such hefty fines every time someone dares critique its officials. As I'm sure Randy Wittman will get after this:

‘For whatever reason, this team doesn’t get any respect,’ Wittman said. ‘We go to the rim and had 11 free throws. These young guys just have to make a name for themselves, and it’s just baffling some of the things that are said to me by the refs for why they don’t call it.’ The Wizards, who were without penetrating point guard John Wall and big man Nene, went 10-for-11 on free throws. Dallas, which ended a three-game skid, was 26-for-33. The Mavs took just five more shots in the paint than the Wizards (36-31) and three more shots via fastbreak (9-6), yet came away with the substantial advantage at the line. One of Dallas’ attempts came on a technical foul Wizards guard Jordan Crawford. [...] Wittman was visibly upset late in the game as Washington, which spent much of the fourth quarter launching 3-pointers to get back into the game, was rewarded with no free throws in the final period. Dallas was 6-for-9 and iced the game with five free throws in the final 34.4 seconds. ‘So, maybe we just have to send the game film everyday to the league,’ Wittman said.”

[LeeZ]

From your piece today on the injuries (Fields talking): “The whole time, I’m thinking, is this something mental. I’m fortunate and glad that there was a problem because if this had continued and no one could explain it, that would have really messed me up mentally.

“I’m already a mental guy myself so I would have been on some kind of watch.”

Doug, that has to be one of the better Raptor quotes in years! That alone justifies his (BC haters: insert your derrogatory superlative adjective here) contract!

Blogger's note: Told him it was quote of the year and we need more of 'em

[LeeZ]

GREAT piece in today's Grantland about Marv Albert (né Aufrichtig). Here's an excerpt: The Aufrichtig brothers — Marv, Al, Steve — had a ritual. After dinner, they'd walk from the dining room into the living room and close the door. They'd turn on whatever baseball game was on TV. And then they'd turn the sound way down.

They placed a table in front of the television. Marv, who was the oldest by six years, took a seat on the right. He did play-by-play. Al sat in the middle. He was in charge of a sound-effects record that replicated crowd noise. Steve sat on the left. He had two price-marking pencils from their father's grocery store, and when he hit the pencils together, the sound mimicked the crack of a bat.

The Aufrichtigs would begin … broadcasting. In front of the boys was a Wollensak reel-to-reel tape recorder, which captured every word. They did this almost every night. After a couple of innings, they switched places.
Here's the link: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8632966/marv-albert-brooklyn

[doug]

officiating frustrates me as there is no rhyme or reason to it...but I try to block it out and hope it balances out as really it is what it is....ok my take on the Knopfler/Dylan concert is this...Knopfler played nothing from his early stuff except for his encore So far Away , a little disappointing as would have loved to hear Telegraph Road but that said his set was superb, unbelievable music, Celtic music, fiddles, strings, guitar etc....a thoroughly enjoyable hour and a half of music...now as for Dylan you have to and I mean HAVE to go to his concert with a open mind he never ever sings any song the same twice and to me i loved his voice last night it wasn't the nasally whine it was this low rumble more like Tom Waits, his renditions of Highway 61, Like a Rolling Stone, All Along the Watchtower (which was song with a staccato cadence) and Blowin in the Wind I loved, the band was strong and all in all I was quite pleased ...the dude is 71, has arthritic hands (hence no guitar playing at all) but to sit there and look and see Bob there singing and playing Like a Rolling Stone /Along the Watch Tower was worth price of admission alone...he is who he is and I feel owes no one nothing....ok cheers...