Brandon's comments about the officiating....a poll

by WhereInTheWorldIsDontonioWingfield on Dec 23, 2008 9:24 AM PST

It's only a one game sample and even though I didnt ever take statistics in college I know that's not enough to draw a meaningful conclusion but anyway.........

I had a bad feeling when I heard Brandon's comments after his amazing game vs Phoenix. While what he said was obviously true (superstar players get favorable treatment) and while he is in my opinion the closest thing we have had to a superstar, I believe if officials hear that kind of think they wont take too kindly to being called out as corrupt. He then took it one step further by saying in effect, now he will receive that kind of biased officiating as well......

So I must ask via a poll....will those comments come back to haunt him (or have they already)????? When was the last time Roy was called for fouls like that????

Poll

Do you think Brandon's comments about the officials having to respect him the same way they "respect" Kobe and Lebron will (or already has) hurt him this season?

Yes

67 votes

No

44 votes

111 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 22 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Remind me what the quote was.

My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.

by OCBlazerFan1 on Dec 23, 2008 9:38 AM PST reply actions

“But it’s not just the free throws. The hardest part when I had to defend Kobe and LeBron is that you can’t touch them,” Roy said. “So they are free to do whatever move they want. I think now I’m establishing where they can’t touch me anymore. It’s opened up the game for me. Now I’m coming down and doing a move and the dude doesn’t want to touch me. I’m like, ’That’s easy.’ I’m not there yet, but I’m establishing that respect to where I’m kind of getting refereed like those guys.”

copied from http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/12/roy_on_best_scoring_run_in_tra.html

by pualo on Dec 23, 2008 2:58 PM PST up reply actions

I voted "maybe", in the air.

Sergio + Rudy = 16
Sergio + Bayless = 16
Batum 8+8=16

by amlmart1 on Dec 23, 2008 9:51 AM PST reply actions

Good points

I think it’s great that you brought this up. I remember when I heard him say that, I thought “really, you can just say that and expect nothing bad to come of it?” I know the point he was trying to make, but it was definitely better left inside than to be spoken. Especially with the perception out there that the refs are biased towards superstars, they would definitely see it as an opportunity to prove they’re not. Ultimately, though hard to really tell, I would say it certainly wouldn’t help us. Plus, he didn’t do anything aggressive last night to really say one way or another if he was getting calls

myspace.com/marktwainindians

by mark twain on Dec 23, 2008 10:01 AM PST reply actions

The refs are always against us.

by robrun2 on Dec 23, 2008 10:03 AM PST reply actions 2 recs

somehow the refs defy logic and are always blatantly against the team i'm rooting for.

I think I can only add "The NBA, where caring for everybody but the fans happens". --amlmart1

by prezofdeath on Dec 24, 2008 9:22 PM PST up reply actions

I voted yes.

The refs read comments about their abilities. And when a player is getting some level of favorable treatment, it’s an unwritten rule to enjoy it and stay quiet.

I’m hopeful that the refs simply did this to him for one game, to “remind him of his place”, and that it will return to normal over a short period of time. If he really angered them, he could be in for a long season.

by Timmay! on Dec 23, 2008 10:15 AM PST reply actions

I pretended my "yes" vote was a "maybe"--you really needed that option

But sure—it’s never wise to embarrass the refs by pointing to their obvious bias for superstar players. Brandon’s been so incredibly patient in waiting to get some respect from the refs. First two seasons-nothing (even after making the all-star team). Then, when it finally started happening, he had to open his big mouth and announce it to the world. He’s probably kicking himself now. "WHAT HAVE I DONE? ARGGHHH!!!

Or maybe it was just that lame rookie ref making lame rookie calls.

"If [Roy & Aldridge] walked around in fur coats, with a bunch of glamour & glitz, we'd have a bunch of guys wearing fur coats. But they don't. They're just good guys who want to win and know how to play the right way." --Kevin Pritchard

by hurryup09 on Dec 23, 2008 10:16 AM PST reply actions

I would be surprised if any NBA refs read that article...

but even if they did, I don’t know if they’d be offended by it. The fact of the matter is that NBA refs do favor stars. MJ travelled every other possession. Dwyane Wade draws fouls for getting looked at funny.

I don’t think this is a conscious effort on the part of the refs though. I thinks its just that when they’re unsure about a call, it’s easier to give the superstar the benefit of the doubt. Thus the better Roy gets and the more respect he gets around the league, the more the refs will give him favorable calls. I don’t think any comments he makes to the local newspaper will have an effect on that.

by Jesus Shuttlesworth on Dec 23, 2008 10:30 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

i agree especially the part about it not being conscious. While the ref's can be bad, it's a rarity that they are consciously doing so.

Brandon just had a bad game, no reason to try to make into some kind of conspiracy.

honor rasheed wallace

i like ike

by Zaron5551 on Dec 23, 2008 10:38 AM PST up reply actions

He had a bad game, huh?!?!

THAT’S JUST WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO THINK.

Open your eyes once in a while, and maybe the truth won’t blind ya!

BRANDON ROY IS PEOPLE! HE’S PEEEEEEEEOOOPPPPLEEE!!!

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Dec 23, 2008 10:48 AM PST up reply actions

lol

honor rasheed wallace

i like ike

by Zaron5551 on Dec 23, 2008 10:49 AM PST up reply actions

Oh, they can MAKE B-Roy SEEM just like people

A few whistles, he is sitting down, watching the game like the rest of us. Whistle rules.

Anybody remember that interview Clyde had (with Leno?) on late night after he won his ring with Houston? Remember how the interviewer called out Jake O’Donnell’s conduct that got him kicked out the league, and Clyde there a champion? Clyde was too cool to dogpile on that POS, but you could tell by his smile that all was right now in his world.

More of the same, Blazer fans. Sacramento v LA, much?

This is why my father and alot of my friends simply cannot watch the NBA. This is one reason why, even with the support building, that alot people don’t have the heart left to invest emotionally in the Blazers. They know the truth, that if we get uppity, the league will use officiating to take us down.

There once was a Sea’ Cap’n Nate
Whom with Blazers did negotiate.
The pool, t’was so deep!
"That KP don’t sleep."
Gold medals and rings were his fate.

by LaoTzu on Dec 23, 2008 2:21 PM PST up reply actions

You know....

I think I am okay w/ a star getting the benefit of the doubt on a questionable call. If everything else is equal, I think that star power should be a deciding factor.

Now, that is not to say a Star should get phantom calls his way, or a blind eye to the Star when he fouls…..but in questionable calls, Star treatment all the way.

by Risk on Dec 23, 2008 10:47 AM PST reply actions

It is what it is

But it sure helps if your favorite team has a “superstar” on it. For most of the last 30+ years, it’s been LA gets over and Portland gets ________ and likes it

My response to reading Brandn’s “superstar” quote last week was a comment entitled “Brutal honesty” Roy needs to get on the “good side” of the lead NBA refs, and not be like Clyde and Buck who were on Jake O’Donnell’s ______ list and wound up getting called for ticky-tacky fouls (and then getting T’d up for complaining…) in big playoff games

Hey B-Roy, for once, BE like a superstar and say nothing on your way to the line for free points

by two4larue on Dec 23, 2008 2:17 PM PST up reply actions

The First Rule of NBA Superstar Club

is you do not talk about NBA Superstar Club

by EngineerScotty on Dec 23, 2008 11:24 AM PST reply actions

Second Rule of NBA Superstar Club

If you have to talk about being one, you aren’t one.

by BlazerFanSince1970 on Dec 23, 2008 12:06 PM PST up reply actions

true that

MJ didn’t have to talk about being the greatest since wilt chamberlain…he just was. the end.

I think I can only add "The NBA, where caring for everybody but the fans happens". --amlmart1

by prezofdeath on Dec 24, 2008 9:23 PM PST up reply actions

Very bad move

He may pay for that for some time to come. He had already started complaining about almost every non-call this year, which isn’t a bad tactic as his status rises, but the ref’s hate it when you question their fairness in interviews/print. There are some refs that form bad opinions about certain players (remember Buck/Drexler vs Jake) and never let it go.

by BlazerFanSince1970 on Dec 23, 2008 12:02 PM PST reply actions

If his comments upset the refs and change how they ref

how is that different than calling the game differently for superstars? It’s not! Officiating is this league, as much as i love the NBA, is a JOKE!

- Neil

by Blazin'aTrail on Dec 23, 2008 2:23 PM PST reply actions

The superstar exception

It may as well be sports entertainment of the WWE variety if the refs are unwilling to call it fairly and squarely right down the middle. Bad calls are an accepted part of the game, but calls that purposely favor these so called super-stars is entirely detrimental to the integrity of the game.

If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

by bow4meow on Dec 23, 2008 3:02 PM PST reply actions

It doesn't happen to be purposeful

Say you are officiating, and someone goes in for a layup and misses, and it looks like they may have been tapped on the arm, but you just aren’t completely sure. So you have to guess. You can say only call it if you see it, but the truth is that no matter where you draw the line, there are always border cases.

So you are guessing. Aren’t you going to guess differently it is Michael Jordan missing the layup, or Ike Diogu? If Jordan missed, he was probably fouled, right? But if Ike missed (sorry Ike), well it’s not exactly a surprise, so no foul.

by pualo on Dec 23, 2008 3:27 PM PST up reply actions