AWESOME: Flopping To Be Fined Next Season

by matthewcc on May 29, 2008 7:13 AM PDT

I know this is a subject that gets Blazer fans - and NBA fans everywhere outside of San Antonio - foaming at the mouth. Looks like the L is FINALLY going to do something about it.

Link: ESPN.com

NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson confirmed the new policy Wednesday night saying: "What was clearly expressed to the committee is that we would begin imposing fines next season for the most egregious type of flops. When players are taking a dive, for lack of a better term."

Rasheed Wallace has some colorful comments about flopping in the article, and there are some other newsworthy items such as the NBA seemingly to reject outlawing Hack-a-Shack techniques and the issue of reseeding the playoffs.

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I read that, but I haven't decided yet what I think about it. Is it just another weapon in the referee's

arsenal, a rule to be interpreted however he chooses? Or is it something that desperately needs to be regulated. I don’t know.

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on May 29, 2008 7:32 AM PDT reply actions

I don't like it.

It’s subjective at best and contentious at worst.

"You don’t visit the coast, then ask where you could get some average seafood." -tominhawaii

by -ken on May 29, 2008 7:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Refs won't decide.

It will be somewhat akin to deciding whether a foul should be a flagrant 1 or flagrant 2 after the game. Someone will review he game footage after the fact. Should be pretty easy to determine. Manu should get the checkbook out.

"These are dreams that we have." --Rudolfo Fernandez

by bfan on May 29, 2008 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions

That's really the only way it has a chance to work

but mostly I think it’s a little obnoxious. I’m not a fan of the flop, but refs should be aware of player tendencies and THEY should be held accountable. If players flop all the time, they start to lose the benefit of the doubt. It’s that simple.

"I got the goose bumps." - Rudy translated by Alamart

by ratbastird on May 29, 2008 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions

In the NBA review of flagrant fouls

I would think they also look for correct positioning of the ref and correct call. The same would hold for flopping fines. If the refs call them wrong they hear about it as well (just not publicly). I like the fines better than the automatic technicals previously proposed.

Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."

by lee3022 on May 29, 2008 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions

That sounds dangerous

how does one determine a fake flop from a real flop?

If the ref can’t make the right call when someone is faking and when people aren’t, why would anyone think additional penalties will do anything? Refw will just keep getting it wrong.

They don’t have the logistics sorted out, but that’s my first impression.

It’s possible they may have tape review post games, but really… it’s subjective and that’s a serious problem.

"I got the goose bumps." - Rudy translated by Alamart

by ratbastird on May 29, 2008 7:38 AM PDT reply actions

Also...

We finally had a good flopper in Rudy and they went and RUINED it!

"I got the goose bumps." - Rudy translated by Alamart

by ratbastird on May 29, 2008 7:39 AM PDT up reply actions

Haha. Yep. Hope we sign him before he finds out.

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on May 29, 2008 7:40 AM PDT up reply actions

No kidding!

“No flopping??? FORGET THAT!!!”

"I got the goose bumps." - Rudy translated by Alamart

by ratbastird on May 29, 2008 9:47 AM PDT up reply actions

Here's another interesting headline.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-nbarefs29-2008may29,0,5391348.story

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on May 29, 2008 7:38 AM PDT reply actions

Wow ...the league not only admits it was a foul

but also confirms that the refs have been told to swallow their whistles at the end of the games. all I can say is….. wow

"Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss" Robert A. Heinlein

by 92wastheyear on May 29, 2008 7:56 AM PDT up reply actions

It seems the NBA rules are so arcane that you can put any interpretation on them that you want.

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on May 29, 2008 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions

Not good enough

I like the punishments for flopping, but this rule is really only going to discourage flopping during the regular season. When it really counts in the playoffs, I think players would be more than willing to take a little fine if it means a better chance at advancing. Now if they threw a possible suspension in there for serial floppers, then you might be on to something.

Now if they could just do away with intentional fouls that hurt the team that got fouled. I want to see Detroit trying to shoot a three to tie the game, not getting fouled as soon as they cross half court and shooting two at the line. That’s just not entertaining.

by Harry Manback on May 29, 2008 8:09 AM PDT reply actions

I liked the 'Sheed quotes

It’s good to see him expressing himself instead of saying “Both teams played hard.”

by DonkeyShins on May 29, 2008 10:36 AM PDT reply actions

Classic Sheed

I don’t know what’s funnier, Sheed’s quotes or Henry Abbott naming him the Vice Commissioner of Anit-Flopping.

by Corvid on May 29, 2008 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions

Fines aren't much of a deterrent, are they?

A better deterrent would be to assess floppers technical fouls; that’s what it probably should be. (Either during the game, or after the fact).

In soccer, “diving” will generally earn you a yellow card, the sport’s equivalent of a technical foul.

(Maybe the NBA should treat technicals AS yellow cards, and suspend anyone who earns two. They currently do this with Flagrant 1 fouls). Flagrant 2 fouls, and technicals for fighting, are currently treated like red cards—automatic ejection, with a followup suspension highly likely.

Ah, what the heck. The card system is something soccer does right. Just bring it into the NBA.

After all, MLS attempted to borrow an NBA-esque rule a few years back, when they introduced the “blue card” for excessive fouls that didn’t merit a more serious booking (a yellow or red card); however that idea was soon scrapped. (IIRC, the penalty was for the player to be sent off but replaced; but that could be used to gain a free substitution in football—a problem which isn’t relevant in the NBA).

by EngineerScotty on May 29, 2008 11:08 AM PDT reply actions

What they should do

Is paddle the heck out of their butt, because it would make flopping painful. If a player flops, they get 5 licks with a wooden paddle. It worked in my high school. We had paddling.

by tominhawaii on May 29, 2008 2:31 PM PDT reply actions

It's about time.

The theatrics really hurt the flow of everything. Some of the no-call flops have benefitted us however. I can recall a few times where a player flopped on B. Roy and that gave him a wide open jumper, or lay up. I wonder if a technical fowl will be issued for “flagrant flopping”?

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

by OCBlazerFan1 on May 29, 2008 3:07 PM PDT reply actions

meant "foul" not "fowl". I'm a bird brain.

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

by OCBlazerFan1 on May 29, 2008 3:07 PM PDT up reply actions

What I hate as much as flopping

Are guys who drive to the basket then beg or complain for a foul. Watch Kobe, he complains he was fouled when he’s the only guy on a fast break after a turn over. I hate that.

I think I have a man crush on Bobby Flay.

by tominhawaii on May 31, 2008 1:35 AM PDT reply actions

What if the refs were also the police?

Just like regular cops, they would charge players at their discretion. Citations would include:

flopping (fraud)
loitering (3-seconds)
assault (flagrant foul)
jay-walking (traveling)
vagrancy (no visible means of support, i.e., hanging from the rim)
inciting a riot (what it says)
public indecency or lewd behavior (your own favorite example here)

just to name a few. A player could draw a regular foul, or might be written up and fined or even arrested.

by CatMan2 on May 31, 2008 5:39 PM PDT reply actions

If the refs were also the police they would probably have tasers.

Instead of ejecting someone they’d just tase ‘em. Can you imagine Joey Crawford with a taser? Ejections would go up exponentially, but the players would be properly cowed and compliant. Yep.

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on May 31, 2008 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Geez, you're right!

I guess it would only be fair to then allow players to carry their own weapons. Hmm… I wonder who our all-lethal all-time starting five would be? Isaiah Ryder comes to mind, but who else?

by CatMan2 on May 31, 2008 6:26 PM PDT up reply actions