Matt
10-10-2006, 07:34 AM
Wallace cries foul over rule (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061010/SPORTS0102/610100352/1127)
NBA has adopted a zero-tolerance policy, meaning antics directed toward officials could bring a quick technical.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- You had to know the Pistons were going to take it personally.
The NBA, in an attempt to cut down on the incessant complaining by players to officials, has instituted what amounts to a zero-tolerance rule this season.
Where in the past the referees might look the other way when Rasheed Wallace threw his arms in the air or made some other wild gesture after a questionable call, or when Tayshaun Prince put his hands on his hips and shook his head in disgust after a call, this season, such actions could bring a quick technical.
"It's just another 'Sheed Wallace rule," Wallace said, shaking his head. "It just means I must be doing something right. Any time they change the rules of the game for one specific player, you must be doing something right."
Commissioner David Stern would disagree. Stern has long been fed up with what he perceives as the non-stop histrionics and complaining by players.
He has instituted a fine system, starting at $5,000, every time a player or coach makes a public criticism of an official. He has stiffened the consequences on multiple technicals -- $1,000 fine for the first five, $1,500 for the next five, $2,000 for the next five then $2,500 for the ones that followed, plus a one-game suspension for every other technical after the 15th.
"What happens if I am one of the captains?" Wallace asked. "Does that mean I can't talk to them? You can't talk back to them like they're your mom and dad. It's like they're saying, 'If you say something to me I am going to put you on punishment.' That's how it is. I will come up with some way to tell them how I feel."
Wallace earned 16 technicals last season and a one-game suspension. He could easily double that total.
"I don't understand it, man, especially for a team like ours," Chauncey Billups said.
"They know we are a very emotional team. I feel like this is a Pistons rule. It just gives them easier access to have us open up and get emotional and then, boom, they bust our bubble. It's like they are trying to take the emotion out of the game."
Billups said it will be interesting to see how referees enforce the new edict.
"I plan on having conversations with all of them," Billups said.
"I am going to say, 'Come on, you can't take emotion out of the game.' This is an emotional game. There are highs and lows over the course of 48 minutes. If I am not playing good, or if we don't have some stuff going our way, I am going to be frustrated. You can't expect us to not be emotional about that.'
" 'Now, if I'm cussing you out and I am showing you up for real, then I deserve that tech. If I am not, then it's not right.' "
Heat coach Pat Riley doesn't think referees are fooling around.
"They are going to be very conscious of player complaining," he told reporters last week. "That's one of the big things with them. Every call, there's always 10 guys complaining to the officials. They're just telling them to cut it out."
Riley thinks players will still be able to express their opinions to the officials, but will have to watch their body language and tone of voice.
"It's how you approach them and how many times you approach them and what you say to them," he said. "They're going to be open, always, to very positive dialogue. But if you come at them and you do things that sort of mock and humiliate them, it's going to be automatic. They're not waiting."
Prince sees it as another attempt by Stern to control the league's image. It started with the institution of the dress code last season, the automatic technical, ejection and fine for kicking the ball or throwing anything (gum, wristbands, headbands) toward the crowd, and implementation of the fines and suspensions for technicals.
And all of that, in one way or another, leads back to the brawl at The Palace in 2004. It was from that point Stern vowed to take stronger, more proactive approach toward player conduct on and off the court.
"The NBA is always going to do something to be more controlling," Prince said. "That's what they're doing. They are taking the fun out of the game, basically."
You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com.
Newsflash: Pistons are complaining that they can't complain anymore.
NBA has adopted a zero-tolerance policy, meaning antics directed toward officials could bring a quick technical.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- You had to know the Pistons were going to take it personally.
The NBA, in an attempt to cut down on the incessant complaining by players to officials, has instituted what amounts to a zero-tolerance rule this season.
Where in the past the referees might look the other way when Rasheed Wallace threw his arms in the air or made some other wild gesture after a questionable call, or when Tayshaun Prince put his hands on his hips and shook his head in disgust after a call, this season, such actions could bring a quick technical.
"It's just another 'Sheed Wallace rule," Wallace said, shaking his head. "It just means I must be doing something right. Any time they change the rules of the game for one specific player, you must be doing something right."
Commissioner David Stern would disagree. Stern has long been fed up with what he perceives as the non-stop histrionics and complaining by players.
He has instituted a fine system, starting at $5,000, every time a player or coach makes a public criticism of an official. He has stiffened the consequences on multiple technicals -- $1,000 fine for the first five, $1,500 for the next five, $2,000 for the next five then $2,500 for the ones that followed, plus a one-game suspension for every other technical after the 15th.
"What happens if I am one of the captains?" Wallace asked. "Does that mean I can't talk to them? You can't talk back to them like they're your mom and dad. It's like they're saying, 'If you say something to me I am going to put you on punishment.' That's how it is. I will come up with some way to tell them how I feel."
Wallace earned 16 technicals last season and a one-game suspension. He could easily double that total.
"I don't understand it, man, especially for a team like ours," Chauncey Billups said.
"They know we are a very emotional team. I feel like this is a Pistons rule. It just gives them easier access to have us open up and get emotional and then, boom, they bust our bubble. It's like they are trying to take the emotion out of the game."
Billups said it will be interesting to see how referees enforce the new edict.
"I plan on having conversations with all of them," Billups said.
"I am going to say, 'Come on, you can't take emotion out of the game.' This is an emotional game. There are highs and lows over the course of 48 minutes. If I am not playing good, or if we don't have some stuff going our way, I am going to be frustrated. You can't expect us to not be emotional about that.'
" 'Now, if I'm cussing you out and I am showing you up for real, then I deserve that tech. If I am not, then it's not right.' "
Heat coach Pat Riley doesn't think referees are fooling around.
"They are going to be very conscious of player complaining," he told reporters last week. "That's one of the big things with them. Every call, there's always 10 guys complaining to the officials. They're just telling them to cut it out."
Riley thinks players will still be able to express their opinions to the officials, but will have to watch their body language and tone of voice.
"It's how you approach them and how many times you approach them and what you say to them," he said. "They're going to be open, always, to very positive dialogue. But if you come at them and you do things that sort of mock and humiliate them, it's going to be automatic. They're not waiting."
Prince sees it as another attempt by Stern to control the league's image. It started with the institution of the dress code last season, the automatic technical, ejection and fine for kicking the ball or throwing anything (gum, wristbands, headbands) toward the crowd, and implementation of the fines and suspensions for technicals.
And all of that, in one way or another, leads back to the brawl at The Palace in 2004. It was from that point Stern vowed to take stronger, more proactive approach toward player conduct on and off the court.
"The NBA is always going to do something to be more controlling," Prince said. "That's what they're doing. They are taking the fun out of the game, basically."
You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com.
Newsflash: Pistons are complaining that they can't complain anymore.