In a sudden and totally unexpected development Friday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that three members of eGriz, the sports board at the University of Montana, have been hired to positions at the league's replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey. They will begin their duties in time for the NBA playoffs, as soon as their avatars can be cracked and airline tickets sent in their real names.
"That Steph Curry replay was the last straw," said Silver. "That play has become a huge embarrassment for us on social media, as thousands and thousands of people watch it, over and over, some as many as ten times, just to count steps and complain about the evident travel. We simply cannot allow plays like this, however creative, magical, imaginative or brilliant, to occur outside the strict rules of the game. We must make sure the refs do their job."
Even though NBA refs announced later they'd missed the call, the damage was done, their incompetence right there for the entire world to see on social media. The outrage over Curry's outright fraudulent behavior apparently led Silver to a new conclusion about his league--and high praise for the NCAA.
"You will not see any replays of that college championship game," said Silver, "because those refs did their job. They didn't miss a thing. Not one travel. Not one bump. Not one single flagrant missed. They called everything to the exact letter of the law. They were in complete charge of that game. I was in complete awe of their performance. It was a thing of pure beauty."
While agreeing that refs can often miss calls, given the fast-pace of the NBA game, Silver says there is a one word answer for improving the quality of the officiating: Technology. In reference to the Curry play, Silver said:
"Those three blind mice could have huddled at the scorer's table, like the NCAA refs did. New Jersey could have been contacted, the play reviewed, steps counted, and in a few short minutes they could have got it right, and prevented the outrage that has ensued over the Curry fraud, while besmirching the reputation of the entire NBA."
This, Silver said, was why he was drawn to the comments he saw on eGriz. Once he was done dealing with the outrage over the Curry fiasco, he realized that he was now on the same page as those strict moralists and Western gentlemen from Montana:
"...in sports...a rule is...a rule...there should never be...any exceptions."
"That Steph Curry replay was the last straw," said Silver. "That play has become a huge embarrassment for us on social media, as thousands and thousands of people watch it, over and over, some as many as ten times, just to count steps and complain about the evident travel. We simply cannot allow plays like this, however creative, magical, imaginative or brilliant, to occur outside the strict rules of the game. We must make sure the refs do their job."
Even though NBA refs announced later they'd missed the call, the damage was done, their incompetence right there for the entire world to see on social media. The outrage over Curry's outright fraudulent behavior apparently led Silver to a new conclusion about his league--and high praise for the NCAA.
"You will not see any replays of that college championship game," said Silver, "because those refs did their job. They didn't miss a thing. Not one travel. Not one bump. Not one single flagrant missed. They called everything to the exact letter of the law. They were in complete charge of that game. I was in complete awe of their performance. It was a thing of pure beauty."
While agreeing that refs can often miss calls, given the fast-pace of the NBA game, Silver says there is a one word answer for improving the quality of the officiating: Technology. In reference to the Curry play, Silver said:
"Those three blind mice could have huddled at the scorer's table, like the NCAA refs did. New Jersey could have been contacted, the play reviewed, steps counted, and in a few short minutes they could have got it right, and prevented the outrage that has ensued over the Curry fraud, while besmirching the reputation of the entire NBA."
This, Silver said, was why he was drawn to the comments he saw on eGriz. Once he was done dealing with the outrage over the Curry fiasco, he realized that he was now on the same page as those strict moralists and Western gentlemen from Montana:
"...in sports...a rule is...a rule...there should never be...any exceptions."
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