Re: Attendance

["Michael A. DiZio" <mustang@gis.net>]

>I think the "blocks" have a lot to do with him not getting calls for
>fouls.  On
>some of these plays he clearly was hacked, held and pushed, but got no calls.
>Meanwhile, Coleman runs over his defender and gets a foul called on the
>Celtics.  Fortson wraps up someone and gets an intentional/hard (whatever)
>foul
>called.  On the other end, some Celtic got tackled and leveled, with no such
>call.  The Hornets clearly got the refs favoritism.  I don't know about at
>Boston, but it was so in Charlotte.
>
>To our Boston members who go to games, do we get the calls there?  I suspect
>that Toine doesn't even get them there.


>Bentz Kirby
       Ref's talk to each other and they have a "book." I think many times
they make calls by the "book" rather than what they actually see. (or don't
see)  If a rookie is guarding an established player they call the foul on
the rook. If a guy is fresh off the injury list they ring him up pronto.
They have a safe "out" because conventional wisdom says the all-star beats
the rookie, the guy just off the il isn't in shape yet blah blah.

        As the main gun, Antoine figures to be the captain but at this
stage of his career I don't know if it is a good thing. The Captain gets to
speak with the referees and Antoine abuses the privilege. I have never seen
a ref reverse a call because of what a player says to him. The ref might
consult another ref but the constant whining from certain players is always
to no avail. If antagonized  or heaven forbid, "shown up" a player like
Antoine can get beat up all night and get nary a whistle. In the two
victories at the Fleet before Charlotte, Antoine went to the line a lot. If
he loses his composure, it will be a long night for him, the zebra's will
see to it.

      As far as the blocks go, the refs will allow a little incidental
contact and "let the boys play unless there is a obvious grab or hold (on
drives to the hoop). A player with some fakes can make contact so obvious
as the man guarding him is forced off balance and crashes into him or has
to grab him.The players and team scouts have books too Antoine, make them
guess a little when you take a shot!