The Fan Voice: "Blown Calls; Blown Chances"

By Live or Die Magic | May 7th, 2008

It has been an interesting couple of days on the official Orlando Magic Message Boards. Intense debate, usually reserved for the Arroyo/Nelson argument or the JJ Redick argument was instead focused on the “refs vs. self” argument. By this I mean, did the refs cause us to lose Game 2 in Detroit or was it our own fault?

Many board members expressed strong feelings on the matter. Those that felt the Magic did themselves in made a point to berate the ones expressing frustration with the refs, amazed that they couldn’t see the Magic’s own lack of execution down the stretch. Those in the “ref” camp took issue with their fellow Magic fans not appreciating the affect a blown call (or three!) could have on the flow of the game. In fact, the handful of Pistons fans who have blessed us with their presence on the boards only had to sit back and enjoy the internal turmoil the Magic fans were having.

I spent most of Monday night and all of Tuesday sitting firmly in the “ref” camp. As I sit here on a Wednesday morning, I think I have finally had time to reflect on the issue and gain some perspective that only time and reading many, many posts, can provide. I still believe that the refs, through their execution of league rules, and their choice of calls, especially late in the game, had a significantly greater impact on the outcome of that game than is intended.

This doesn’t mean that I am choosing to ignore the fact that our “Big 3” had 17 turnovers, Lewis shot only 29% from the field, and our bench had no impact whatsoever on the game. The fact is, we finally were playing Orlando Magic basketball! The Detroit Pistons were reeling in the 3rd quarter. Had that momentum carried over into the 4th, it is possible that we could have had a lead which would have changed how we played and what decisions were made in the final minutes. All that momentum was taken away with that bogus shot by Billups.

But it wasn’t just that call. It was the foul on Dooling when Detroit was inbounding the ball, the inexplicable awarding of possession to Detroit after Turk grabbed a tough defensive board in traffic and it bounced off of Ratliff, and the fact that the refs selectively called fouls against Howard’s defenders for rough fouls but automatically called touch fouls on anyone guarding Detroit’s shooters.

Many have expressed anger at Turkoglu for his quick shot with less than a minute left. It was a bad decision certainly. But it might not have occurred had things prior to that gone differently. The cause and effect is too obvious to ignore. Turk had spent the third quarter setting up many of those beautiful three-pointers that got us the lead.

I’ve heard fans say, “well, the Magic players and coaches aren’t blaming that blown call on the loss, why are the fans?” First off, the players and coaches don’t have the luxury of stewing in their frustrations like us fans do. They have to focus on the next game. Furthermore, their mindset has to be that they finally showed that they can hang with the Pistons and get a lead. And finally, I’m pretty sure that the league still fines players and coaches who overtly criticize officials.

The Detroit Pistons are a great team and Game 2 should have been, could have been a close Magic victory. We have little margin for error against them to have any chance to compete in this series, or even win a game. But when there appears to be a third group of players on the court, well that is just too much to overcome. Turnovers, poor shooting, poor decision making, poor execution, and all that stuff, it can be overcome. Many a playoff victory has come when the winning team has stunk up the court. These problems are something that the Magic players and coaching staff can correct, either during a game or in preparation for the next one.

And herein lies the real reason that Magic fans are frustrated: the influence and impact that the refs have on a game is completely and totally out of the players and coaches control. In this case, the refs blown calls were much more detrimental than any turnover or bad play could have been. That’s my opinion, and I’m sticking to it.


Smurf Out!
It’s all unofficial of course, but if you have blue body paint and any white/blue clothing arrangement, you might consider wearing it to the game tonight. Or, even better, if you don’t have that stuff, you might just want to be on the lookout for some of your fellow Magic fans looking a bit like those lovable little sky-blue creatures. If the Magic prevail tonight, it could lead to a trend.


At the Buzzer
Watching Jason Maxiell play so effectively the last two games has served to sharply increase my already strong dislike of Fran Vazquez.



This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

We sure could use a 4 right about now, I sure hope that I see one show up this offseason or my head is going to explode.

We have no choice but to live with bad calls. The ref's in the NBA are so poor that they happen every game, at least a couple of times every game to every team. I think the trick is to play so well that you are beating the other team while overcoming the poor officiating.

I don't like it, I don't pay to see a ref blow a whistle, I pay to see the 2 teams playing, but it seems like these guys insert themselves into the spotlight. I don't follow other sports in the same way I follow basketball so someone please help me out here, are the ref's names known this well in other sports? The only other ref I can think of is Ed Hochuli and that is only because he should be suited up in shoulder pads and a helmet.

Thanks for explaining my position....that's exactly what I've been thinking and why I havent really participated in the whole "ref vs self" debates...

I think it was a combination of things, but a demoralizating call like that will bring you down and take a way your confidence, drive and desire.

But at the same time, we had time to get our heads straight and make somehting out of it...

sad day for us, but its time to defend our house.....make it a 3 game series.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Acres 3:16:
I don't follow other sports in the same way I follow basketball so someone please help me out here, are the ref's names known this well in other sports? The only other ref I can think of is Ed Hochuli and that is only because he should be suited up in shoulder pads and a helmet.

Ron Cherry (an ACC football ref) is well known to FSU fans, he screws us virtually every game he refs. But NFL refs are generally pretty evan on bad calls for both teams. The NBA is the only league that gives certain players and teams special treatment.

I say, as bad as we played, we were in a position to win the game. If the refs don't blow that 3rd quarter call, as well as that blasted Dooling call (lets not forget, the same thing happened vs. the Raps in game two).

But anyway, despite the fact that we had 19 TOs, and couldn't knock down a shot in the fourth, we were still in a position to win it in the final minute. If the above two calls go our way, we not only are in a position to win, but they'd be fouling us to stop the clock, instead of the other way around.

The final score is deceiving. Pistons fans keep saying "who cares, even if that three pointer didnt count, you still woulda lost by 4." Great logic, eh? The fact is that we were down one with 44 seconds left (I believe). If that three is counted, you could argue that we are up by two, and Turkoglu doesnt have to take his worst shot of the season (although, his shot vs. Minny at the buzzer was pretty poor selection too).

BASICALLY, what I'm saying is that we played poorly down the stretch, yes. But despite that, we still had chances. But the refs took away the opportunity to pull it out in the end.

man I made that WAY more complicated than it was...lawl...

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Acres 3:16:
We sure could use a 4 right about now, I sure hope that I see one show up this offseason or my head is going to explode.

We have no choice but to live with bad calls. The ref's in the NBA are so poor that they happen every game, at least a couple of times every game to every team. I think the trick is to play so well that you are beating the other team while overcoming the poor officiating.

I don't like it, I don't pay to see a ref blow a whistle, I pay to see the 2 teams playing, but it seems like these guys insert themselves into the spotlight. I don't follow other sports in the same way I follow basketball so someone please help me out here, are the ref's names known this well in other sports? The only other ref I can think of is Ed Hochuli and that is only because he should be suited up in shoulder pads and a helmet.

We have a four, Mr.Batman, we need a two, next year w eare gonna be stacked at the front, with Vasquez coming over and the draft adn Battie being healthy, and the emergence of Gortat, and we will have Foyle.

quote:

Originally posted by richnba:
We have a four, Mr.Batman, we need a two, next year w eare gonna be stacked at the front, with Vasquez coming over and the draft adn Battie being healthy, and the emergence of Gortat, and we will have Foyle.

I would trade all the players you mentioned for Jason Maxiell.

Well put LOD...

Will anything change ?


I don't think so until we take the reins.

that is how the NBA does things.

Once we prove we belong then we will get the calls...

That's life in the NBA and it sucks.

I really wish there was a way to make it fair for all.