I don’t follow the NBA, but I can tell you there has been a lot of commotion in the media lately about extremely violent games where players, and sometimes even fans get the crap beat out of them. I have seen several brawls through various media outlets.
Along with the headlines I come across are talks of the NBA coming down on this type of behavior, and taking steps to prevent it.
Perhaps this type of foul call is in retaliation to the recent NBA games that have turned into mob fights.
[quote]Petedacook wrote:
I don’t follow the NBA, but I can tell you there has been a lot of commotion in the media lately about extremely violent games where players, and sometimes even fans get the crap beat out of them. I have seen several brawls through various media outlets.
Along with the headlines I come across are talks of the NBA coming down on this type of behavior, and taking steps to prevent it.
Perhaps this type of foul call is in retaliation to the recent NBA games that have turned into mob fights.
[/quote]
I thought that might have been the case. I knew about the brawls but it almost seems like they are unable to show any personality out there now.
[quote]Man O’ War wrote:
Petedacook wrote:
I don’t follow the NBA, but I can tell you there has been a lot of commotion in the media lately about extremely violent games where players, and sometimes even fans get the crap beat out of them. I have seen several brawls through various media outlets.
Along with the headlines I come across are talks of the NBA coming down on this type of behavior, and taking steps to prevent it.
Perhaps this type of foul call is in retaliation to the recent NBA games that have turned into mob fights.
I thought that might have been the case. I knew about the brawls but it almost seems like they are unable to show any personality out there now.
[/quote]
Shaq wagged his finger at Deke which is considered taunting another player. When its that blatant its always a foul.
Deke was T’d up earlier this season for the his signature finger wag directed at the crowd. He complained to David Stern who overruled the fine and said that Deke’s finger wag is ok as long as its directed towards the crowd.
Part of the deal is that the ‘finger wag’ is Mutumbo’s signature gesture; after he blocks a shot, Mutumbo will wag his finger to the crowd.
Mutumbo has done this for years and years, and it isn’t a personal, mocking gesture towards his opponent. It’s akin to Kevin Garnett screaming and flexing after he nails an awesome dunk. Neither Mutumbo nor Garnett are mocking their opponent as much as they are celebrating their own good play.
O’Neal’s does not finger wag. He only finger-wagged after he blocked Mutumbo, and then he also finger-wagged right in Mutumbo’s face. It was clearly an insulting, mocking gesture aimed directly at Mutumbo.
[quote]tGunslinger wrote:
Part of the deal is that the ‘finger wag’ is Mutumbo’s signature gesture; after he blocks a shot, Mutumbo will wag his finger to the crowd.
Mutumbo has done this for years and years, and it isn’t a personal, mocking gesture towards his opponent. It’s akin to Kevin Garnett screaming and flexing after he nails an awesome dunk. Neither Mutumbo nor Garnett are mocking their opponent as much as they are celebrating their own good play.
O’Neal’s does not finger wag. He only finger-wagged after he blocked Mutumbo, and then he also finger-wagged right in Mutumbo’s face. It was clearly an insulting, mocking gesture aimed directly at Mutumbo.
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Exactly, although Mutumbo had gotten technical fouls in the past for his finger wag. Like you said, he was allowed to do it again once the wag became directed at the crowd only.
Many players in the past have gotten T’s for finger wags after blocking a shot by Mutumbo, including Jordan.
[quote]malonetd wrote:
Exactly, although Mutumbo had gotten technical fouls in the past for his finger wag. Like you said, he was allowed to do it again once the wag became directed at the crowd only.
Many players in the past have gotten T’s for finger wags after blocking a shot by Mutumbo, including Jordan.
[/quote]
I must be the only person that thinks this is a soft sort of rule.
I watched the game live, and saw it happen. After Shaq got a T, you can see Mutombo talking to Shaq, saying ‘that’s my signature.’ You can read his lips saying this to Shaq, and right after that, analyst Jon Barry said the same thing.
[quote]Man O’ War wrote:
malonetd wrote:
Exactly, although Mutumbo had gotten technical fouls in the past for his finger wag. Like you said, he was allowed to do it again once the wag became directed at the crowd only.
Many players in the past have gotten T’s for finger wags after blocking a shot by Mutumbo, including Jordan.
I must be the only person that thinks this is a soft sort of rule.[/quote]
Is it soft? Yeah, I guess, but it’s also taunting. And in a league that has a “no taunting” rule you have to draw the line somewhere.