Finally, a sports league that takes action (pictured is Tim Duncan — from the ESPN site — who was tossed the other day by Joey Crawford essentially for laughing on the bench) against an out-of-control umpire or referee.
I am put in mind of an incident back in 1988. Pete Rose was managing the Reds in a game against the Mets when he got into a heated exchange with umpire Dave Pallone. Rather than backing away, as umpires used to be taught, Pallone got right in Rose’s face and the argument escalated, ending with Rose bumping the ump and forearming him in the chest — leading to a record 30-day suspension for Charlie Hustle.
Rose, of course, crossed a line and deserved his punishment. But the incident raised serious questions about the role that umpires play in these kinds of tussles — had Pallone turned away, there was no guarantee that it would have died down. But getting in Rose’s face was guaranteed to turn the heat up a notch.
I always felt Pallone should have been suspended along with Rose, perhaps for a shorter period, and that sports umpires and referees often play a part in these blowups.
So it is gratifying to see NBA Commissioner David Stern come down so quickly on Joey Crawford.
(Question: Would Crawford had been suspended if it hadn’t been a superstar with a clean record like Tim Duncan? What if it had been a no-name like Mardy Collins or someone like Rasheed Wallace, who has had problems in the past? Just asking.)
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Hank Kalet 