Referee Incompetence

I'm unable to comfortably comment on the current 1 win Bulls season thus far. It is quite simply too disheartening and disgusting, however it is early. Most should be reminded that the Bulls have started horribly the past three seasons, and things have panned out well. Just wait and see how everything progresses.

But as I'm watching the Clippers game, I'm dismayed at the refs. I consider myself pretty easy going as far as refs go. I get that it's one of the toughest jobs, and a human being won't ever get all of the call right. I usually sympathize for them.

Tonight, in the first half, was a complete disaster. Ruben Patterson of the Clips blatantly elbowed Nocioni in the face not once, but twice. When Patterson recieved the ball in the lane from the position he established from concussing the defender, Nocioni recovered and gave Patterson a hard foul across both arms. There was no malicious intent, no hit in the head, but it was called a flagrant foul, and Patterson recieved a technical.

Then moments later, Nocioni recieves the ball on the offensive end, drives, and the Clipper's Tim Thomas responds by shoving Noc--arms fully extended and recieves a flagrant foul as well.

Concerns--where the refs on the baseline watching the two post players (Noc and Patterson)? Two, the only way Nocioni recieves a flagrant is if the refs feel as though it was a retaliation foul, which anyone could clearly see it was not. If they determined it was a retaliation shot, then they must have known what Patterson did and simply didn't call the obvious call, which should have been a technical.

These are absolute easy calls. No duh a backhand to the head is a foul, how do you mess this up? They are professionals. Players shouldn't ever miss lay ups, and refs don't miss violent calls. Simple. With all they heat officals have taken this off season, they certainly shouldn't be messing up their jobs.