Trail Blazers Bloggers Network

Oct 12

You Always Remember Your First

Comments
13
Subscribe

Sign in to subscribe
Sign in to subscribe
Tweet

By caseyholdahl Posted in: Blazers, Jazz, 2010trainingcamp

Wesley Matthews probably should have known better. He, along with everyone else in the NBA, was told repeatedly that referees would be quick to drop technical’s on your proverbial dome this season for any number of new infractions ranging from air punching to running at an official to complain about a call, or lack thereof.

So after Wesley picked up a technical late in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s loss to the Utah Jazz, I was curious to find out what it was for and whether it really was easier to get a technical this season than in seasons past. Turns out Wesley wasn’t qualified to answer either question.

Matthews wasn’t sure exactly what he did to get the technical, prompting him to ask the media if they knew why he got hit with a tech. He said he clapped his hands three times after being called for a foul (one of 24 fouls called in the fourth quarter), which presumably prompted Gary Zielinksi to award Matthews his first technical of the season.

“I know it's a point of emphasis,” said Matthews of being called for a technical, “but hey, that's tough. That was a tough one. Did it look bad?”

Matthews’ question was a tough one to answer without the luxury of instant replay that comes along with playing at Memorial Coliseum, but considering how mild-mannered he has been since arriving in Portland, it’s hard to imagine that whatever he did would have qualified as a technical last season.

Not that Wesley would know what amounted to a technical foul last year either. Matthews made it through is rookie season without picking up a tech, which makes sense considering his rise through the ranks in Utah playing under a coach in Jerry Sloan who has little patience for anything, let along mental mistakes that cost his team points. But Matthews’ streak without a technical predates his days on the banks of the Great Salt Lake. Goes past his senior season at Marquette too. And his junior, sophomore and freshman seasons as well.

In fact, as far as the internet is concerned, Wesley Matthews had never been called for a technical foul until the fourth quarter of a preseason game in which the result was never in doubt. Maybe he was called for a technical while prepping at James Madison Memorial High School in Madison, WI, but having heard Wesley talk about his mother, I find it hard to believe she ever let her boy get out of line to the point of getting hit with a technical.

So Matthews, despite now being the proud owner of a one technical career, probably isn’t the best person to explain how the rules regarding technicals have changed. All he knows is that his check is going to be a little lighter this pay period.

Previous Story: McMillan Will Abide By The 'Van Gundy' Rule

Next Story: Nic Batum Gets Back To Normal

13 Comments

It sounds totally unprofessional of the league, and irresponsible. I t sounds like they are hurting for money. They are praying on the intensity and passion the players have as human beings. Something only People who have played the game understand. It is unfortunate that the N.B.A has stupid to this level, and it makes the league take a step back. The Tech on Wesley seems to indicate a frustration on the part of the player dealing with inaccurate and obsessive calls. Something the league should be looking into to balance rather than make a dollar over. Shame on the Commish for this one. Players, play on with passion, they can't sensor human emotion, don't let them.

by LTG on 10/12/2010 6:55 PM
Stooped* not stupid on line three of my rant:).

by LTG on 10/12/2010 6:56 PM
I was at the game and i can tell you the refs were out of hand. I have never seen a 4th quite that bad. I know some may call me a homer but wes did nothing from what i saw to be a tech foul. once again its little man syndrom trying to puch areound the people us fans come to watch. there was multiple times were utah complained and didnt get a tech. I dont know stien you are getting out of controle.

by Avgjoe28 on 10/12/2010 10:51 PM
I am having a hard time with the officiating these last thee seasons. The conspiracies surrounding the NBA and "small market" Portland continue to ring more and more true. David Stern needs to reassign control of the league officiating to an independent party. I am absolutely disgusted with the league officials and the fact that Stern is allowing it to tarnish his legacy. It just goes to show that even one's legacy is up for bid when enough money is involved.

by RipCityRevival on 10/12/2010 11:52 PM
Well Rasheed retired at the right time because if he was still playing they won't be a possible blackout season next year because all that money they get from him, anyway I see this as a double-edged sword I mean you can't control the passion of the players who want to win, but at the same time we won't have to see the useless whining of some of the players in the league so will see how this rule goes.

by CarlJ1 on 10/13/2010 12:30 AM
The Rule itself is not that bad, but will the Refs dish it out fairly is the question. Some of the coaches plays the refs like a fiddle, and the refs falls for it. If a ref starts calling technicals for fauls he called by being under the influence of said coach should be fined or sent packing.

Long Short, like any rule in the NBA that can be determined by a ref; will it be handled fairly? I doubt it.

Hg

by Hg on 10/13/2010 2:56 AM
should be interesting to see how the refs handle the new rules as the year goes on

by RedRudy5 on 10/13/2010 9:13 AM
This is the dumbest and lamest rule ever. Perfect example is Wesley Matthews NEVER getting a T in his life, until that stupid David Stern and that stupid ref.
If it keeps up I hope there is a player lockout next year, not only for the contract negotiations, but for more freedom to express themselves appropriately. I don't know about everyone else, but I absolutely do not go to the games hoping to see some hot ref action going down. The refs are too much of a factor in games now, they might as well start selling ref jerseys and promoting them.

by I''m OUT! on 10/13/2010 11:11 AM
I think even the refs are still trying to get a sense of what the new rule is. It's a change for them as well.

Then again, every year the league comes out with new "points of emphasis" when it comes to officiating, and every year, those points become less and less emphasized as the season goes on.

by caseyholdahl on 10/13/2010 1:03 PM
I've been wondering if they're going to enforce the new tech rules more on highly televised games than on some of the smaller market/non-televised games.

by AndyPierson on 10/13/2010 1:29 PM
we all know the nba's officiating is geared toward big-name players and large-market teams. in talking to some older than myself, i've been informed that this all happened right around the late 1970s to early 1980s. in checking David Stern's resume, i noticed that this is about the same time he took over as commissioner. i don't believe in coincidences.

in listening to the pre-season games on the radio, i've noticed a few occasions where Wheels has mentioned some officials trying to be noticed and/or seemingly being paid by the whistle. what better way to be noticed than to cater to the commisioner's desires?

personally, i don't mind the new rule provided that all players and teams will be required to abide by it. however, it's my guess that displays by certain players (*cough* Kobe Bryant *cough*) will be overlooked.

~ Kassandra

by Kassandra on 10/14/2010 8:52 AM
I was part of an NBA survey on technicals during the offseason and I have to say I save very few things in the video's that I thought would have warrented a technical. After completing the survey there were statements to the fact that the NBA wants to upgrade the respect of its officaials and feel the players do a lot that give fans an incorrect view of the officials of being wrong and not doing a good job.

To that I have to say the officials don't need the players to do that, they've done a good job of that themselves. The officaials have gotten to the point where they control the outcome of some games and that should never happen.

by Bruise10 on 10/14/2010 3:57 PM
Yep Bruise10, the refs have done a great job on their own, and Stern has done even better. How stupid do they think we are? It's not like the replays that we see (and even in real time) where the refs make OBVIOUS terrible calls and NONE of the other refs do any thing about it give us any idea of how bad the officials are. Or how the OBVIOUS star treatment keeps the games from being called fair. Or how defiant Stern acts when asked about his officials or the scandal involving Tim Donaghy. No, instead of offering transparency with his officials, he implements these retarded rules to slow the game down even more, and to take out the emotions of a game and make us pay to watch the officials now instead of the players.

by I''m OUT! on 10/14/2010 5:45 PM