The Rondo Smack

By now, everyone has seen the smack HEARD round the NBA. Brad Miller's mouth certainly noticed. To prevent a game-tying layup, Rajon Rondo reared back and knocked the taste out of the slow center's jaw. The league says that it was not a flagrant foul, while every journalist in the country (outside the Boston area) is claiming that Rondo committed a virtual 1st degree assault on Miller.

I will give Rondo this: it is playoff basketball. Be tough or go home. Pansies never make it past the first round. However, the refs CAN'T receive this type of leeway. These guys (and girl) are there for a purpose; it is their job to protect the players and maintain a sense of order to the game with their whistle. I believe, along with many others, that this is not the type of precedent to set this early in the playoffs. You can't allow a player to smack another in the head in one game, (his hand was about a yard away from the ball) and then call a flagrant foul the next time that it happens. Basketball fans demand consistency from the refs. If you are consistent, then people don't cry wolf quite as much. And now in this instance, the NBA refs have created a huge predicament. The next time a smack on the head happens (and it will happen again), if these guys call a flagrant, everyone will say that it contradicts their decision in the Celtics game. If they don't, it will continue to happen more and more.

The best thing to do in this situation is call the flagrant. That way you can maintain consistency and ensure that it does not happen again. Make players afraid to flagrant foul at the end of games, do not embrace this type of incident. I really like Rondo, but he deserved a flagrant in this instance. I mean Brad Miller could hardly maintain focus on the line afterward. If he came out, then he was done for the game (per NBA rules). So, Coach Del Negro decided Brad needed to stay in, so that when he made the free throws, he could play in the second overtime (plus, Doc Rivers could have chosen who would shoot the free throws, also per NBA rules). It never made it that far. Miller struggled to the line. Missed a close first one, then tried to miss the second on purpose, but failed to hit the rim.

So, basically, the refs did exactly what NO ONE wants the refs to do. That's decide the game. The refs took the game out of the Bulls' hands by not calling a warranted flagrant foul.

I defend the NBA from attacks by ignorant Alabamians ALL of the time, but this is a disgrace. Any hit above the shoulders, that is no where close to the ball, should be at the very least a flagrant one foul. Two shots. Possession. The Bulls, and a one-eyed Brad Miller deserved it. In all likelyhood, the Celtics still would have won the game. They had the momentum. Ben Gordon was hobbling. Derrick Rose was playing scared. It was all Boston, but now we will never know what could have happened. The refs froze up. The league defends the call, but that's really only because it was in a pivotal Game 5. If the league admitted the call was wrong, it is basically saying, "okay, well the Celtics won the series, but they shouldn't have, so any success from now on is not justified."

I understand the league's stance in hindsight, but I will never understand why the refs succomb to pressure from the fans or to a perception that they will ALWAYS take the game out of the players' hands by calling a WARRANTED foul at the end of the game.

I honestly question whether or not a flagrant foul would have been called on the Bulls if the roles were reversed. My heart is saying "no way, there is no ref bias in the NBA." However, my brain is saying "you may be on to something there, remember Donahey."

If the league wants to repair its image and continue to grow in popularity, it must change this perception that the refs shouldn't always take the game out of the players' hands. Rondo took the game out of his hand by using it to slap Miller, or at least it should have. Of course, the refs should not always call it tight down the stretch, but to an extent, they have now provided justification for continuous head-smacks throughout the 2009 Playoffs.

Yeah, David Stern, you kept your BELOVED Celtics in the Playoffs...but at what cost? The cost of Brad Miller's dental reconstruction surgery and even more guaranteed in the no-so-distant future.

Tiger coaches are "on the prowl"

If you were waiting for a sign of desperation on the Plains, it has finally come.

We are in the midst of the Spring Evaluation period for NCAA football recruiting. That means that nearly every college football coach in the nation is out meeting with high school coaches and watching future prospects. This is the time where coaches really determine what players fit their system and who is worthy of their resources during the season. These two months may be arguably the most important in the recruiting process as relationships are formed with players and coaches that will help schools land a top class in February of 2010.

The Auburn University football coaches have realized the significance of this period and are now showing the state of Alabama and the rest of the SEC that they are serious about recruiting. Gone are the days where Tommy Tuberville went duck hunting instead of recruiting. Gene Chizik has decided to lease a LIMOSUINE to ride throughout the state and their recruiting trail.

Yes, you heard that right. Coach has rented a limo! Oh boy! We are back! The sheer fact that he rented a limosuine is funny in itself, but I am more focused on the image that this displays of the status of Auburn football.

Rental cars are no longer good enough for Auburn, nope, we need to ride "in style."

To me, this exhibits that Auburn is still not ready to challenge Nick Saban and the colossial program that he is building in Tuscaloosa. Saban doesn't need a limo when he goes to evaluate kids. He could show up on a bigwheel, and 5 stars would be committing on the spot.

This is the perception that Auburn coaches are creating. "Well, we know we won't ever be able to measure up. So, let's try as best as we can to distance ourselves from programs that are in our atmosphere, such as Miss St. and Arkansas."

The problem is that the limo is going to distance the Auburn program, it is going to set it back in terms of how other college programs feel about them. No one is worried anymore. Last year, people would say, oh they will be back to where they were a few years ago. Folks, with stuff like this, that's not going to happen.

Picture this. You are a high school five-star recruit. Three coaches show up at your school.

Urban Meyer comes in. Shows you his two national championship rings. Talks about how you fit in their system, and you could be the next Tim Tebow or Percy Harvin. You can play in front of 90,000 fans in one of the most intimidating atmospheres in the SEC. Chomp, Chomp.

Nick Saban shows up. Displays his national championship ring. Gives you a copy of the book that he has written. Tells you that he is building the next powerhouse in Tuscaloosa. You can play in front of 101,000 fans next year. We have the best workout facility in the country, and the most loyal, rabid fanbase year-round. Oh, yeah, and you will be working against Julio Jones everyday in practice to improve your game. 36-0.

And then Gene Chizik shows up in a limosuine with Auburn flags and stickers attached. He punches the horn as he sees you at the field, and the limo blares the tune, "Dixie." He tells you that despite his 5-19 record as a head coach, things are looking up. Yeah, they only have half of the fans that Alabama has, but things are looking up. Yeah, our program just fired the most successful coach in the history of the school and hired me, but things are looking up. Even though we still play second fiddle to Alabama after beating them 7 out of 8 years, we now have this LIMO! Look at how cool it is. There are cup holders in the back. Go on, put a cup in there, and watch it hold. It also plays disco music at night-time.

Sorry, Auburn fans. You can justify this as much as you like, but if it was Alabama doing it, you would be laughing your heads off. I promise you that the majority of college football fans are now laughing at you, instead of laughing with you. If you don't believe that, consider the fact you are the first and last program that will ever lease a limosuine to impress recruits. Good luck, next year.