Beef with the Refs

June 21, 2000

SHAQ. “The Big Baby.” Add bully to that. He’s very big, very tall, very intimidating. O’Neal once admitted he was a bully in school. Judging by the way he plays in the NBA, particularly the NBA Finals where he averaged about 40 points and at least 10 rebounds per game, he has taken to heart the lessons he learned as a child: if you can push and shove ’em, keep at it. His physical gifts though make his domination less impressive. He makes sense of what he has – effectively. But take the now brittle Hakeem Olajuwon, for instance. When the Houston Rockets matched up against the now beefier O’Neal's former team Orlando Magic, the 7-0 Olajuwon, who realistically is no taller than 6-10, ran rings around the taller and even then heftier Magic center. Rockets for the title, 4-0. Olajuwon made use of the fewer physical attributes he had, and that’s not just impressive but praiseworthy. But there’s no denying O’Neal's present strengths – points, rebounds and blocks. Okay, okay...he passes better, too. So add assists to the list.

ZEN MASTER? How can you call a coach who trash talks one of his former star players, orders his bruisers to rough up and possibly maim the former; divorces his wife of 25 years after bedding a 20-something ex-Playboy playmate who also happens to be his boss’ daughter – a “Zen master”? Quoting Zen and Taoist philosophers doesn’t make Lakers coach Phil Jackson a Lao-tzu. Well, the American media have to have their sound byte.

Kobe Bryant rushes upcourt with the ball and wards off a defender with his left arm. Whistle. Offensive foul. “A couple more years... they won’t call that,” TV analyst Mark Brown said. American sports persons know the NBA referees give the superstars a lot of slack. They coddled Michael Jordan. Bryant was once touted as Jordan’s heir apparent, but not if Vince Carter has something to say about it. Despite Bryant’s popularity and multi-million endorsement contracts, he hasn’t reached the heights Jordan had. A championship ring gets him on the right path, though.

REFEREES’ PETS. All thanks to the referees for giving Game 6 to the team expected to win the NBA Finals anyway. Dale Davis is called for a very, very dubious loose-ball foul after cleanly blocking Glen Rice’s shot and getting the offensive rebound. Jordan-wannabe Bryant forces a sideline shot and is blocked by Austin Croshere, who is called for a copycat questionable foul. “Bailed out,” as NBA analyst Brown said. He’s the honest one. Bryant gets two foul shots and makes two just like what Rice did earlier, padding LA’s lead and preventing the Pacers from getting any closer.

In the land of the blind, the in-the-pocket referees are kings. Still the Indiana Pacers only have themselves to blame for losing. They failed to put the Lakers away in Game 2 after Bryant got injured and Bird blundered in Game 4 by ordering Miller to take a 3-point shot with 5.9 seconds left despite Rik Smits having no one to defend him down below with O’Neal having fouled out. All the Pacers needed were a two to tie the game and go into second overtime with the advantage in manpower.

Larry Bird takes the consoling worlds of Rick Fox and former archrival Earvin “Magic” Johnson after the final buzzer. If there are any sarcastic remarks against Bird’s composure and class, shelve that for the moment. Enjoy the Lakers’ championship title. If the core of both teams stay together next season (which is unlikely for Indiana), perhaps, just perhaps...same time next year.